DIY Framed Chalkboard

I know this idea is nothing new to blogland, but I finally got around to making my own and I wanted to take some step by step pictures in case anyone was wondering how to make one too.  Super easy and cheap!

You will need:

• a frame
• a smooth piece of wood, glass, metal, cut to size
• primer (optional)
• chalkboard paint
• brushes/rollers

I bought my frame at Hobby Lobby and a piece of thin MDF at Home Depot.  MDF board is a good choice because it's smooth, light for hanging, but sturdy for writing.  The workers at Home Depot will cut it to size for free if you ask nicely.

A nice, snug fit is what you want because you will be pushing on the wood a lot when you eventually draw and write on your chalkboard.  After I was done with the entire project, my husband secured my board even more with a few strategically placed staples using our hand staple gun.

Paint time.  I decided to prime my board first.  Glad I did because the wood seemed to suck up a bit of paint.  I used Rust-oleum Painter's Touch Latex Primer and painted it on with a small, sponge roller.  I used a small brush to get the sides, even though they weren't going to show...I'm weird like that sometimes.

Using some push pins to hold up your board while you paint really helps a lot.

 I think I painted two coats of primer and in between each one, I lightly sanded it down, wiped off the dust with a damp cloth, and then dried it with a paper towel.  It doesn't take long to do each step, and if it's 100 degrees when you paint, like when I did, it will dry really fast.

Rust-oleum Chalkboard Latex Paint.  Sponge Roller.  Three coats.

Watching paint dry....

I will warn you that the chalkboard paint dries REALLY fast and is not completely smooth.  The directions on the can tell you how to dilute the paint if needed.  I probably should have considering how hot it was, but it still turned out fine.  Sand between coats if needed.  Although my finished surface is not completely smooth, you can still write on it without any problem.  We have found that the more we write on it, the smoother the surface seems to get as well.

According to directions, you are supposed to wait 3 days for it to set.  This was by far the hardest step for me.  I hate waiting.

I love the contrast of the dark board against the bright frame.

Three days later, I "cured" the chalkboard by rubbing the side of a piece of chalk all over the surface and then erasing it off.

I wanted to be a little cheeky and write "Bless This Mess" since my house was a complete disaster by the time I finished this project.  I was making stuff instead of cleaning and controlling the mass of toys in the living room.  Sometimes I just have to let it go if I want to actually make anything fun.  I left my phrase for a moment and came back to this.  So appropriate.  I guess the cheekiness has been passed on.

 My oldest really wanted a turn, and this is what he made all on his own.

Awwww...that one is a keeper.  

Once the novelty wears off, my kids might actually let me write something on it too.