Board & Batten In The Bathroom


Last time I checked in, we finally made progress by adding tile into the half-bathroom that has been demoed since October!! Today I’m back with (drumroll please)… MORE PROGRESS!

bathroom board and battenMy dad and I teamed up on a Saturday recently to add board & batten in the bathroom, and I’m loving the direction this small space is heading.
 

Board & Batten In The Bathroom

We’ve tackled plenty of wood wall treatments here on the DIY Playbook (like this entryway, this hallway, this guest room focal wall, and in this bathroom). I can say with certainty that I love every single one of them… even to this day!

 
entryway board and battenI love how all of these projects turned out. Adding a bit of wood trim to any space is an easy way to do something a little different without making a huge investment. It’s a chance to add texture, detail, and a bit of contrast. I knew this boring half bath could benefit from all of those things!
 

The Details

I’ll spare you the step-by-step tutorial since the one we shared after completing this wall takes you through the exact process we used in the bathroom.
 
wood lattice for board and batten

But one thing I did want to point out is that I used these thin lattice strips for the vertical strips. I was very intentional about choosing wood that was super thin (aka lattice strips) because there’s not a lot of space in here. These specific strips were from Lowe’s and are 1.5″ wide and less than a 1/2″ thick. For the top piece, I went with lattice molding that is 5 1/2 inches wide and 1/2″ thick.

I didn’t want to choose a traditional 2×4 because wood (or MDF) protruding off the wall too much would have swallowed up valuable space in this bathroom (making it feel even smaller). I was also nervous about the potential of running into problems when it came time to hang the mirror, mount the vanity, or put the toilet back in place with such thick wood on the walls. Sticking with the super thin lattice allowed me to “get the look” without sacrificing space or function.

Missing Piecesadding board and batten

I realized during this project that even the thin lattice strips I chose are going to intrude on the vanity installation. SO, I kept those off of the wall for now. My plan is to install the vanity + faucet and then add the three remaining pieces around the vanity. This way the vanity can fit flush against the wall and the lattice strips can be added with a “custom fit” after the fact.

Not the ideal plan to keep things efficient, but I know it’ll be worth it in the end when everything fits perfectly.

 

Now What?!easy board and battenbathroom baseboard

So after an afternoon of cutting and nailing the board and batten (and new baseboard!), the bathroom is ready for some paint!
 

My Bathroom To-Do List

  • Paint Board & Batten: I’m going to paint the board & batten white, making sure to paint the last three remaining pieces of lattice white too. That way when it’s time to hang those 3 pieces… I won’t have to do too much painting with the vanity installed.
  • Paint the Top of Wall: I’m thinking something bold on top (black?!) to contrast the bright, white board and batten.
  • Faucet & Vanity: I found the perfect vanity and a handsome (yes, handsome!!) faucet. I can’t wait to show you guys!
  • Hook Up Plumbing: After 5 months without a functioning bathroom off the kitchen, I’m extra excited for this step!
  • Lighting, Mirror & Anything Else: Then it’ll be time to add a new light fixture, a mirror, and anything else this tiny bathroom requires before it’s finally DONE!!

My goal is to have everything on this list done and shared right here on the blog by the first two weeks of April. Do you think we can make it?! I sure hope so! 5+ months without a bathroom is getting pretty ridiculous…

 

Bridget


The Year of Casey

Hey there!

Iโ€™m Casey Finn, the voice behind The DIY Playbook. Iโ€™m married to Finn & mom to Rory and Ellis. Together weโ€™re creating our dream home in Chicago, one DIY project at a time.