I love the statement a wood accent wall creates. It takes an otherwise boring space and gives a room dimension and interest without filling the space with clutter. My goal for our home office was to create a cozy and inviting space that was functional and professional. Due to COVID-19, working so many hours from home and endless Zoom calls make it almost necessary to have a dedicated work space.
The first step to creating our dream office was to install a grid wall. The process is fairly simple; it just takes a little bit of planning and the right tools to make the project go smoothly. The whole process of installing the wood boards took about 4 hours – well worth the time and energy for the end result!
To get started creating your own grid wall, here are the materials needed…
Tools + Materials:
- Paint (I used Sherwin Williams® Urbane Bronze, eggshell finish)
- 1×4 Wood Boards (I chose 8’ select pine)
- Paint Brush + Roller
- Measuring Tape
- Level
- Stud Finder
- Nail Gun + Compressor
- Nails for Nail Gun
- Miter Saw
- Wood Filler
- Sand Paper
- Putty Knife
- Vacuum
Step 1:
Paint your wall before applying the boards. This will make the overall painting process easier when you then paint the grid.
Step 2:
Measure your wall and decide how many squares horizontally + vertically. We chose 3 squares vertically and 5 squares horizontally. Our wall is about 8’ high and 12’ wide. I thought any other combination of squares would make the wall too busy or too bare.
Step 3:
Determine how you want your bottom strip to look. Since our baseboards are more on the traditional, curvy side, I opted to install a board above the baseboard to keep the modern look of the grid wall consistent. I also chose to keep the baseboard white and paint the grid dark. This is a personal preference, so choose which way works best for you.
Once your bottom board is decided, measure and nail in your boards around the boarder of your wall – creating a frame. Make sure to use your level; don’t go off the wall or ceiling for accuracy, because often your walls will not be constructed at perfect 90-degree angles.
Step 4:
Once your frame is in place, you can install all of your vertical boards. Double check your spacing. I would recommend measuring each strip before you cut, as it could slightly vary if the wood itself is not perfectly straight or warped, which is very common. Once again, remember to confirm it is level! It will save you a lot of time and headache.
Step 5:
Now that all your vertical boards are in place, you can install the horizontal boards. Use the same precautions you did with the vertical boards.
Step 6:
Now that your grid is in place, it’s time to wood fill the seams and nail holes. Use a putty knife to apply. Allow the recommended drying time for the wood putty and then sand until smooth.
Step 7:
The final step to finishing your grid wall: paint! Before you paint, make sure to remove all dust from sanding. This will provide you a nice, clean paintable surface. Paint the grid and any touchups needed in the squares. I found that two coats of paint worked best for dark paint colors.
Here is the finished look of our DIY Board + Batten Grid Wall!
I hope you enjoy creating your own feature wall! Tag me on instagram [@bridgette.alexandra] with your feature wall photos!
