A old frame finds a new use as a blackboard! - Stefanie Gabrych Fraser
Use blackboard paint to transform an old wood frame into the perfect place to keep track of appointments, grocery lists, notes and reminders. No frame,? Make your own.
Not only will it keep you organized and on top of things, it will look great wherever you hang it. You may even want to make this blackboard message centre for every room! Note: If you don’t have an old frame, you can create one using molding available at any building supply store. Instructions are provided below.
How to Create the Blackboard Using an Old Frame
Materials and Tools You Will Need
- Old wooden frame (the opening of the one shown is 30 inches high by 24 inches wide)
- ¼ inch thick plywood (in this case the plywood is ½ inch wider all around than the frame opening)
- Drop cloth or newspapers
- Blackboard paint*
- Paint brush or small roller
- Sandpaper
- Small nails (to fasten plywood into frame)
- Hammer
- Hanging mechanism (picture wire, hook screws)
*Blackboard no longer comes in just black; you can find it in red or green as well at any hardware or building supply store.
Instructions
- Cover your work area with the drop cloth or newspapers.
- Sand off any rough surface of the plywood which will form the actual blackboard. Use a damp cloth to wipe away any dust from the surface.
- Apply the first coat on the plywood board in the chalk board paint of your choice, using the brush or roller. Let dry.
- Apply a second coat and let dry thoroughly.
- After the paint has dried, set the plywood panel inside the recess in the back of the frame.
- Use your hammer to nail in the fasteners to hold the panel in place.
- Add a picture wire or hook to the back of the panel and hang up somewhere close at hand.
- Keep a supply of chalk and a chalk brush close by.
How to Make a Frame from Molding
Material and Tools
- 4 Lengths of mitred molding (precut at your local building supply store)
- 8 V-shaped brads
- Wood glue
- Wood clamps
- Sandpaper
- Paint
- Paint brush
Instructions
- Once you determine what size you want the opening of the frame to be (see our measurement above), take this to your building supply store and choose your molding.
- Arrange your moldings so that they form a frame. Apply the wood glue along the cut edges, press the pieces together, and hold the pieces in place with a corner clamp. Glue and clamp all four corners.
- Turn the frame over so that the back is facing up.
- Apply two V-shaped brads along each glued corner seam with a hammer. Pace one nail toward the inside edge of the frame and the other toward the outer edge.
- Remove the clamps and allow the frame to dry overnight.
- Once the frame is dry, do any sanding that is required and then paint it in the color of your choice.
Copyright Stefanie Gabrych Fraser. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.
