Cheap Shiplap DIY: Horizontal Board And Batten Tutorial

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How To Install Horizontal Board And Batten: My Modern Shiplap DIY Knockoff On The Cheap

Last Spring, we did a 6 week makeover on our dining room. During this makeover, we removed the stuffy wainscoting and planned to install shiplap. Only we ran into budgetary issues and realized the cost of shiplap was way too prohibitive for us. So instead, we spent less than $200 to get a modern board and batten look in our dining room and we love it! Today, I’m finally breaking down the full process so you can DIY!

THE COST OF SHIPLAP

The original plan called for shiplap that would carry 4 feet up the wall (I have 10’ high ceilings). The cost of the materials we needed to complete the shiplap project was $1,200.

The plan also called for two wall sconces. To achieve this, we hired an electrician to install light boxes. The day before he was supposed to install them, he broke his arm.

Scrambling, I called a local contractor who said he could come out the very next day and do it. I was desperate. The quote was high. The desperation was higher (The One Room Challenge™ runs only six weeks, remember?).

So I cracked. I spent the shiplap budget on an electrician. It was the saddest day of my life. This is a lie. I’m being overly dramatic. The saddest day of my life was May 25, 2011: the day of the final airing of The Oprah Winfrey Show, obviously.

Saddest day or not, I was still incredibly upset about going back to the drawing board. After all, I couldn’t just leave the current wainscoting. I’d alread