This was a project I have been wanting to do for quite some time and I finally had just the wall that needed it and it turned out great. I started by measuring my wall, which was 12.5 x 12.5 x 8. I definitely wanted to create this on a budget so I decided to use furring strips. For those of you who don't know, furring strips are typically used in construction for leveling out a wall, making it thicker or more even. They are rough pieces of pine. I used them for framing when I was making signs, so I thought I would use them for this budget friendly project. They are cheap, costing about $1.58 per strip. They are 1 x 2 x 8 and were perfect for this purpose. They come in packs of six, so I purchased two packs since I needed nine vertical lengths. Next I needed lumber for a header and footer. Again, I went for the el cheapo ones at $3.35 each, which were 1 x 4 x 8. I needed three. To start I painted the room, giving me a clean slate.
Next I sanded all the boards using my orbital sander, creating a smoother finish and then installed the first header board. But before I installed, I applied a bead of caulk to the back of the board, which acts like glue, holding it in place. I used my nail gun to attach it to the wall. Next, I measured the remaining length, which was about 4.5 feet and cut a piece, applying it the same way as the first piece. I used the 'measure twice, cut once rule' and inevitably I needed to cut off a tad more every time to make it fit snugly. I am sure a seasoned carpenter would get it right the first time. But, I didn't mind. I ended up traipsing up and down the stairs a thousand times, so I got my steps in that day.
The header boards went up pretty easily. I did the same for the footer boards. Then I repeated the same process on both sides creating a frame. From there, I measured, finding my center and installed a board. I continued the process, finding the center in each section until I felt the spacing was good for me. The vertical boards ended up being 17 inches apart, which was perfect for this wall.
Installing the boards this way seemed to be the most logical way to get them perfectly spaced.
Once all were nailed in place, I caulked around each board, giving it a nice clean finish. I used White Lightening Quick Dry caulk - $4.28 per tube (I used two, but get extra as caulk goes quickly). Not only is it one of the cheaper caulks, but it worked beautifully. Caulking was the most time consuming, but very worth it and very important to create the final look. Next, I painted it and I could not be happier. I am pretty darn proud of myself and would definitely recommend trying it yourself if you are a handy girl like me. If you do try it, please share with me so I can tell you how proud I am of you. It's quite rewarding! Not sure what a professional trim guy would charge, but I am pretty sure I saved a boat load of money.
And here is the finished wall in all her glory. Now I just need to figure out what to put on this custom board and batten wall. Thanks for stopping by my blog and I hope you feel a bit inspired. If you think you can do it, you really can! Oh, and it costs me under $40. What?
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