How to make a Chalkboard Feature Wall

 

I’ve always liked the idea of magnetic chalkboards, having seen them in magazines.

I’ve seen examples on doors, in kids rooms, as wall stencils and I’ve loved them all.

I have had a go before but had to buy separate magnetic paint and chalkboard paint to create the effect.

Thankfully, Rust-Oleum has come up with magnetic chalkboard paint so you only need one tin which, for a mum of a newborn and a preschooler, is great.

So I decided to tackle my project at 5am in my nightie. When else?

Now before you start, the chalkboard paint goes a long way. It is not the same consistency of emulsion so you need to keep in mind it runs. I knew this and was careless but, check out the list of what you need. I have it covered.

You will need:

Masking tape
A brush

Rust-Oleum magnetic chalkboard paint
A tester pot the same colour as your wall.

Instructions

Decide how big you want your chalkboard and mask it out.

Open the tin and mix the paint.

Carefully paint the wall.

You need to leave three hours between coats and you will need at least two or three coats depending on the surface of your wall.

If you paint it over a day, leave it 24 hours before chalking.

As I mentioned, I was careless and the paint ran down my cream wall. I think it was more to do with my technique and it being 5am than the paint but I was glad of the tester pot.

Then you just need to decide what to write or draw.

I plan to use mine as a greeting board-Happy Easter, Spring 2015, that kind of thing.

I’ve bought chalkboard pens which I hope will make my feature look more like a pub specials board rather than something from a 1980s classroom.

I drew bunting on the top of my board and, until I think of a relevant slogan for my board, I will just use  magnets-which is the beauty of magnetic chalkboard paint. You can use either or both.

If you rent your home or do not feel confident enough to commit to the paint going directly on the wall, I have an idea.

Get an old picture frame, take out the glass and paint the back board with the magnetic chalkboard paint. Put it back in the frame and you have your own, moveable, grown up chalkboard.

I used smaller frames. You could get your children to draw pictures and hang them on the wall for changeable art.

I think this idea would work really well with a massive frame which you could lean against a wall.

There are so many options that I am currently walking around my home choosing what to paint next.

What will you paint?

 

*I was sent the Rust-Oleum magnetic chalkboard paint for the purpose of this review but all opinions are my own.

**Apologies for the lack of magnetic letter. I thought we had more. We did have more. I think they might be under the fridge. Oops.