The Board and Batten Aesthetic Explained

If you're looking to create long-term curb appeal through a remodel, few home designs compare to the timeless aesthetic of board and batten. The design provides shadows and textures to the home's exterior, inspiring a custom-built look that gives the home's exterior depth and dimension.

Board and batten is a major design characteristic of the modern farmhouse, which has grown increasingly popular over the past few years. If you’re wondering if this trend might be slowing, don’t be. Zillow reports homes described as modern farmhouse sold for 10 percent more than expected over the past two years. And because of its timeless look, board and batten offers homeowners who are considering a renovation confidence that it will add value to their home for years to come.

For the latest board and batten tips and answers to siding questions, we followed contractors Jordan Smith of @jordansmithbuilds and Kyle Stumpenhorst of @rrbuildings as they began construction on a modern farmhouse in Bellville, Texas. 

I have siding questions—what is board and batten?

"You've likely seen many homes with this type of design," says Smith. "It's essentially a combination of wider siding with narrow strips placed along the seams. The siding is referred to as board and the strip is referred to as a batten."

Typically, board and batten installations use thin battens placed over the seams of panel boards. For the Texas build, Smith wanted to use LP^® SmartSide^® Vertical Siding because it provided an authentic aesthetic. “The 16-inch wide boards add depth and character to the building. The depth also adds to a bold aesthetic that looks strong and superior in quality.”

Can the board and batten look add visual appeal to my home?

According to Stumpenhorst, this type of design is popular because it adds dimension and visual interest to the build and can adapt to many different types of residential designs. He goes on, "The design gives off more of that handmade look, so it can add a more traditional feel to a contemporary home."

What are the benefits of using LP^® SmartSide^® products to create the board and batten design?  

Both Smith and Stumpenhorst prefer using LP SmartSide Vertical Siding versus fiber cement, especially for board and batten configurations. "Fiber cement must have a butt joint seam two-thirds up the wall. With 16-foot lengths, LP SmartSide Vertical Siding and smart design can drastically reduce the number of visible seams on the build," says Smith.

"LP SmartSide Vertical Siding sure makes me feel at home. The 16-foot length helps to avoid that horizontal trim line at 8 feet, so it makes for a crisper, cleaner design," says Stumpenhorst. "For anyone who is very attention-to-detail oriented like me, this makes a huge difference in how quality the home looks."

Want more ideas for your board and batten installation? Check out our inspiration gallery.