Interior design enthusiasts appreciate the versatility and simplicity of chalkboard paint, which sticks to virtually any surface and requires minimal preparation. Chalkboard paint refreshes old furniture and transforms walls without taking a lot of time and money. If you’d like to transform your space on a budget, here’s everything you need to know about making and using chalkboard paint yourself.
Blackboard paint is a type of paint that can be applied to a variety of surfaces, giving furniture or walls a chalky, rustic, and antique effect. It is popular with interior decoration enthusiasts because it requires minimal preparation and is easy to apply. Chalkboard paint adheres to many surfaces such as wood, glass, brick, ceramic, enamel, metal and more. Its great versatility allows you to easily and aesthetically refresh the appearance of furniture and other decorative elements of the interior – mirror frames, furniture or wall panels.
Blackboard paint – how to do it yourself?
While it’s easy to find high-quality chalkboard paint at the store, learning to make your own makes the project even more wallet-friendly. There are many different recipes, but the basic one is to make a hybrid of latex paint, water and a “chalky” substance like plaster, baking soda or unpolished mortar.
Recipe for your own chalkboard paint
To prepare your own chalkboard paint, you will need: latex paint, plaster and water in a ratio of 1:1:1. First, mix the water with the gypsum until a smooth, homogeneous mass is obtained. Then you need to mix the mixture with latex paint – again until a homogeneous consistency is obtained. The amount of paint depends on the scope of the project – always remember to keep the proportions given above. Homemade chalkboard paint should be used immediately and should not be stored.
Design ideas with chalkboard paint
Blackboard paint is an extremely versatile material that can be used in many different projects. Here are some ideas on how you can enhance everyday items in your home with this material:
- kitchen cabinets: painting kitchen cabinets is extremely easy using chalkboard paint. No need to sand or remove the old coating – just clean the surface, apply a primer and two coats of blackboard paint. You can then add a finish coat and let the cabinets dry completely before reinstalling
- chests of drawers: chalkboard paint can change the look of a chest of drawers and give it a rustic, antique feel. After washing, you can apply one or more coats of chalkboard paint and then add a wax or finish coat. You can also leave it as it is after the first painting
- chest shelves: using old chests to create bookshelves is a great way to turn unused items into practical furniture. Before joining the elements of the boxes into a shelf, they should be carefully sanded and any number of layers of blackboard paint should be applied. After the last layer has dried, you can protect them with wax and assemble the shelf with nails and connectors.
Blackboard paint – summary
Chalkboard paint is a very versatile medium that can be used to achieve a rustic or smooth effect without much preparation. You can find ready-made chalkboard paint at the store or use this recipe to make your own paint. Knowing how to make chalkboard paint can help keep your renovation budget in check when you don’t want to spend extra money on ready-made products from the store. Chalkboard paint is a great way to renew furniture and other decorative elements in your home. Its simplicity of use and impressive appearance make it more and more popular among people who like to create their own projects.
