Almost There: DIY: Chalkboard Wall

Saturday, February 9, 2013

DIY: Chalkboard Wall

I am beyond excited about this DIY! If you know me, then you know I love me some chalkboard. I was lucky enough to have a good friend (also named Tyler) that had an awkward wall in his kitchen and an open mind!

Since the kitchen already had a "manly" vibe, I knew using the regular chalkboard paint would suffice. I'll have another DIY up later to show you how to make your own chalkboard paint so you can match your existing color scheme or start a funky new one.

The wall, like I said, was a bit awkward. It was in the front hallway but still kind of a part of the kitchen. When I mentioned having a chalkboard wall right next to the refrigerator and also a wall you walk past everyday, he jumped on it. So, while he was away at work, Milo and I started early on transforming awkward wall into chalkboard wall!

Time

30 minutes for prep.

30 minutes for paint.

24 hours wait then tons of fun!

What You Need

Valspar's Chalkboard Paint -- Found at Lowes and Home Depot (~$16)

Roller

Paint Roller Dish

Paint Can Opener

Painters Tape

Paint Stirrer

Screwdriver (If you have a light switch plate or an outlet plate that you need to take off.)

Edger (~$5. More info. on this later in the post.)

Ladder

Chalk

Paint Prep

It is crazy important to make sure you prep your wall and paint space. DO NOT get lazy with it. You can think you are the best painter in the world and then realize belatedly that you have specks of dark paint on your white trim.

Take your painters tape and cover up your trim, edges, and the strip of ceiling at the top of your wall. Next cover and tape the floor where you will be working on. If you don't want dark paint on your trim then I'm sure you don't want dark paint on your tile/wood/carpet.

Since my space was small I used two towels and taped them down so they wouldn't slide, since I needed to use the ladder.

If you have a light switch cover or an outlet cover on the wall you are painting, you need to go ahead and use your screwdriver to take it off.

Use your painters tape to tape the two screws to the case so when you set it aside you won't lose them.

Now use your painters tape to cover the edges of the hole. Then another strip to cover the switch itself.

Lastly, make sure you are wearing clothes you don't mind getting dirty!
Painting

Use your paint can opener to open your Valspars then stir your paint. It only took me half of the can to cover the wall so don't just pour the whole thing into your paint roller dish. I found pouring small amounts along the way worked best.

Roll your roller through the paint and up and down on the roller dish to try to make the paint even.

Then go for gold.

I started at the bottom (because I'm short) and then went to the top. Next I met in the middle! Now, I left a little space around the edges. A roller just won't do the trick at this point.

That's where your edger comes in handy!

Other Tyler came home long enough to have fun with the edger. We took the painters tape off of the wall for this part because the edger is pretty accurate. If you don't feel comfortable without that barrier there then by all means keep the tape there!

After the paint was "edged" it was time to let it sit for 24 hours!

The next day we bought some chalk at Walmart (we had to get the sidewalk stuff because they were out of the skinny kind!) and then had fun!

Clean Up

All you need is a wet paper towel to "erase" if you don't want to buy an actual chalkboard eraser. Then just take a dry paper towel and wipe off. OR you could just let it air dry. It doesn't take long and you can see where it's wet so you can avoid drawing on it until dry.