DIY Inexpensive Chalkboards!

This DIY project is perfect for this season! It makes great gifts for children to play with, mothers to write grocery or chore lists, and a wife and husband to exchange little love notes to each other. There are tons of other things to do with blackboards! The best part is that they are very easy and inexpensive to make. I liked to do it so much, that I made two of them; one for my daughter and one for a Christmas present!

You will need:

1. Chalkboard paint. This paint can be found at any home improvement store like Home Depot or Lowes and most other large stores carry them too. We got this paint at Walmart. This is a spray paint but there is also cans of paint available for those who prefer it. The price is around $3-$5 a can and you can do up to 4 frames that are 16x20. 



  2.   You will need any type of picture frame that is plastic-backed. The chalkboard paint does not say anything about working well on glass but I tried it on glass and it works well too. A good size would be 16x20 but smaller ones like 4x6 are cute and you can pin it in the kitchen for to-do lists.

These picture frames can be found easily. Most people have picture frames stored in the basement or in the garage in hope that they will be used again (but it never happens). Therefore, hunt through the boxes and find some. You can also find some at thrift stores for an excellent price. I had a picture frame that was a little bit scratched up and not very interesting. I had some blue acrylic paint lying around and I used a piece of kitchen sponge and dabs of paint to create a beautiful appearance! My husband also spray painted the frame of another picture the color silver with a spare can he had lying around.

Another possibility would be to buy a piece of plywood from a store like Home Depot and use that instead of  the glass or plastic. I bought a sheet of wood for about $10 and had it cut right at the store. (I can use the extra wood for different projects too). The thickness was about the same as the glass and cardboard patting would be in the picture frame so I took those two out and used just the plywood. Wood is a good alternative if you have children that draw very aggressively on the boards and you do not want them to harm themselves.

Directions:

1. Unfortunately I do not have any pictures of the process (sorry!) but it is a very simple and easy technique. Make sure to do this outside because the paint does smell.

2. Lay out some newspaper or plastic bags on the concrete. Slide out your glass or plastic from the frames (or take your piece of wood) and lay it down. Makes sure you dust of the material before you start spraying. I also recommend sanding the wood a little with some scrap pieces of sandpaper but it is not required.

3.Then, following the directions on the can, spray about 8 inches from the surface in a consistent motion from top to bottom. Repeat about 2 or three times, depending on what material you are using. Plastic usually takes fewer coats and wood takes more. If you are using a paintbrush and wood version, use nice and even strokes following the grain of the wood.  If you can not take out your glass or plastic from the frame, make sure to cover up the frame with tape.

4. Let it dry for about 24 hours before using (or follow directions on the can). Slip it back into the frame and viola! Simple and easy!