A Homemade Chalkboard and a Bad Joke

Greetings Sunday Projecteers!

The idea of chalkboard paint is far overdue in my opinion. If they had created the stuff for my parents to have access to when I was child, I’m pretty sure the marker or crayon would have just come right off. Chalkboards are a great feature of any establishment, as they add a bit of play to a menu, a to-do list, a label, or simply make a great place to jot a note or message. I have wanted to create a homemade chalkboard for sometime now and have finally got around to doing it, while adding a bit of my own flair so to speak. So if your ready for own chalkboard the project is as follows…

For this Sunday Project you will need:

• newspaper or craft paper (to cover your workspace)
• chalkboard paint (this is specially made and can be found at any craft store or home improvement store. For this project I used one I found at the craft store.)
• paintbrush
• contrast paint color
• wood panel (any shape or size you wish)
• triangle hooks (I found them in the framing section of the craft store)
• ribbon or twine
• glue gun
• chalk
• decorative accents (optional)

Everything I used can be seen here. 

I chose a wood panel that is about 13″x 11″. There are tons of already cut wood panels at the craft store and even some fun pre-cut door hangers. You could make even a chalkboard whale! To begin, cover your workspace. The triangle hooks should be put on your wood panel first. Here is a closer look at the triangle hangers. 

Turning the panel over to the back, arrange the hangers on the top of the board and nail in place. Be careful about fingers! The placement of the hangers should be a good size so it will be balanced when you hang the chalkboard. Here is what they look like when nailed in place. 

Once the hangers are in place and ready to go, flip the board over and get ready to paint. Every brand of chalkboard paint has its own specific instructions, but they generally are all the same. This paint has to be shaken really really well. Pour a bit of the paint out onto your work surface and begin painting horizontally. Some say begin vertically and others say horizontally, this particular one begins with the horizontal direction. 

After you have painted the panel with your first coat, let it dry for 1 hour. Yes, 1 hour. I fortunately had some laundry to do and have been particularly obsessed with a certain novel titled Mockingjay so I didn’t mind the hour wait. I set a timer, I suggest you do the same. For the second coat, paint the panel just as you did with the first coat, although this time paint vertically. This is to ensure there are no spots without paint and it actually acts like weaving to strengthen the paint for its intended use. Once the second coat is done, let it dry for 1 hour. Yes, 1 more hour. During this time I used some black acrylic paint I had and painted the edges of my panel as well as stuck my nose in the book again. The panel I chose had a bit of an edge, and I didn’t want it to be painted with the chalkboard paint. If your panel has edges like that, feel free to paint them how you wish, I think the contrast adds a bit to the chalkboard.

When the drying time has passed you are ready to finish the chalkboard! I chose to embellish the board a bit with colored glass beads. Using my glue gun I glued them to the board. 

You can use whatever you wish on your chalkboard. I have seen some with lace, some with wood cut-outs, and some with glitter. The possibilities! Just be sure you don’t cover too much of the actual space you want to use for your messages. In order for the board to be complete, you have to somewhat “prime” it. In order to do so, rub chalk all over the board and then rub it in with you fingertips. After, just gently wipe with a cloth. 

Wiping the board with a cloth will take the excess chalk off. Next use the ribbon or twine you have chosen and attach to the triangle hangers. This will be how you hang your chalkboard. Viola! Complete! Here is my finished chalkboard.

Now you get why I titled the post the way I did. I wrote a bad joke. To be honest, I felt as if I had run out of witty. But I”m sure it won’t be the last bad joke written on that board. In my house, bad jokes rule the roost. Every once in a while come some gems, not enough to fill an hour, but until then, day jobs will still be kept.

I plan to use this chalkboard for a to-do list, possibly a fun menu, and definitely for a “need from the store” list. And of course a love note here or there. I would love to see what you do with your chalkboards. Did you enjoy this Sunday Project? Did you not? I have plenty of fun crafty and artsy things brewing and ready to go…

Happy Sunday Projecting!

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