Skip the Store and Make Your Own Homemade Chalk Paint

9 Materials
$10
30 Minutes
Easy

I love how chalk paint looks, but it’s not cheap. There are a few ways to create your own chalk paint, and in my tutorial today I’ll show you how I make mine! It only takes four ingredients and is fully customizable, so you can make the exact color you’ve been looking for. I’m using mine to paint an old medicine cabinet door and turn it into a cute memo board for my daughter, but you can use yours on any project you would usually use chalk paint on. Follow my step-by-step tutorial to get started making your own chalk paint today!


Tools and Materials

Tools and Materials:

  • Water
  • Plaster of Paris
  • Measuring cups
  • Latex paint
  • Dye
  • Paint brush
  • Paper towel
  • Cabinet door
  • Permanent marker
Make the Paint
Make the Paint


Making the paint is pretty easy, you just need to follow this simple recipe. 


Homemade Chalk Paint Recipe:

  • ½ cup of water
  • ½ cup plaster of Paris
  • ¾ cup latex paint
Mix

Mix the three ingredients together until it comes back to the consistency of paint. 

Add Dye

Then I colored the paint with dye. When using dye, always start with less than you think you need. You can always add more, but it’s quite difficult to dilute color once you’ve added it. Mix well so that it’s one consistent color. 

Mix Completely

That’s all you need to do to create your own homemade chalk paint! Now let’s put it to use!

Paint
Paint


Once I had created my desired color, I got to painting! My daughter loves pink so I used an old medicine cabinet door to create a cute little memo board for her. I painted one coat of the paint and left it to dry before adding a second coat.


Tip:

To keep your paint from spoiling, cover it with a wet paper towel. This will stop it from forming a skin or hardening while you wait for the first coat to dry.

Paint with DIY Chalk Paint

Then I added a second coat of paint and left it to dry once again

Embellish
Embellish


Once my paint was dry I added a T at the bottom for my daughter’s name, Tilly!

Homemade Chalk Paint

How adorable is this memo holder? I’m sure my daughter will love it! How would you use your homemade chalk paint? Let me know in the comments below!

Resources for this project:
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Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
3 of 13 questions
  • Lovinmypups Lovinmypups on Jul 17, 2020

    So do you buy your latex paint in the color that you need and then when adding the dye you are just adjusting the color to your exact need? Or do you buy white latex paint then add the dye of your choosing? Do you get Latex/Primer in one paint?

  • Sandy Haggerty-rodriguez Sandy Haggerty-rodriguez on Sep 21, 2020

    What kind of dye

  • Cinzia Farley Cinzia Farley on Sep 27, 2020

    Can one put unused paint into a jar and store it in the refrigerator? I have several gallons of latex paint left from painting my walls. I want to make some chalk paint for future projects. Skipping the dye by using tinted latex.

Comments
Join the conversation
5 of 10 comments
  • Mary Coakley Mary Coakley on Jul 10, 2020

    thanks for the recipe.the.paint.looks great

  • Mandy Mandy on Jul 10, 2020

    How wonderful thanks for sharing I will be having some fun makingind Thanks again.

    • See 2 previous
    • Lovinmypups Lovinmypups on Jul 17, 2020

      So this will not adhere to any surface without prep? This will not dry to a rock hard surface? So if I want to paint glass, I usually clean it with alcohol and once dry all I do is start painting. Can I not do that with this mixture?

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