Board And Batten Siding This Old House

Board and batten photo by new england classic.

Board and batten siding this old house.

In the old days the battens were used to conceal the seams between individual boards. Board and batten siding is sometimes called barn siding because many barns in north america are constructed this way. Tack a batten to the water table horizontally to guide the saw and ensure a straight 90 degree cut. If using this technique of screwing directly into the exterior wall sheathing be sure to using thick enough plywood or osb.

To create this rustic looking siding style which dates back to the early 19th century builders stand long fiber cement panels on end and place narrow battens over the vertical seams and across the panels field. Board and batten shutters which use the batten as a horizontal brace are also considered less formal and more provincial than louvered shutters. I no longer had to worry about hitting the framing studs with the fasteners. Even today this type of siding on a house exudes a comfortable informality.

The craftsman style with its flat panels and vertical battens emphasizes a shaker like simplicity. Prep the old siding. In appearance board and batten siding can look rustic or modern depending on how rough the lumber is and its finish. Today they are typically installed over 4 foot wide panels of hardwood veneer plywood.

True board and batten is made with vertically installed wide boards and narrow battens fastened over the gaps between the boards. Barns and houses with board and batten siding were inspired by nordic european buildings and gained popularity in america sometime around the middle of the 19th century. Sold as clapboards also known as beveled siding shingles or shakes paneling board and batten or vertical siding comprised of tongue and grooved boards. In the u s this was a popular siding for barns.

In the romantic period 1850 1920 board and batten siding was used for houses as well. To get rid of most of the rot and allow you to remove the 2x8 make a horizontal cut through the siding 1 inches above the 2x8 s top edge. Traditionally board and batten siding starts with wide vertical planks boards which are then joined together by thin vertical strips battens to cover the seams. Relatively long lasting especially cedar products wood siding should be painted or treated with preservatives to prevent rot and or insect damage.

You can cover the whole exterior of your house with board and batten siding incorporate board and batten ideas within your interior décor or even add small accents with board and batten shutters or ceilings. Board and batten photo by courtesy of lew oliver whole town solutions. Perhaps the most common arrangement uses 1x10 boards and 1x2 or 1x3 batten. By swapping the old fiberboard for 3 4 plywood i was able to install the board and batten siding using deck screws.