Even gaps · layout marks · cut pieces
Board and Batten Calculator
Use this interior board and batten spacing calculator for one straight accent wall. Choose a batten count or desired clear gap, compare end treatments, and get layout marks, a wall preview, and optional vertical batten stock quantities.
Worked example
- Installed battens
- 6, including both ends
- Center-to-center spacing
- 23.5 in
- Last batten left edge
- 117.5 in from the left wall
Illustrative example. Measurements, allowances, product details, and prices are not prefilled from this example.
Your layout
Find an even gap before cutting
Enter wall width and actual batten width, then choose a count or desired clear gap. See positions, a preview, and a vertical batten material list.
Suggest an improvement
Choose and measure
Plan the rest of an interior accent wall
This layout tool plans vertical battens on one uninterrupted interior wall. It does not calculate a complete exterior siding system, horizontal rails, backing panels, or layouts around doors and windows.
Measure rails or other trim runs with the Linear Foot Calculator. If your supplier quotes lumber by volume, use the Board Foot Calculator for those sizes and quantities. For exterior wall coverage and lap planks, use the Siding Calculator.
Measure first
Use actual face width and one reference edge.
Measure the finished width of one straight wall. Use actual batten face width, not nominal lumber size. Choose whether full-width battens frame both ends or whether the two end gaps should equal the internal gaps. Confirm outlets, switches, openings, and any rails on site before fixing the layout.
Batten at each end
For N total battens of face width b on a wall W wide, clear gap g = (W − N × b) ÷ (N − 1). N includes both end battens and must be at least 2.
Equal end gaps
When there are no end battens, N battens create N + 1 equal clear spaces: g = (W − N × b) ÷ (N + 1). A single centered batten is allowed.
Layout marks
Center spacing = clear gap + actual batten width. With framed ends, the first left edge is 0; with equal end gaps, it starts at g. Each later left edge is its index × center spacing plus that starting offset.
Cut pieces and stock
Extra pieces round up the installed count by your spare percentage, without changing spacing. Stock capacity uses finished cut length plus saw kerf between equal-length pieces. Whole stock boards are rounded up; a cut longer than the stock is rejected.
From measurement to purchase
A 120 in wall with six actual 2.5 in battens at both ends leaves 120 − 6 × 2.5 = 105 in across five spaces, giving 21 in clear gaps and 23.5 in centers. Left-edge marks are 0, 23.5, 47, 70.5, 94, and 117.5 in. If each vertical piece is 47.5 in long, a usable 96 in stock board yields two pieces with a 0.125 in saw kerf. At 0% spares, six pieces require three stock boards. At an illustrative $8 per stock board, vertical batten stock costs $24.
FAQ
Board and Batten planning questions
Is batten spacing the clear gap or center-to-center distance?
This calculator treats desired spacing as the empty edge-to-edge gap. Center-to-center spacing is the gap plus the actual batten face width. Both are shown so you can mark the wall consistently.
Does the count include the end battens?
Yes. With a batten at each end, six total battens leave five internal gaps. With equal end gaps and no end battens, six battens leave seven spaces. The count is not the number of openings.
Can I choose a desired gap instead of a batten count?
Yes. The calculator checks feasible whole counts up to 200 and chooses the closest actual clear gap; ties use fewer battens. A target gap is approximate, so review the achieved gap and preview before cutting.
Should I type 3 in for nominal 1×3 stock?
Measure the actual visible face width. A Home Depot 1×3 trim product lists 2.5 in actual width; products can differ. Enter your exact product width rather than assuming the nominal size.
Why can a 96 in board fail to yield two 48 in pieces?
Two exact 48 in pieces already use the full 96 in. A nonzero separating saw kerf requires additional length. Enter usable stock length and finished cut length; the tool does not join shorter offcuts.
Does this estimate a complete wall or exterior siding?
It plans vertical interior trim on one uninterrupted wall. Horizontal rails, backing sheets, opening layouts, fastening, exterior siding coverage, installation labor, delivery, and tax are excluded. For an exterior system, use the manufacturer’s installation instructions.
References
Check product specifications before ordering.
Lowe’s interior accent wall guide
Measuring and planning a board-and-batten accent wall.
View reference ↗RONA board-and-batten worksheet
A retailer worksheet distinguishing moulding width, panel count, and clear opening dimensions.
View reference ↗Trim product: nominal and actual width
A product-specific example of nominal 1×3 stock with a 2.5 in actual face.
View reference ↗