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Board and Batten Calculator
Last updated: May 31, 2026
Written by Blake Boege
A board and batten calculator is a woodworking and siding utility used to estimate materials and layout dimensions for vertical panel walls. In siding mode, it calculates the number of wide panels (boards) and joint strips (battens) to fully cover a wall. In accent wall mode, it computes the exact number of spaced vertical battens and calculates uniform gaps (spacing) between them to ensure a balanced, symmetrical installation.
Design your board and batten siding or interior accent wall. Calculate the total boards and battens needed, and get precise measurements for layout spacing.
Quick Answer
Calculate boards, battens, and actual panel spacing for siding or interior accent walls. Enter wall dimensions, panel widths, and spacing preferences.
Used to estimate lengths of wood needed.
Width of the battens (e.g. 2.5 in for 1x3, 1.5 in for 1x2).
Width of the siding panels (e.g. 5.5 in for 1x6, 7.25 in for 1x8).
Siding panels + battens
15 boards + 16 battens
At 8 in actual spacing
Note: We recommend purchasing 10% extra material to cover waste, cut errors, and board defects.
Examples
120 in wall width, 8 in boards, 2.5 in battens (Siding)
15 boards, 16 battens
144 in accent wall, 12 in target spacing, 2 in battens (Accent)
12 battens, actual spacing: 10.91 in
96 in wall, 5.5 in boards, 1.5 in battens (Siding)
18 boards, 19 battens
How it works
The calculator operates in two modes:
Siding (Full Coverage) Mode: Boards are placed side-by-side to cover the entire wall width, with battens covering each seam.
Number of Battens = Number of Boards + 1
Accent Wall (Spaced) Mode: Battens are placed on a flat wall with open space (gaps) between them.
Actual Spacing = (Wall Width − (Number of Battens × Batten Width)) ÷ (Number of Battens − 1)
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Frequently asked questions
Board and batten is a design style characterized by wide vertical panels (boards) separated by narrow wooden strips (battens) covering the seams. It is popular for exterior house siding as well as interior accent walls.
For exterior siding, standard board widths are 8, 10, or 12 inches, with battens spaced accordingly. For interior decorative accent walls, spacing varies widely from 8 inches up to 18 inches depending on aesthetic preference and wall size.
For accent walls, the calculator divides the wall width (minus the width of one outer batten) by the width of one board plus one batten. It rounds this to find a whole number of panels, then works backward to distribute the remaining space evenly so that all board gaps are exactly equal.
We recommend adding a 10% waste allowance to your board and batten counts to account for cutting errors, wood knots, or boards that are warped/twisted.
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