EXTERIOR SPOTLIGHT | IT’S BOARD & BATTEN, BABY!
Did you see the gorgeous Linea Weatherboard on the Pool House exterior… “another weatherboard build, we heard you say.” So, prepare to be surprised when you see the exterior finish for the main house because there’s no weatherboard in sight - it’s board and batten, baby!
This iconic duo gets its name from the wide panels (boards) with narrow, vertical strips (battens) placed over the joints of the panels to create a geometric, layered effect.
Traditionally, the board and batten effect was used as an inexpensive way to construct a barn, shed or small cottage. The vertical strips were used to cover the seams between the wide boards, creating a stronger and more energy-efficient structure. Because of this, it became a popular alternative to the log cabin in the United States, dating back over 200 years. Today, the wide panels are the critical factor, making up the exterior walls of the house and the batten strips are typically only decorative.
Lou had her heart set on a board and batten look for her home and it was on our vision board right from the start. So, when it came to selecting exterior materials for this build, the choice was easy.
how we created this board & batten exterior
Board & batten homes were traditionally constructed of timber, but it’s prone to moisture damage, doesn’t have a BAL rating (required when building in a bush fire zone), is susceptible to insects like termites and requires ongoing maintenance. James Hardie’s fibre cement products came to the rescue for this build.
HardieFlex + Axent trims are a board & batten match made in heaven.
HardieFlex - HardieFlex Sheeting is super versatile and can be used to line porches, verandahs, carports and for eaves, or gable ends like at House 5. It’s also strong and durable enough for the walls of a new build too. Our tradies tell us it’s easy to install, easy to paint and makes the perfect fibre cement base for a board and batten finish.
Axent - Axent trim is the bomb for highlighting and accentuating. You might remember how we used it at House 11 and House 12 to frame the exterior windows and make them pop. Axent is also a fibre cement product so it won’t shrink, swell, warp or split as softwood trims can. At House 13, the 45 x 19mm trim made the perfect vertical batten over the HardieFlex sheets.
To create the board and batten exterior look at House 13, we used the 1200mm wide boards and spaced the Axent battens 600mm apart, meaning that each seam line is covered with an additional batten in the middle of each sheet. While we’d always recommend covering the seamlines for a tidy finish, the spacing of additional battens is purely up to personal preference and your imagination.
Top tip: HardieFlex sheeting is one of the most economical solutions available, so if your materials are breaking your budget, speak to your builder about a board and batten exterior finish as an alternative to sometimes costly weatherboards.
Board and batten is a classic design style that can help your home keep its curb appeal for years to come. Would you consider it for your home? Tell us below!
