What you'll need
Materials
Tick them off as you find them.
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How to make it
Wear an N95 mask plus eye and hearing protection around MDF, and shut off the breaker before touching outlets. Call an electrician if wiring looks loose or old.
1Plan the spacing
Measure the wall width and pick a batten count. Subtract all the batten widths from the wall width and divide by the number of gaps. Aim for 12 to 18 in.
2Mark the top rail line
Mark the rail height, often 60 in for an 8 ft ceiling. Draw a level line across the wall.
3Install the top rail
Glue the back of the 1x4 and nail it along the line, hitting studs. Check it with the level as you go.
4Cut and fit the battens
Measure from the baseboard top to the rail bottom at each mark. Walls are rarely square, so measure each spot.
5Nail the battens
Glue and nail each batten, checking plumb with the level. Angle nails in opposite directions so they grip like a staple.
6Fill and caulk
Fill nail holes with wood filler and caulk every seam. It'll look messy for a minute. Normal.
7Sand and paint
Sand the dried filler smooth, prime any bare spots and roll on 2 coats. This is where it turns into a real wall.
Edie's tipPaint the wall the final color before you install trim. Touching up the narrow gaps later is the slow part.
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