chalkboard paint ideas

It's time for Part II of chalkboard fun! We saw these vinyl chalkboard images called "Chakals" for children's rooms by Modern Dose and fell in love.

However, we did not fall in love with the price. Being the super budget-conscious gals that we are, we found a couple of ways to make our own chalkboard vinyl for kids' rooms.

Buy a roll of chalkboard contact paper for around $7. Trace/draw and cut out your own design and stick it to the wall. Super simple.



Or use chalkboard paint and paint a mural yourself. Chalkboard paint comes in many different colors, and you should be able to find it at your local craft store or online. You can design a picture that is perfect your child’s room. Or paint a section of the wall like a real chalkboard in the play room.



If you are really ambitious and not satisfied with the pre-mixed color choices out there, you can make your own chalkboard paint in any color. Thanks to Martha Stewart for this fun custom color chalkboard paint recipe.



Here's another chalkboard paint recipe for smaller batches.

Chalkboard Paint Small Batch Recipe

2 Tbsp. Acrylic craft paint, any color
1 Tbsp. Glazing medium, water based
1 tsp. unsanded tile grout powder (get this at a home improvement store like Home Depot or Lowes)

Mix well and apply to wall. Only mix as much as you need immediately, because it does not store well for more than a few hours in an airtight container.

A friend of a friend made this chalkboard on her wall with a few pieces of molding and some chalkboard paint. She also painted a few layers of magnetic paint beneath it so she could hang things with magnets here. Brilliant!


Here's a link to the magnetic paint. How cool is this stuff?

Don't forget--you must condition your chalkboard before using if you make your own paint. Do this by running a piece of chalk on its side over the entire chalkboard area. Now wipe off the chalk with a clean felt cloth. With a damp cloth, wipe the chalkboard again to clean completely. Now your chalkboard is ready for use.