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Wednesday, July 24, 2013

DIY Wall Chalkboard


Let's face it.  Kids grow up.  The cute animal and truck pictures we had hanging on the wall . . . . well, they've outgrown them.


And instead of complaining that they don't use their playroom anymore, I knew I needed to let it grow with them.  And a nice big chalkboard seemed right up our alley.

I went with a full 4' X 8' piece of 1/4" plywood.  Actually, I think it was considered underlayment, but I just looked for something with one smooth side.  I screwed it to the wall along the edges, making sure to capture the studs.


I rolled a few coats of primer on the board before topping it with three coats of black chalkboard paint.

Primer Only
After chalkboard paint
Next, I added my frame.  I decided to overlap the edges of the blackboard so I could cover up the screw holes.  Gotta tell ya - that was kind of a pain in the butt.  Of course the wood did not sit flat as it was overlapping 1/4" wood, so my husband ran the edge through the table saw so it would.  If you consider making your own, you might want to cover the screw holes with putty before priming and then butt your frame up to the edge of the chalkboard.  That would have been SO much easier.  Also, to make it less challenging, I painted the 1" X 3" frame pieces BEFORE nailing them to the wall.


We had to have a chalk holder, right?  So I used some 1" X 2" to make this "L" shaped holder.  I put it together in the workshop before bringing it down to the basement and nailing onto the frame.


You are not done with your chalkboard until you prime it.  That means turning the chalk on it's side and rubbing it into the chalkboard.


Next, take a cloth and rub it in & off.  A helper is great for this part.


That's it!  Now we have a playroom that can grow with the kids.



And I don't mind having something in the playroom that I can play with too.



 Have a great day,


Debbie



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6 comments:

  1. Marty@A Stroll Thru LifeJuly 30, 2013 at 8:20 AM

    How fabulous is this. I totally love this idea, and I am sure they are having so much fun. The pic of the children is so precious. Thanks so much for linking to Inspire Me. Hugs, Marty

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  2. SewSweetVIntageJuly 30, 2013 at 5:55 PM

    We had one as kids and as an adult I love them still:) The kids are going to have so many fun memories getting creative:)

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  3. GretchenJuly 31, 2013 at 8:27 AM

    Very nice! I love how big it is and how you framed it out--it looks great! We just did a chalkboard wall, too--my boys range from 6 months to 12, and I like how everyone can have fun with it :)

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  4. Good Time CharlieJuly 31, 2013 at 8:46 PM

    I love this! Great tutorial, I am featuring tomorrow at my Party. Thank you so much for sharing at Redoux!

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  5. Sharon @ Elizabeth & Co.August 1, 2013 at 7:09 PM

    I love great big chalkboards! Very fun!

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  6. UnknownAugust 28, 2013 at 6:59 PM

    Love it. Your kids are adorable!

    ReplyDelete