Chalkboard paint is one of our favorite new trends. It is not only useful- it also looks super cool. Here are our five favorite uses for it:
1.Herb pots- We love the look of the black paint on terracotta pots. Plus this is really useful for first time herb gardeners that can’t always tell the difference between basil and lavender, or other herbs. You can do it one of two ways: put the chalkboard paint only on the rim of the pot, or only on the area under the rim. Or mix and match!
2. Garden markers- These are also super functional, and even easier than the flower pots. Get some wooden Popsicle sticks, or paint stirrers, paint both sides and Voila! You have garden markers you can use season after season.
3.Cheese board- We love this idea! Especially the way they have done it here, with the contrast between the white edges of the plate and the black chalkboard paint.
4.Customizable door sign- This is great, especially if you have older children or teenagers. Take a door sign from a hotel (you can find blank ones online). Cover in chalkboard paint and you have a sign to hang on the door saying things like, “Working- Do not disturb” or “Napping- Come back in 20 minutes.” Or you can hang on the door to give a message to the person whose room it is, such as “Please clean this room NOW!”
5.Picture frame chalkboards-We’re a big fan of making lists. They can help you plan the day, organize your shopping, allocate tasks and much, much more. In short, when you make a list you make a plan. To facilitate this, we love the look of using old frames to make chalkboards. They’re really easy: find some cheap frames and paint them in the colors you like. Then paint the glass with chalkboard paint and you have beautiful chalkboards to make your lists.
Tips for using chalkboard paint
Although it’s easy to use, there are a few things to keep in mind when working with chalkboard paint. We view these as the most important:
- Make sure your surface is completely smooth and clean. Unlike regular paint, chalkboard paint does not smooth out minor imperfections. So make sure to sand out any bumps when painting on wood. When painting on glass, make sure the surface is completely clean.
- Chalkboard paint works best on non-porous surfaces like glass and porcelain.
- Use three coats of paint. This will ensure your surface ends up perfectly smooth and free of brush strokes.
- Give the paint ample time to dry. A good rule of thumb is to let each layer dry for 24 hours, and let the piece dry for three days before writing on it.
- Use the right kind of chalk. Soft chalk is much better and comes off easily, particularly on a porous surface like wood. Hard chalk can leave streaks on your chalkboard.
Where to buy chalkboard paint
We are a big fan of promoting small businesses. One of our favorites is located in Middle Tennessee. It’s called The Painted House and it is located in Cookville. Not only does it have an excellent selection of high quality chalkboard paint, but it has many other beautiful things for your home. If you don’t live in Middle Tennessee, they have an online store where you can buy high quality paint in many different colors and sizes. Have fun!
