Want the battens to look evenly placed? Enter your wall width, batten width and the gap you like. This calculator finds the exact gap so every space is the same, including the two ends.
Your shopping list
9Battens
12.15 inEven gap
14.65 inCenter to center
- Gap at each wall endSame as the gaps between battens12.15 in
- Gap you asked for12 in
- DifferencePlus means wider than you asked0.15 in
Batten centers from the left end of the wall (in): 13.4, 28.05, 42.7, 57.35, 72, 86.65, 101.3, 115.95, 130.6.
How to use the Batten Spacing Calculator
- Measure the wall width.
- Enter the batten width and the gap you would like.
- Read the even gap and the number of battens.
- Mark the center of each batten from the left end, using the list under the results.
The math behind it
Battens = (wall width – gap) / (batten width + gap), rounded to the nearest whole number
Even gap = (wall width – battens x batten width) / (battens + 1)
Center to center = batten width + even gap
A worked example
What we typed in
- Wall width: 15 ft
- Batten width: 2.5 in
- Gap you would like between battens: 10 in
What we got
- Battens: 14
- Even gap: 9.67 in
- Center to center: 12.17 in
- Gap at each wall end: 9.67 in
- Gap you asked for: 10 in
- Difference: -0.33 in
Tips from the job site
- Mark the wall with painter tape before you nail anything.
- Step back and look. If it feels too busy, ask for a wider gap.
- A door or window can change the layout, so plan each wall piece on its own.
Common questions
Why is the gap different from what I typed?
Battens must fit the wall in whole numbers. The even gap shares the leftover space between all gaps.
Why does the wall end also have a gap?
A matching gap at each end makes the wall look balanced.
What is a good gap?
Most people use 8 to 16 in between battens for a wall.
See all Wall Calculators.
Last checked: (worked example and form display).