The classic chalkboard brings back images and memories of school for all of us. But beyond jotting down algebra equations and geometry diagrams, a chalkboard can serve as a decorative element in the home, for both looks and practicality. Put one in the children’s room for creative moments, in the hall as a notice board, or in the kitchen as a backdrop for a collage of family photos.
You can hang the chalkboard directly on the wall without a frame, or follow our instructions and make your own by framing it in the decorative frame of an old mirror you already have at home, or one you can pick up at a flea market or antiques fair.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
an old mirror or picture frame (or a new one, depending on your preference)
a thin sheet of metal (1 mm thick, sized to fit the mirror)
metal primer
chalkboard paint (available from a paint shop)
paint for the frame (in the colour of your choice)
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. If you are using an old mirror, take the mirror out of its frame and set the pieces aside.
2. Use the piece of mirror you removed as a template and trace its outline onto the metal sheet with a marker. Cut the sheet along the line you have just drawn using a special cutting tool, or take it to a metalworker’s for a more professional result. (If you don’t want your chalkboard to be magnetic, you can use a 6 mm thick MDF board instead of the metal sheet.)
3. Prepare the metal sheet for painting by cleaning its surface and applying two coats of metal primer. Wait for the primer to dry thoroughly, then apply two coats of chalkboard paint.
4. Prepare the mirror frame for painting according to the material it is made of (wood, metal, etc.), applying two coats of primer, and then paint the frame in the colour of your choice with two to three coats of paint. Once the paint has dried, you can optionally finish the frame with a coat of clear varnish, which will add shine and harden the surface.
5. Wait for the painted surfaces to dry thoroughly, then reassemble the old frame, replacing the mirror with the piece of metal sheet, or the MDF board, that you used for the chalkboard.
