DIY Chalkboard Paint

I am in love with my new chalkboard wall!  I feel a little behind on this one, but chalkboards are classic, right? I saw Emily’s AWESOME one, and knew that I wanted one in my kitchen.  I had to do a little convincing of my husband, but when I said that I could do it gray and not black, he was game to let me try it.  I actually think he thought I would fail…a small part of me did too…but failures are a part of being a handmade girl, so I forged ahead. Thankfully this turned out with flying colors!  And the hubby thinks it’s great! Yay!!  Pretty stink’n easy too.  I give it a 3 out of 10 for difficulty. Find your spot (kitchen, child’s room, family rec room, front entrance, laundry room…) and let’s get painting!

You can make your chalkboard ANY color you want.  I wanted mine gray, so I bought a quart size of the basic paint line from a big box store.  I wasn’t sure exactly what finish to use (flat, satin, eggshell), but flat worked just fine.  You also will need non-sanded grout.  This is important!  This is what gives the paint roughness which helps to grab your chalk.  You will find this in the tile section, not the paint section.

1) Wash your wall to remove any dirt or grime.  Tape off if you wish.

2)Now here’s a silly step that I’m not sure you need to do. I wasn’t sure if I was going to have enough paint for my wall so I threw in about 2 cups of neutral ceiling paint.  See how exact this project is!?

3) Mix about 1 cup of the non-sanded grout, don’t have to be exact, with your paint.  Mix, mix, and mix.  Now mix again!  You really need to make sure that the grout does not lump in your paint.

4) I did 2 coats of paint.

5) Once your wall is completely dry, you will need to prime your wall.  All this means is rub a piece of chalk all over the space.  Wipe chalk off with a dry rag.  Grab your chalk and start drawing!

I love using my wall for 3 purposes. Grocery List–Take a picture of it with your phone as you run out the door so you have your list with you instantly! Weekly family calendar. Drawing space for boys.

Another really cool way Emily used chalkboard spaces was by taping off smaller “frames” at random in her sewing room. For example, tape off a space 15″x24″, and then paint the inside of the rectangle. When you remove the tape, just leave it as is or hang an actual frame around your rectangle. Have any other ideas for how to creatively use chalkboard paint?? PLEASE, please share! I need to use up some leftover paint and need more ideas!

Oh, and one more great thing about this project!  When I wash the wall and don’t have any chalk up yet, it just looks like a nice gray wall!  So you can clean it up and just have an accent wall or go the chalkboard look depending on your mood or the occasion!