battons

Battons is a term that may be encountered as an alternate spelling of battens, though in contemporary usage battens is the standard form. In carpentry and construction, battens are narrow strips of material, typically wood, but also metal or plastic, used for a variety of purposes. They provide a fixing surface, align boards or panels, and can create a ventilated cavity behind cladding or roofing. Common applications include roofing, where battens support tiles or slates; exterior wall cladding, where battens create a ventilation gap; interior fit-out, where battens align and secure plaster, wallboards, or panels; and in fencing or furniture where narrow strips help with assembly and spacing.

Materials and dimensions vary: timber battens are often softwood such as pine or spruce, but hardwood, metal, or PVC battens are also used. Thicknesses typically range from about 6 to 25 millimeters, with widths chosen to suit the cladding or finish. Battens are usually fixed to substrate surfaces with nails or screws, with spacing determined by the cladding material, wind loads, and moisture considerations.

Origins and usage: the word derives from the Old French baton, though battens as a term for strips of wood is well established in English since the medieval period. The plural form battens is standard in modern construction; battons is generally considered an alternate spelling or historical variant and is rarely used in technical texts.

See also: battens, baton, battening.