How to Make a Board & Batten Door

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Things You'll Need

  • Tape measure

  • 1-by-8-inch boards

  • Hand saw

  • Wood glue

  • Screwdriver

  • 1 ¾-inch wood screws

  • 1-by-3-inch boards

  • 3 hinges

Board and batten doors are commonly used on barns.

A board and batten door is a simple door made of boards, which are held in place by battens. It is built out of inexpensive materials and is suitable for outdoor use. They are often used on barns and storage sheds. Building a board and batten door is a task that can be completed in a relatively short period of time and is a project that is suitable for novice woodworkers.

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Step 1

Measure the height and width of the door frame with a tape measure. Measure the inside of the frame horizontally and subtract ½ inch from this measurement. This is the width of the door. Measure from the top to the bottom of the frame and subtract ¼ inch from this measurement. This is the height of the door.

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Step 2

Determine the number of 1-by-8-inch boards needed for the width of the door. Lay the boards side by side and measure. Add boards until it is the correct width. It may be slightly wider than the needed size.

Step 3

Cut the boards to the measured height with a hand saw. Determine the excess width. Measure the outer boards and mark half of the excess on each board. Cut away the excess on the outer boards.

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Step 4

Cut two 1-by-8-inch boards to the same size as the width of the door. Place the boards on the top and bottom of the door horizontally. Attach the boards with wood glue. Secure with 1 ¾-inch wood screws. Use two screws for each vertical board.

Step 5

Measure from the bottom of the top horizontal board to the top of the bottom horizontal board. Cut two 1-by-3-inch boards to size. Attach the boards to the sides of the door with wood glue. Secure with 1 ¾-inch wood screws. These are battens.

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Step 6

Measure the width between the side batten boards. Cut a 1-by-8-inch board to size and place it in the center of the door. Attach it with wood glue and secure with 1 ¾-inch wood screws.

Step 7

Measure from the top of the center board to the bottom of the top board. Cut 1-by-3-inch boards to size. Cut one board for each join in the door. Measure from the bottom of the center board to the top of the bottom board. Cut 1-by-3-inch boards to size. Cut one board for each join in the door. Place the boards on the joins. Attach with wood glue and secure with 1 ¾-inch wood screws.

Step 8

Attach a hinge to each horizontal board and fasten the hinges to the door frame to hang the door. The door is now complete.

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