Whether in a child’s bedroom as a scrawling wall, the kitchen as a shopping list, or the garage as a what-do-make-next agenda, a DIY blackboard (aka chalkboard) is super handy.
We love blackboards and wouldn’t dream of being in a house without one.
Making DIY Blackboard or Chalkboard
Materials
Plywood is a great start. It’s flat, lightweight, cheap and can be easily cut to size with a handsaw. If full sheets are too big to fit in your vehicle, ask nicely at the hardware store and they may be able to cut it down for you (not to a precise size, but at least enough to fit in the car).
Prepping
Measure and cut the plywood for the intended room, hand-sand the edges to remove any rough edges and potential splinters, then pre-drill holes in the corner for screws if you are going to screw directly into/onto the wall. If creating a smaller blackboard you may choose to hang it like a picture or mirror. Or, you can screw it directly to the wall and finish the sides with framing (which can also act as a chalk-dust collection ledge)!
Painting
Paint several layers of Chalk Board paint (which comes in many colours and found in your local hardware store), then screw directly into the wall (firstly checking to miss obvious wires and voids)!
TIP: Ask for ‘Chalkboard’ paint as the term ‘Blackboard’ appears to have been removed from paint manufacturers vocabulary in recent times.
Before use, just like you would at school at the beginning of each new term (as blackboard monitor, lol), smudge chalk all over the dried paint and rub it off with a dry cloth. It leaves a pale chalky residue which becomes a perfect base for hours of doodling and allows for ‘dry cloth’ removal. Otherwise, if you draw directly onto the dried paint without prepping it first, it’s difficult to remove chalk drawings without the aid of a ‘wet cloth’ or sponge. While a wet cloth ensures the scrawlings come away very tidily, it’s not so convenient.
If you are wanting to paint directly onto a wall (rather than a plywood base), ensure the wall is flat. If it’s the internal walls of a garage, the odds will be that it is plywood anyway. Stay away from wallpaper! Mark it up, paint in-situ, and if you are feeling fancy, create a wood trim boarder.
Happy doodling!
