Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

Have you scoured antique stores or Craig’s List looking for a big giant vintage chalkboard? Those vintage school green chalkboards are highly sought after. But, hard to find. I have good news for you! You can build a Giant Chalkboard any size you want! (Although, typically you’ll be restricted to 4′ x 8′ if you want to use a sheet of masonite.) And you can mix your own chalkboard paint in any color.

Take out your notebooks, your pencils, and get ready to take notes.

Materials:

  • Masonite sheet cut to desired size (mine is 22″ x 48″)
  • 1×4″ pine boards for frame
  • 1 cup flat latex paint in color you desire
  • 2 tbsp. of unsanded grout
  • Pencil
  • Stain
  • White paint
  • Paint brush
  • Sanding block
  • Container to mix paint in
  • Kreg Jig
  • Drill
  • 1 1/4 inch pocket screws
  • Staplegun
  • 1/2″ staples

Instructions:

Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

Pour 2 tbsp. of unsanded grout into your empty container. Add 1 cup of flat latex paint and stir well. (Yes, I used satin and it still worked.)

Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

Paint the masonite with the chalkboard paint. Pull your brush in one direction. Then smooth out the paint by dragging the brush in a perpendicular direction.

Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

Let the paint dry. Lightly sand and add a second coat of chalkboard paint.

Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

Let that coat dry and sand smooth.

Assembling the chalkboard frame:

Cut the end of one of the 1×4″ boards at a 45 degree angle.

Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

Mark 1/2″ inside the perimeter of your masonite chalkboard. Line up the interior edge of the 1×4″ with the corner of your penciled line.

Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

Mark on the 1×4″ at the other end where the corner of your pencil line is. Cut your board from this point at a 45 degree angle. Cut a second board identical to your first board.

Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

Continue marking and cutting for the other two sides.

Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

Clamp the Kreg Jig on the end of the frame pieces and drill two pocket holes in the two longest sides.

Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

Drive the pocket screws into the side pieces to assemble the frame.

Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

If desired stain your frame and dry brush it white for a rustic and distressed look.

Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

Rest the chalkboard onto the back of the frame. Check to  make sure the pencil lines line up with the pencil marks you made earlier.

Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

Attach the masonite with staples through the back side.

Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

DIY Projector:

To create my chalkboard message, I printed out my design on overhead paper. Then I taped it onto a stool and shone a floodlight flashlight through the mylar.

Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

It worked fairly well as a DIY projector and it was cheaper and faster than going out to buy an overhead projector ;-).

Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

The chalkboard is perfect for decorating over our fireplace.

Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

I can change out the message depending on the seasons.

Build Your Own Giant Chalkboard | Pretty Handy Girl

I hope you build your own Giant Vintage Chalkboard. It’s easy and you can customize it to your space.

PHGFancySign

Pin for later!

DIY Giant Vintage Chalkboard

21 replies
  1. Elle Vee
    Elle Vee says:

    Hello. Was the 1 cup of paint enough for 2 coats? I want to make a 32″ x 38″ board into a chalkboard and am wondering if 1 cup of paint will suffice or if I should make more. Thank you.

    Reply
  2. Tanya B
    Tanya B says:

    Do you the color of paint you used? I went to get paint today and there were A LOT of greens. LOL! I’m afraid I will disappointed if I don’t get a color VERY similar to yours.

    Reply
    • Tanya B
      Tanya B says:

      Oh my gosh — I am trying to prepare dinner so I rushed that question. First, do you KNOW the color of the paint you used and I’m afraid I will BE disappointed. I swear I can write complete sentences!!

      Reply
  3. Teri
    Teri says:

    Just sent out an SOS email thru the school and ended up with a box of overhead masters! YAY! Can’t wait to try this trick. Thanks Brittany!

    Reply

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. […] feeling crafty (and want to build your own frame out of scrap wood), follow this tutorial for building a chalkboard (simply downsize to your printable […]

  2. […] can make your own giant vintage chalkboard by following my […]

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.