Thursday, November 5, 2015
DIY Chalkboard
Today I thought I would take a break from June's Room, and show how I made this adorable chalkboard! June loves to draw, just like mommy, so having a chalkboard helps minimize how many spontaneous pieces of "art" are found on the doors and stair spindles. I love that scene in "Mom's Night Out" where she puts an empty frame over her daughters masterpiece on the wall... but that doesn't work for a rental. Haha!
Honestly, though, I also did this for myself to play with. I am a sucker for chalkboards and DIY chalkboard paint recipes were calling my name!
The supplies you will need to build the frame are:
Two 1x4" boards cut at 27"
Two 1x4" boards cut at 45"
The plywood backboard is 4x2'
2 Tbsp. Unsanded Grout and
1 Cup Acrylic Paint
Make sure the plywood you choose for the back is smooth. This one was like $8 at Lowes. Overall, this project cost under $25-ish to make, which isn't bad when you consider what a large statement chalkboard you are making.
To make the paint, mix 2 Tbsp. Unsanded Grout and 1 Cup Acrylic Paint in the color of your choice. I bought a bag of white unsanded grout so that I could use it with colors other than black.
A few tips, stir really well so that you don't get lumpy paint. It will thicken up quite a bit, so you need to use it fast. I did 2-3 coats on my board to give it a really good coverage in case I ever needed to scrub crayons off of it or something. :)
Let it dry completely in-between coats.
Next you will need some metal braces to attach your boards for the frame.
As far as the actual boards: You want to make sure that when you cut them they will overlap your plywood board a good 2-3 inches or so. Also, I pre-stained my boards. See my method HERE.
I used brace one per corner.
After all four corners are connected, it's time to attach our dry chalkboard plywood onto the frame. We just screwed it directly onto the 4 frame boards.
Next you will need to "prime" your board with chalk. Rub it all over the board. This not only gives you a pretty slate look, but it ensures that you will be able to erase all feature chalk with ease. You can wipe it off with a wet cloth afterwards; just make sure to leave a little bit of chalk dust.
Ta- Da! You just built a fancy chalkboard all by yourself!
We've been daily using this one for over 3 months and it still looks perfect. I mainly try to "dry" erase it, but do occasionally wash it down with a damp cloth.
June loves it. She even kisses the drawings she makes on it... yeah, she's a weirdo. Haha!
I was afraid that the acrylic paint might not adhere as well to scrubbing, but as long as you don't soak it and scrub with a bristle brush or something, it holds up great!
So there you have it. Have you made anything using chalkboard paint?
Have a lovely day!
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