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Board and batten spacing with no end battens

Some walls look better with a gap at each end instead of a batten. The wall then looks as if it floats, and the first and last panels match the rest.

The math changes by one. With no end battens, there is one more gap than there are battens, so each gap is a little smaller than it would be with end battens.

Units
Wall width

Or type it in the feet box in one go, like 12'6 1/2.

Wall height

Or type it in the feet box in one go, like 8'2.

Batten width

A 1x3 board is 2 1/2 in wide, a 1x4 is 3 1/2 in.

I know

Gap between battens

 

 

Battens

 

 

Center to center

 

between marks

    Drawn to scale. Numbers match the mark list below.

    Marks from the left

    Measure from the left edge of the wall. Make a pencil mark at each center, then set each batten on its mark.

    #CenterLeft edge

    Cut list

      Boards to buy

      Board lengthBoardsWaste

      Center to center is the distance from the middle of one batten to the middle of the next. This tool counts battens and rails only. It does not count the wide boards or panels behind them. With no end battens, the gap at each end of the wall equals every other gap. Short offcuts from 10 and 12 foot boards work well for small trim pieces.

      With and without end battens (1x3 battens, gap nearest 12 inches)

      Wall widthEnd battens: countGapNo end battens: countGap
      8 ft713 1/16"611 9/16"
      10 ft912 3/16"712 13/16"
      12 ft1111 5/8"912 1/8"
      14 ft1212 9/16"1111 11/16"

      Ten 1x3 battens on a 12 ft wall: the first marks

      Centers measured from the left edge. Same wall, same battens. Only the end option changes.

      BattenWith end battensNo end battens
      11 1/4"1' 1/16"
      21' 5"2' 1 3/8"
      32' 8 11/16"3' 2 11/16"
      Gap13 1/4"10 13/16"

      The formula

      gap = (wall width - battens x batten width) / (battens + 1). The same gap sits at each end of the wall and between every pair of battens.

      When to skip the end batten

      Skip it when the wall ends at a door casing, a window or a built-in that already makes a clean edge. Skip it on a wall with a corner that is not square, because a gap hides the error better than a batten does. Keep it when the wall meets another wall that also gets battens, because the end batten then forms the corner.

      Questions

      Do I need a batten at each end of a board and batten wall?

      No. It is a style choice. An end batten hides the corner joint. A gap at each end gives a floating look.

      What is the end gap with no end battens?

      It equals every other gap. The calculator makes all gaps the same, including the two at the ends.

      Other layouts

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