Board and Batten on the cheap

Welcome to my board and batten on the cheap tutorial. Otherwise known as the longest post in the world of blog land. I'd make a pot of coffee... or get a big gulp, if you're classy like me.

So far this project has cost me under 100.00 and I'm trying really hard to add the bench and keep it under 150.00 total. I think that's pretty good for wood, glue and paint eh?

To start, get a sitter or recruit your father to tag along to herd the children when they get out of the cart. Because they will get out of the cart when you're trying to saw away at the 8 foot pieces of trim. Then switch and let him saw while you take them to the potty, 17.5 times.

True story.

I needed about 20 ( 61.5 inch long ) pieces of 1 inch trim. I believe it was about .59 cents a foot? (Anyone realizing I'm horrible at the tutorials?)

Did you ask why the heck I decided to make it 61.5 inches? Well, the previous owners didn't mud very well when they redid the entry way and that's exactly where the tape was. The placement that I have the horizontal piece covers it exactly. Believe me, I would have rather done 62 even. I don't like odd confusing numbers. Strange yes?

Next up, 12 feet of 3 inch thick trim. I builder Dad cut it into three pieces to fit into the car easier. Such a thinker that man! I also purchased the same amount of corner trim. It's L shaped which is PERFECT for a little bit of some picture leanin' love going on in the entry way I have a vision of. Some paneling glue and you're set to go! Scratch that, I had some finishing nails at home, you'll need a box of those too if you don't have a nail gun, like this chick. They're itty bitty and perfect to help hold the trim up. I only used two per piece so it's not like you'll be hammering all day.

I didn't say you wouldn't be gluing all day though.

Meet liquid nails.

This little guy will become your best friend if you don't own a nail gun. Those of you that do. Hate you...That is all.

Anyway, the glue--So much less work than nails, that is if you're like me and continually miss the nail and make 1000 and 1 dents in the wall. Bead some glue on the back of the trim and slap her on the wall. Make sure to level it off, the LAST thing you want is to have the glue set and later realize it's crooked. It will throw EVERYTHING off. You knew that though right? Yes. Tape it over with painters tape to help hold it. Level. Measure again. Level again and hammer a trim nail on each end.

Then if you have major OCD like I do, measure and level one more time... Then make sure no ones watching and do it again.. Just for good measure.

Ba dum bump.

*Snort*

Continue till you're all done with the horizontal top. Using your miter saw for the corners, I'm not lucky enough to have anything power saw related so I used my little miter box saw. It worked just fine, barely broke a sweat!

Don't swear like a sailor when your corners are a bit off either, that's what wood filler is for. Works like a charm.

Now on to the vertical pieces. The battens if you will. All of them needed to be 61.5 inches long-- time to measure and cut. Over and over. Then measure the distance apart. I planned on doing every 6 inches, but that ran into a outlet-- stupid electricity. So 7 it is, I marked the first one and went on every 8 inches from there.

The absolute worst part about this trim, which made me want to give up and get some MDF and cut it into 1 inch pieces? Some of it was oh so slightly bent.

Like you looked at it and thought it was straight, and bam fooled you. Neil Patric Harris anyone?

Right...Uh...anyways.

No worries I worked around it-- hiding them behind where the bench will be. Let me tell you, after 4 hours of this I wasn't worried anymore if one piece was 1/316th too far over. It worked out. Magically.

See..when you live with the Nester's IDHTBPTBB mentality it's hard to be a master tutorializer. I don't stress the small stuff.

Once everything was glued, taped, measured, leveled, nailed, gawked at, given the champion dance to-- it was time to prime (24 hours later so the glue could set, if you're using nails- go ahead and paint). Yuck. I dread painting. I get all geeked for it for about 2 minutes. Then my arm starts to get tired. And, this particular day-- I started The Shred the night before. Let me just tell you, try holding your arm above your head to paint.. or worse yet, squatting down to get the bottom. Death. Jillian Michaels wished death upon me.

Ahem.

I primed and then 2 hours later when it was dry caulked the imperfections. Let that dry and primed again. Once it was dry I added the L piece trim to the top for a little ledge and some more bulk to the horizontal trim. We also purchased a 12 inch deep shelf from Home Depot and cut it to fit the little alcove we have. It was the same thickness as the corner (L shaped) trim so it was a little more of a built in look, happy day!

So far I have one coat of white satin paint on it.

It still needs another coat as you can tell. But I think it's 135% better, no make that 136%. It's amazing what a little paint and some trim can do! It's so much cleaner and brighter. Before and after anyone?

Before.

After.

Don't forget to enter the Bitsy Whimsy giveaway going on!

Transformation Thursday