Board and Batten Calculator
Battens = ⌈wall width × 12 ÷ spacing⌉ + 1. A 24 × 8 ft wall at 16 in: 19 battens, 152 linear ft, 6 panels of 4 × 8 and 209 nails. At 12 in the same wall takes 25 battens (200 ft); at 24 in, 13 battens (104 ft).
Panels to buy
6 panels
4 × 8 ft
- Battens
- 19 (152 linear ft)
- Batten nails
- 209 (11 per batten)
One batten at each end of every wall, then one every spacing. Battens run the full height and are not reduced for openings.
Checked by the Yardstick Math team · How we check
Worked examples
24 × 8 ft wall, battens every 16 in
- Panels = ⌈24 ÷ 4⌉ × ⌈8 ÷ 8⌉ = 6 × 1 = 6
- Battens = ⌈24 × 12 ÷ 16⌉ + 1 = 18 + 1 = 19
- Linear feet = 19 × 8 = 152 ft
- Nails = 19 × (4 + 96 ÷ 12 − 1) = 19 × 11 = 209
Result: 6 panels, 19 battens (152 linear ft) and 209 nails.
Checked by the automated test “board and batten — 24 × 8 ft wall, battens 16 in apart → 6 panels, 19 battens, 152 linear ft, 209 nails”.
Same wall at 12 and 24 in
- 12 in: ⌈288 ÷ 12⌉ + 1 = 25 battens × 8 = 200 ft
- 24 in: ⌈288 ÷ 24⌉ + 1 = 13 battens × 8 = 104 ft
Result: 25 battens (200 ft) at 12 in, 13 battens (104 ft) at 24 in.
Checked by the automated test “board and batten — same wall at 12 and 24 in → 25 battens (200 ft) and 13 battens (104 ft)”.
How it works
Panels = Σ ⌈wall width ÷ 4⌉ × ⌈wall height ÷ panel length⌉
Battens per wall = ⌈width × 12 ÷ spacing⌉ + 1
Linear feet = battens × wall height
Nails per batten (LP, 2.5 in and wider) = 4 + (⌈height in inches ÷ 12⌉ − 1)
Assumptions
- LP fastens battens “with two nails at both ends, with additional fasteners spaced a max. of 12 inches (305 mm) o.c.”; under 2.5 in wide, one nail at each end and one every 24 in.
- Panels are 4 ft wide and stand vertically: LP says “Vertical Siding SHALL NOT be installed horizontally”.
- Openings only take off whole panels (their area ÷ panel area, rounded down); battens run the full height.
- 12, 16 and 24 in all divide the 48 in panel, so a batten lands on every vertical panel joint.
Reference table
| Wall width | 12 in | 16 in | 24 in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 ft | 17 (136 ft) | 13 (104 ft) | 9 (72 ft) |
| 24 ft | 25 (200 ft) | 19 (152 ft) | 13 (104 ft) |
| 30 ft | 31 (248 ft) | 24 (192 ft) | 16 (128 ft) |
| 40 ft | 41 (328 ft) | 31 (248 ft) | 21 (168 ft) |
One batten at each end of the wall; spacing center to center.
Before you buy
- One line per wall. Gable ends and walls of different heights each get their own line.
- Openings. Add up the door and window areas: only whole panels come off, offcuts fill around them.
- Nails. The count is for battens only; panel nailing follows the panel maker’s schedule.
Common mistakes
- A spacing that misses the panel joints 12, 16 and 24 in divide the 48 in panel; another spacing leaves joints bare. James Hardie asks that battens “span the vertical joint by at least ¾ in. on each side”.
- Turning the panels sideways LP: “Vertical Siding SHALL NOT be installed horizontally”. Count panels standing up, 4 ft wide.
- A batten too narrow LP warns that a batten “less than 2.5 inches” wide may not hide the panel nail heads.
- One panel over two floors LP wants each vertical panel “not to span beyond one floor to ceiling distance”: a 9 ft wall with 8 ft panels needs a joint or 9 ft panels.
Frequently asked questions
How far apart should battens be?
Usually 12, 16 or 24 in center to center, because they divide the 48 in panel and put a batten on every joint. At 16 in, a 24 ft wall takes 19 battens.
Sources
Formula, examples and sources checked on by the Yardstick Math team. How we check our formulas.
- LP SmartSide Trim & Siding Technical Notes: 38 Series vertical siding for Board & Batten — LP Building Solutions, accessed
- HardiePanel vertical siding installation — James Hardie, accessed