Help with board and batten

Alison
by Alison
When putting board and batten up on stairways is there a certain high it should go?
I want to put board and batten on right of these stairs not sure if I should go all the way up of half way.
Then board and batten will go on the left of this wall and on the wall straight ahead.
  13 answers
  • TheInspiredRoom TheInspiredRoom on Jul 12, 2012
    I would go all the way up on the right wall and then up to the molding on the back wall! It will look fabulous!
  • I think it's a personal preference. The b&b I've put in my house is a little over 2/3 up the wall. But I don't think that will work with your staircase layout. What I did was use painter's tape first and taped off the horizontals and verticals and then lived with it and looked at it and fussed with it for a week or so until I was happy ...
  • Depends on the style you are emulating. Personally I would not think of doing it. B&B is an exterior style, unrefined and rough. You will run into dimensional problems as you terminate B&B at existing trim. Far better to do raised panels as wainscoting here
  • Rasonda C Rasonda C on Jul 12, 2012
    I am no pro but... I think its up to you, I would go the same height or or a little bit taller than the banister. If you do a google search about it you should find some examples and just go with what makes you happy.
  • Sharron W Sharron W on Jul 13, 2012
    @Nichter's,your right! The B&B I used in my spare room because it is done in a western/cowboy type of outdoors theme....and the one wall I put it on I went back with a rough cut 1x4 top trim....they might also be good with the paintable wallpaper that looks like wainscoting...?
  • At The Picket Fence At The Picket Fence on Jul 13, 2012
    Here is the height of my board and batten that is in my formal dining room and down my hallway. I have plans to take it up the stairs at the same height. I will wrap it around the the corner and straight up the stairway on the right side. I love it. Very cottage but not rustic at all as you can see by my dining room...and I'm proud to say I did it all by myself. ;) ~Heather
  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Jul 13, 2012
    I have never worked in B&B so if you think you want to do this, I think Linda B's suggestion is a good one. We used beadboard in a half bath last year and I love it! Go for it!
  • Sharron W Sharron W on Jul 13, 2012
    @ Picket Fence, not at all rustic! It's Lovely! You obviously sanded yours before painting or used a more finished type of lumber. I Wanted rustic, so deliberately used roughcut, didn't sand, didn't stain, didn't varnish....I love it in that room!
  • Picket shows panel squares not a B&B.
  • ViewAlongTheWay ViewAlongTheWay on Jul 14, 2012
    Here's (an old) pic of squares in my house. It's not board and batten but it should give you an idea. My dad is a professional trim carpenter, and he said for staircases, you just do what looks best. We opted to go up to just under the handrail. I don't think there's a wrong choice here. Good luck!
  • Alison Alison on Jul 15, 2012
    Here are a couple of pictures I found off the internet. I'm leaning towards the first picture. Maybe this is not called B&B but that is what people in blog land call it and when I do a search on the internet for it, anyway this is what I would like to do. Thanks for everyone's helps we plan to do this in the spring. I'll post pictures when we are finished.
  • Those are more flat panel work. Interesting how the use of words gets perverted over time
  • At The Picket Fence At The Picket Fence on Jul 16, 2012
    True...it's not a "real" board and batten but a more modified version of it, which is the "look" that is circulating in the design community right now and is very popular. I have also done a true board and batten in my bathroom, with the thin battens, that also was a nice crisp look and not rustic. That's what I love about it, it can go either way depending on the final paint treatment and the wood you use. I think whatever you decide Alison, it will look fabulous and you can make it look formal or casual. That's what's so fabulous about "design" it's always evolving and you can put your own unique stamp on it. :) Can't wait to see what you do! ~Heather