Tag Archives: interior design

DIY Board & Batten Accent Wall

The DIY board and batten wall is one of the first things that I saw on Pinterest that I wanted to try. I feel lucky that I have a husband that can help me with my crazy DIY projects. I just feel like board and batten gives the house a little character where most is lacking. It’s a quick way to create some style on a budget if you are doing it yourself.

LET’S TALK COST & MATERIALS

  1. White wood common board – in 2 sizes (1X4X8) $6.80 X 6 = $40.8 and (1X4X10) $8.67 X 7 = $60.69
  2. Caulk – $8.56
  3. Paint – Benjamin Moore Temptation 1 gallon = $40
  4. Nails – 18GA Brad nails 1-1/4″ for vertical pieces $6.98 & 18GA Brad nails 2″ for stud pieces $7.48 = $14.46

TOTAL= $164.51 (Obvi this depends on how big your wall is and that you already have a saw and nail gun)

Step 1. Mark your studs with tape. We need to know where the studs are for the horizontal pieces. Normal stud spacing is around 16 inches. However, don’t rely on that measurement as they can vary.

Step 2. Attach your horizontal pieces. This will be easier with 2 people. Where someone can hold the wood and the other can use the nail gun. We spaced ours 2 feet apart. Our first piece was flush with the ceiling then worked our way down to the baseboard. Make sure you nail it into the stud for these pieces. We also used a leveler to make sure our board was straight before nailing it to the wall.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/1-in-x-4-in-x-8-ft-Premium-Kiln-Dried-Square-Edge-Whitewood-Common-Board-914681/100023465

Step 3. Attach your vertical pieces. Start at the corner and measure 2 feet in-between to the next board. For these boards you can use the shorter nails as they don’t need to go into the stud.

Step 4. Caulk the gaps in-between the board and the wall and the adjoining board pieces to give it a cohesive look. Make sure not to leave globs behind. I usually do a finger sweep along the caulk to help smooth it out.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/FINISHED-ELEGANCE-10-1-oz-Caulk-Tube-for-Moulding-109438/204234849

Step 5. Paint the wall and boards. Our wall was already painted the color we wanted so it was so much easier to finish. So, I would recommend painting the wall first then doing the accent pieces.

https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/color-overview/find-your-color/color/1609/temptation?color=1609

FINISHED! This DIY board and batten accent wall project wasn’t that hard and only took us 2 days but really could of been done in a day if we would of had more free time our first day. I hope you found this helpful. Happy DIYing!

DIY Board and Batten Accent Wall

DIY Staircase Remodel

In my house, the staircase is the first thing you see when you come in. My stairs wasn’t in bad shape to begin with which was nice. However, I wanted something bold. I wanted to create a “WOW factor” if you will. Something that makes you say, “Dang that’s different and cool!” So, one day I was walking in Home Depot and I saw these vinyl peel and stick floor tiles. Then it was like a light bulb went off. It was a super easy, durable (and cheap) option.

LET’S TALK PRICE & MATERIALS

  1. Vinyl floor tiles – $15/box of 10 tiles X 5 = $75
  2. Utility knife – $8
  3. Tape measurer – $5 (I already had)
  4. Vinyl floor adhesive – $15
  5. 1 quart of black paint = $22

TOTAL = $125

My stairs already had wood treads and iron balusters, so an update wasn’t super needed. However, I’m so in love with the way this turned out. Also, it was super easy! 🙂

Step 1. Clean the stairs. Make sure all the dust and debris is all gone.

Step 2. Prep your area. I have painted so much now that I don’t need to tape off areas. I’m pretty good with keeping it in the lines. But if you need to use masking tape go ahead and mask off areas that don’t need paint.

Step 3. Paint the stair railings and posts. I did 2 coats. I used Behr paint color called Limousine Leather in the satin finish. I recommend getting a satin or gloss finish since this is a high traffic area. Matte paints chip easier.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/BEHR-MARQUEE-1-qt-MQ5-05-Limousine-Leather-One-Coat-Hide-Satin-Enamel-Interior-Paint-Primer-745304/310991614

Step 4. Applying the vinyl floor tiles. First thing you want to do is measure the height of your stairs. For my stairs, it took 4 tiles per step. I started right to left. You want to make sure you do each step in the same direction and pay attention to how the design goes. Use your measure tape and mark the spot on tile. Then cut the tile with your utility knife. I used a leveler to make sure it was straight and level. You will make the cut then bend the tile so it pops into 2 pieces.

Step 5. Apply the adhesive. So these tiles already have adhesive backing. However, these tiles are standing up and not laying down on the floor. So, to make sure gravity doesn’t take it you will apply vinyl adhesive.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Roberts-8-oz-Vinyl-Seam-Sealer-for-Sheet-Flooring-7500-8/307565677

AND THAT’S IT FOLKS! It is super easy and affordable! Here is a little tip though. After I cut my first piece I kept it to use as a guide for my next piece so I didn’t have to measure height for every floor tile. I would lay it on top of new piece so I knew where to cut also it made sure it was straight every time. I’m so in love with it! I feel like it brings so much style to the space and gives a great first impression when you walk into my house. 🙂