DIY: Chalkboard Wall

I FINALLY got around to doing this. I have been wanting one of these in our kitchen for months...and to be totally honest, it took all of about 10 minutes, so I should have tacled it sooner.





This project is one that can easily be done while your baby naps, and it's so much fun! Before I did this I had a chalkboard on that wall that I had made a few years ago out of an old picture frame, but it just wasn't nearly as cool.





Yes, that's a puppy calendar you see on the wall. So what.


Anyway, here's what you need to convert a boring kitchen wall into a super cool chalkboard.


Supplies:

• Chalkboard Paint (you can pick this up from Home Depot or something like it for about 20 bucks)
• Drop clothes (I mean it, this stuff gets everywhere)
• Wet rags for cleanup (lots of them)
• Brush (obviously)
• Roller (obviously)
• Painter's tape if you're not the freehand type

How to:


If you're lucky like me and have kitchen walls the colour of chalkboard, you don't have to do anything but start with the brush and then roll it in. But, chances are you will need to tape off the area, or be very careful cutting in with the brush. Incidentally, I really do recommend repainting your entire kitchen while you're at it to Benjamin Moore's blackberry, but whatever. 


Prepare your area with drop clothes as far as the eye can see. Chalkboard paint is not like regular paint, it spatters like CRAZY, so be prepared to clean up little spots as you go. 


Once you have your cutting in done (or area taped off), roll it in just like regular paint (again, be careful and wear clothes that you hate). 


Let the whole thing dry for about 3 days before getting near it with chalk. This was the worst part for me because I wanted to write something cheeky on it the moment it was done. But, bide your time and think up all of the hilarious swear words that you will be able to write on it once it's done.


That's it! I can't wait until Ben is old enough to stand there drawing on the wall while I cook dinner. I'm preparing myself now to have to paint all of the walls in the house with this stuff because he surely won't be able to differentiate which walls you can draw on and which you can't, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.


And as for the baby chalkboard that I had before, it made the perfect addition to the office area. 





And, for those of you who didn't notice, yes, I forgot to give Billy arms in the Duckworth family picture on the chalkboard. Whoopsie.





So there you have it! Now go buy some chalkboard paint! And share your project with me if you do!