Board and Batten Entryway + Hairpin Bench Tutorial

Learn how to install your very own DIY Board and Batten Entryway with a hairpin bench to help solve your drop zone needs!

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There is nothing more frustrating than walking into your house after a long day at work to find coats, shoes, and bags draped everywhere they do not belong. I desperately needed a drop zone!  The clutter is inevitable, so we might as well create a cute space to put it!

I want to give a huge shout out to my amazing husband for spending his day off helping me with this project! We both know I am not to be trusted with projects that require careful measurements… yet!

To learn how to make your own winter wreath like I am showing in the photos above, check out my tutorial here.

What is a Drop Zone?

A drop zone is a place near the entry of your home where the junk goes. The drop zone is a dedicated place for you and your family to “drop” your stuff such as backpacks, purses, briefcases, shoes, jackets and anything else. These items are inevitable, so you might as well have a cute space to drop them. Common drop zone locations are usually near your garage, laundry room, kitchen, foyer, or a back hallway.

Planning your DIY Board and Batten Entry

Choose your Board and Batten Drop-Zone Space and Measure It

Think about where your family enters the house. Where do they usually leave their stuff? Can you create a space close to that? The wall we chose to use for our drop-zone is a part of our front room or extension to our entry. This space is close to the door we use to enter and exit our home which makes for a convenient drop-zone area. The wall is 6′ x 8′

Gather Supplies for your Board and Batten Entry

Once you measure your space for your future drop-zone, you are ready to gather your wood and other supplies. The wall we chose is 6’x8′ and we used (4) 1″ x 4″ x 8′ square primed pine board. Using primed boards allowed us to paint our wall and boards together instead of having to paint the boards first, letting them dry, and then adding them to our wall.

Building your DIY Board and Batten Entry

Although your wall will most likely be a different size than ours, I wanted to give you exact measurement for a reference. This wall is 6’x 8′.

Cut Outer Boards (#1 & #2)

Cut your two tallest outer boards first, #1 and #2. See measurements above. Place it on the wall to ensure you like the height and adjust accordingly. Once you determine the height, cut board #2 at the same height, 66.5”.

Since boards 1, 2, 7 and 8, rest atop of our baseboard, we cut the end at an angle of 45 degrees.

Adhere Outer boards to Wall (#1 & #2) **

**Refer to this Method for the Rest of the Project

Apply wood glue to the back of your boards in the direction of a circle to create suction to the wall.  For the outer boards, we applied about 4 small circles. To avoid glue from seeping out the sides, stay in the center of the board when applying the glue.

Place the board on the wall and be sure to avoid shifting the board once placed on the wall.

For extra support, while the glue dries, apply a few pin nails to the board at an inverse angle (making 2 nails cross one another). Remember these boards will not all be nailed into a stud, so do not rely on the nails completely.

Repeat these steps for board #2.

Cut and Adhere Top Horizontal Boards (#3 & #4)

Measure the space between boards #1 and #2 and cut board #3 accordingly. You may consider placing board #3 on top of #1 and #2 rather than in between like we did, which is fine. We didn’t because the left side of the board would be exposed with it being on a corner.  This might not be the case for your entryway.

If your #3 board is placed in between #1 and #2 (outer vertical), cut board #4 at the same length.

Using the gluing and nail method mentioned above ** add #3 and #4 to the wall.

Cut and Adhere Middle Vertical Boards (#5 & #6)

Measure the space between boards #3 and #4 and cut boards #5 and #6. You should be able to use scrap wood from earlier for these two boards.

Using the gluing and nail method mentioned above** add #5 and #6 to the wall.

Cut and Adhere Inner Vertical Boards to Wall (#7 & #8)

Measure the space between #4 and the top of your baseboard then cut boards #7 and #8 accordingly.

Since these boards will rest atop of our baseboard, cut the end at an angle of 45 degrees.

Painting your DIY Board and Batten Entry

Prep your Wall

Time to paint!! 80% of painting is prep! Fill in your nail holes with putty, let dry, and sand. Remove outlet and light switch plates and store them in a Ziplock bag. Be sure to tape everything including your outlets and light switch. Lay a drop cloth or old sheet down to protect the floor. Once the paint is stirred thoroughly, pour paint in tray and you are ready to go.

Painting

Start by cutting in your edges using a 2’’ paint brush first, then use a roller to cover brushstrokes and the rest of the space. Double check for any runs and let paint dry completely before doing a second coat. I recommend 3 to 4 coats due to this space being a high-traffic area. Let wall dry overnight before adding hooks and using. Once your wall is fully dried, you are ready to add your hooks!

Building Hairpin Bench for DIY Board and Batten Entry

Cut board

When deciding the length of your bench, consider the size of your wall as well as the strength of your legs. The hairpin legs I ordered from Amazon will hold up to 350 lbs. Considering our wall is 6′ wide, and I wanted space on both sides, we made our bench 4′ long. We used a piece of wood we had on hand, but to achieve the same look you will want to start with a 2″ x 12″ stair-tread (bullnose) board.

Sand board

To avoid splinters, thoroughly sand the tops and edges. I sanded the bottom, but wasn’t as particular. Your main goal is to start with a low grit and work your way to a higher grit to achieve necessary smoothness. I used what what we had on hand and started with 80 grit sand paper, worked my way too 120 grit, then a 320 grit to finish it off.

When sanding, stay with the grain. Once it’s as smooth as you want it to be, wipe sawdust off using a damp cloth and let dry before staining.

Stain Board

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Wipe your board down with a lint-free rag one last time to assure all sawdust has been removed. Once your stain has been thoroughly stirred, dip an old t-shirt into the can and start wiping it across the board going in the direction of the grain. I recommend starting on the bottom to test your color and application technique first. Continue wiping the board until all of the stain has been absorbed. If needed, apply more stain until the entire side is covered. Remember, the more you rub the stain, the lighter your finish will be. Now is a good time to check edges for drips. Wipe as needed. Let dry to the touch before moving onto the next side. Repeat this method on all sides and edges. If you desire a darker color, add another coat. I did 2 coats for this project.

Add Legs

Once your board is dry, you are ready to add the legs. I used these Hair Pin legs from Amazon. I placed the legs about a 1/4” into the board. To make it easier, pre-drill your holes before inserting the screw. Repeat until all legs have been screwed in. If you are using the same legs as I am, don’t forget to add the stoppers before use.

Show me your DIY Board and Batten Projects

As always, thank you for following along with me in my creative journey. Be sure to tag me and use #meagannicholedotcom when sharing your own Board and Batten Projects! Thanks for stopping by MeaganNichole.com

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