The primary difference between furring and batten lies in their function: Battens almost always refer to pieces that cover gaps in siding, whereas Furring always refers to something that creates a space or evens out the space between two layers.
While both furring and battens are typically strips of wood, metal, or other material used in construction, their purposes and applications are distinct. Understanding these differences is key to correctly specifying and using them in building projects.
Understanding Battens
Battens are commonly used on the exterior of buildings, specifically with siding. Their main purpose is aesthetic and functional in certain siding systems.
- Purpose: To cover and seal the joints or gaps between wider boards or panels, particularly in exterior siding.
- Application: Most famously used in "board-and-batten" siding, where narrow battens are fastened over the seams between wider vertical boards.
- Function: Provides a weather seal at the joint and creates a distinct visual pattern.
Battens help protect the building envelope by preventing water and air from entering through the gaps in the siding material.
Understanding Furring
Furring, often in the form of furring strips, serves a completely different role related to creating distance or leveling surfaces.
- Purpose: To create an air space, provide a level surface over an uneven one, or create a nailing/fastening surface.
- Application: Used on walls or ceilings before applying a finish layer (like drywall, paneling, or even new siding). Can also be used on roofs.
- Function:
- Creates a space: Essential for ventilation in wall assemblies (rain screens) or roofs, or to accommodate insulation or utilities behind a finish surface.
- Evens out a surface: Allows a new, flat surface to be installed over an old, irregular one without extensive patching or repair of the original structure.
- Provides a fastening point: Offers a solid substrate for attaching finish materials when the underlying structure is unsuitable or spaced too far apart.
Furring is a fundamental technique for preparing surfaces and incorporating necessary functional gaps within building assemblies.
Key Differences Summarized
Here is a table highlighting the core distinctions:
| Feature | Batten | Furring |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Use | Covering gaps in siding | Creating space or leveling surfaces |
| Typical Placement | Over joints on exterior siding | Between structural layer and finish layer |
| Main Function | Weather seal, aesthetic feature | Ventilation, leveling, fastening substrate |
| Reference Definition | Pieces that cover gaps in siding | Something that creates or evens out space |
Practical Examples
- Battens:
- Installed vertically over the seams of wider vertical boards in a board-and-batten siding system.
- Sometimes used decoratively on interior walls to create panels or patterns (though their origin is functional siding).
- Furring:
- Attached to a brick wall to create a flat surface for installing drywall and an air gap for moisture management.
- Used over roof sheathing to create a ventilation channel before installing the final roofing material.
- Nailed to ceiling joists to provide a level surface for installing a dropped ceiling or new drywall.
In summary, while both are linear strips used in construction, battens are about covering exterior gaps, predominantly for siding, while furring is about creating necessary space or level planes between building layers for ventilation, leveling, or fastening.
