Happy Spaces: Chalkboard Wall Edition

Recently, I converted one of the rooms in my home into a home office.  For me, I need a space to be peaceful, bright, and happy to boost my productivity.  One of the little simple projects I decided to add to my space was a funky diy chalkboard wall piece.  This is something that I can get really creative with and change whenever I want.  First, I had to buy my supplies, so I started on Amazon.  I found black Rust-Oleum chalkboard paint which I had seen many times before.

When scrolling down the page, I happened to notice that “customers who bought this also bought” magnetic primer!  I did NOT know that that existed, so I added it to my cart.  I already had a paint tray, stirring stick, paint roller, and roller frame from other home projects but if you do not have those things, they can also be purchased on Amazon or any home improvement store.

When the products arrived, I measured out the space on the wall using a level, measuring tape, and pencil.  Then, I shook up the primer as best as I could for a few minutes.  You can make this into a little workout! Shake, shake, shake!  I opened the primer and was surprised by the dark color.  I guess it makes sense for a black chalkboard primer to be black but some chalkboard paints are clear so be careful what you buy depending on what your project vision is.  I then used the stirring stick and was shocked… the primer was liquid on top and a thick glob in the bottom.  I was a little upset thinking, is this primer no good?  It was incredibly difficult to stir.  It just felt like I was squishing the stick in this thick glob and it wasn’t doing anything.  Fortunately, when I kept at it, it finally began to soften up and blend together.  The stirring part took a good 15 minutes and there was a little splashing so take it slow and make sure to have some plastic laid out under your paint can.

I poured the primer into the paint tray and got started rolling the primer onto the wall in my measured out space.  It took no time to cover the space so I let it dry for an hour or two and came back and did another coat.  I did this for probably 3-4 coats using approximately half of the can.  I cleaned all my equipment with soap and water and allowed the wall to dry for at least 24 hours before applying the chalkboard paint in the same manner.  The chalkboard paint was easier to shake and stir and I ended up using almost the entire can in 4-5 coats.

I then picked up a few pieces of 6 foot craft wood from Home Depot for $5 per piece.  I planned on cutting both pieces in half to make them skinnier so that they would lay flatter against the wall.  I also was going to cut one of the pieces in half to make the sides and create a rectangular shape.  I used a table saw to cut the pieces and then I used a nail gun to secure the pieces against the wall.  After the wood frame was up, the only thing left to do was to decorate!  My favorite part!  I used Arteza chalkboard markers (which I had before this project) and I bought some sturdy magnets from Amazon.  P.S. Don’t forget to have fun!

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