Craftsman Style Chalkboard

I'm really excited with the chalkboards I made during the holiday using Rust-Oleum Ultra Cover Colonial Red paint. Three of these chalkboards were requested by a friend of mine, as she wanted to give them as gifts. She gave me a rough size but requested a "barn red" type color. 

This was a plan from "anawhite" but I used my own dimensions in order to get three 16" x 24" boards out of a 2' x 4' panel. I framed them with 1 x 3's with a 1 x 2 on top and bottom. The finished overall size was 20" x 29.5". I made a total of six and kept one for myself! I love the color, they were very pleased with it.

Kreg jig makes joining easy! I've since upgrade to a K-4 model

Ready for paint!

The chalk board overlaps the opening by 1/2" all around. Opening is 15" x 23", chalkboard is 16" x 24"

Fastening the chalkboard to the back.

Great addition to my kitchen!

Fun with Chalkboards

I always loved the pictures of people that used a chalkboard message. I was finally inspired to build one with some old fence wood from this tutorial Reclaimed Fence Projects. I had never tried using the spray chalkboard paint, it seemed  like a great idea but I was never quite sure how it would work. Well, let me tell you, it's easy, effortless and works wonderfully. I wouldn't hesitate to use it on any surface.

Old frame without glass! Re-use it as a chalkboard.

My first attempt was using an old frame that didn't have the glass anymore. I painted the frame to freshen it up. Next I cut a piece of 1/4" plywood to fit the opening. Next I sprayed with chalkboard paint and let it dry overnight. The next morning I put a final coat on. After letting that dry, I followed the directions to rub chalk all over the board to "prime" the board, then wipe it clean. I nailed the chalkboard to the frame using brads and also some glue.

 Fun with a larger chalkboard.

 Ok, now I was ready to use some old wood to make a frame. This worked out great! The easy method of nailing and gluing  the board to the back of the frame was so quick and effortless. No need to miter corners or worry about using a router.  I decided to just leave this larger one unpainted, I ran out of time before my granddaughter's birthday party.

The ideas are unlimited!