Updated 10/15/2019: This post was originally published 2 years ago but I have added some new pictures and some general sprucing up and wanted to re-share this with you all! And because this post was sooo old and never has readers to it I thought it would work perfectly for this months At Home DIY Blog Hop with the theme: Creative Wall Challenge!
Have you ever wanted to have an entire wall in your home be a chalkboard? Really!!?? Good, I’m glad it’s not just me! Does anyone else remember having a chalkboard in all your classrooms? Ya know back in the day before dry erase was everywhere; there was something fun about writing on those green chalkboards and being on eraser duty. Have I just aged myself!?!
Chalk has always been one of my favorite mediums. I have always wanted a spot that the kids and I could draw on the walls and not get in trouble!
Below is my wall that I wanted to be my chalkboard, this is right off our kitchen.
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Materials Needed to turn a wall into a Chalkboard:
- Black chalkboard paint
- Paint brush, this is my favorite
- Painter’s tape
- Hand sander
- Sandpaper discs
I also added a leftover piece of trim at the top between the two doorways so that my chalkboard had a “frame.”
REMOVING WALL TEXTURE
The first step was to remove all the texture from the wall, this sounded a lot easier than it turned out to be. Make sure to use tough grit sandpaper as you will need to try to remove the paint which could be in multiple layers. I ended up having the hubby help me with the sanding as I wasn’t applying enough pressure.
I didn’t realize how hard it was to remove texture until I started! Be prepared to use some muscle!
As you can see from above in some spots the sanding went down to the paper. Make sure to try smooth as possible so when drawing or writing on the wall you aren’t going over bumps.
Chalkboard Paint
Chalkboard paint is definitely a different consistency than other latex paint, it is very thick but keep in mind that it is normal for this paint. I was grateful to have my mother-in-law’s help to paint the chalkboard wall. We had to apply two coats as one coat is definitely too thin (for such thick paint!).
Prepping your Wall as use as a Chalkboard
After the paint dries you will be very tempted to just start writing and drawing on the chalkboard but DON’T!! Just trust me, you will want to wait. The chalkboard needs to be primed so that it will function properly. If you don’t prime it and just start writing you won’t be able to fully erase your writing and will see those drawings forever.
So what you will need to do is rub chalk (this is my favorite) over the entire board by turning the chalk on its side and covering all of it so that all the chalk dust settles into the pores of the chalk paint. You will want this to cure for at least 3 days without erasing it. I actually let it cure for about a week.
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That’s it! You are now ready to draw, write or color til your heart desires!
