How to Make a GINORMOUSLY HUGE Chalkboard for Your Home!

Jennifer Allwood
by Jennifer Allwood
I'm obsessed with the sheer size of this chalkboard. It's total overkill and I totally adore it. I want to show you how to make one for your house too!
We finally, finally got my huge, oversized chalkboard framed and done. This was one of those little projects that just kept going.... for like 2 months! We just couldn't seem to make time to finish it. But.... it's done and I couldn't be happier. Please pretend not to notice that we still have a mistletoe hanging. Because we forgot it up there. And we are too lazy to get a chair out to get it down. So it may stay up thru Easter.
I had a bunch of old barnwood from a barn in Kansas City. It's the same wood I used to make my "Be Royal" baseball sign and my "Harvest" sign that went viral on Pinterest. You can find them both on my blog at www.themagicbrushinc.com. Just type in the search box!
I couldn't decide if to keep the wood the original width. Or, to have Mr Magic cut it in half so the frame was narrower. So I kept asking my hubby to hold both pieces up.


Then take it down.


Try it this way.


Try it that way.


No scoot it over.


No too far.


Yes there.


No maybe the smaller piece again.


Lol.


All you DIY brides know.... the struggle is real.
I finally decided the wood needed cut in half, so Mr Magic, husband extraordinaire, did that for me. I was going to have a rough edge to paint, but lucky for me after 15 years of owning a painting business, I figured I could do that with little effort.
I used "Black Bean" chalklike paint from Heirloom Traditions. The link is in the bottom of this post to where you can buy it on my website. We rolled it right on the wall! It took 2 coats and it was more than covered. I was totally impressed with the coverage!
Before I even had time to season the wall or to frame it, my kids started writing on it. Don't look close because I am certain there is 13 year old boy humor on it.


I left a container of chalk markers out for our kids and all their friends on the bench next to the chalkboard. Chalk markers don't erase very well, but they leave no dust on the floor, so it's a trade that's worth it!
Mr Magic cut the barnwood pieces in 1/2 for me, but we had a carpenter who was working in our house cut angled corners on the pieces and nail it into the wall. This is sooooooo much easier than trying to assemble a frame on the floor and hang it. Nah, just nail that stuff right to the wall! He used a nail gun and YES, we will have holes to repair if we take it down one day, but I don't mind. The frame fits snug to the wall and looks amazing!
I wanted to attach the chalk holder TO the chalkboard because A) it's cute and B) it's practical . Nothing drives me battier than wanting to write on a chalkboard and not being able to find chalk. I know.


This was a bookend that I purchased years ago that I had Mr Magic screw into the wall also. Yes, another hole, but what's one more hole at this point? I painted the bookend to match the chippy wood color.
I used "Engine No.9" and the Jet Black Wax (both available on my blog) and painted the chalkholder + the raw wood edges. The red was a little too bright and the jet black wax dirtied it up a bit so that it matched perfect.
Look at that! A perfect match!!!
So I had all these dreams of encouraging words and bible scriptures and "I love you's " on the chalkboard to greet my family as they came thru the garage door every day. Instead the board is covered in signatures, scribbles and autographs and you know what....it's just as meaningful. Every time we have friends or kids over, there is new writing on it and that makes my heart happy.
This project is on my Pinterest - find me @JenAllwood and come on over to my blog for the links to the products! And you can find a coupon code there for 10% off the paint that I used on this project! =)


Much DIY love,


Jennifer
Jennifer Allwood
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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  3 questions
  • Jodi Jodi on Jan 20, 2016
    Looks like lead paint, did you seal the paint around it so your children do not get lead poisoned?
  • Susan Dye Susan Dye on Jan 20, 2016
    How difficult/easy is it to paint over the black chalk board paint with regular latex paint?
  • Sonja Miller Sonja Miller on Mar 03, 2016
    I love this, but was wondering what size is your frame?
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