DIY Kitchen Chalkboard

Last weekend, I spent a few hours working on a project for our kitchen. I'd been wanting to make my own chalkboard to write notes or grocery lists on for awhile, and I learned that (with the right supplies), it's a very easy project.

First, I went to the thrift shop and found a $5 atrocity that looked like this:

It was the perfect thing to turn into a chalkboard because it was so inexpensive, the frame had a nice detail to it which came out when I painted it, it was the right size, and I didn't feel at all bad defiling it.

First, I took out the glass and the picture and gave the frame a good cleaning and then a few coats of ivory spray paint. I think I sprayed on 4 very thin coats. I let it fully dry for a few hours before moving it.

Painting the glass with chalkboard paint turned out to be a little bit tricky. I had read online that chalkboard paint does work with glass, but I have a few tips to make it easier for you if you decide to tackle a project like this. At first I tried using chalkboard spray paint, and I sprayed on a few coats, waiting a few minutes between each coat like it said, but after letting it dry for an hour or two it began coming off the glass as a powdery residue. I don't know if I did something wrong or not, but I would not recommend using the spray paint. My husband wouldn't recommend it either, if you're anything like me (failed craft projects make me cranky!).

So I went back to the store, where they graciously took back the spray paint and I bought the regular chalkboard paint and a foam brush. Now, neither of these paints say that they work on glass but the paint version definitely does.

I flipped over the failed first side of the glass, sprayed on a primer on the new side for extra security, and painted on 3 thin coats of the chalkboard paint, waiting several hours between each one. After my last coat I let it dry for 24 hours before using chalk on it. I also alternated which direction I painted for each coat--up-down, then left-right, then up-down again. I think this helps to prevent it from looking streaky.

Finally, I prepped the chalkboard by rubbing chalk all over it and then erasing. Supposedly this prevents the first thing you write on the chalkboard from becoming burned in. And that was it!