$5 DIY Kitchen Chalkboard

We are super happy to be welcoming back Susie, from Pins and Procrastination who is back with round three of simple, YOU-CAN-DO-THIS, DIY projects! This time, she is hitting the kitchen with an adorable DIY kitchen chalkboard!

I really love the chalkboard trend! They make so much sense to use as decor because you can always switch what they say. They are especially useful in the kitchen, where you can use them for anything from cute messages to weekly meal plans.

Recently, on a trip to the thrift store, I found this adorable wood paddle. I knew immediately I wanted to make it into a decorative chalkboard. I paid my $3 for it and left happy. It took me about 5 minutes to make, and another 5 to write the message on it I love an easy DIY!

I am so happy with the final product. You really can’t beat $5 can you? And I think the chalkboard looks great contrasting the white in my kitchen. The best part is that I can change the message whenever I want.

All right, here are the supplies you will need:

• decorative wood plaque
• masking tape
• chalkboard paint
• scrap paper or newspaper
• chalk

STEP ONE: TAPE OFF EDGES

I decided I wanted to let some of the natural wood color show through instead of painting the entire board black. So I used masking tape to tape off the places where I didn’t want paint. I chose to leave the edges unpainted. You really want to make sure you get the tape on well, especially on rounder spaces.

STEP TWO: PAINT PLAQUE

The next step is to paint the plaque. I used my scrap paper underneath the paddle, and went outside to spray paint it. I found the spray painting easy, but you can also get traditional chalkboard paint and paint it on with a brush if you prefer. I left it to dry for 24 hours, then removed the tape.

STEP THREE: ADD CHALKY LOOK

I wanted the background to have the vintage chalk feel, so I used the side of my chalk to draw all over the paddle. I then used a paper towel to messily spread it around, as if the board had been used many times and erased.

STEP FOUR: ADD WORDS

If you’re super talented at hand lettering, you can add your words free hand, but I am not. So what I did was print out the words I wanted (‘let’s eat’) in the size I wanted. On the back of the printed paper, I used the side of the chalk to fill in the area behind the words. I used masking tape to keep the paper in place, and traced over the letters with a pen. When I was done, I had a chalk outline on the paddle to fill in.

STEP FIVE: PLACE AND ADMIRE!

The last thing to do is place the paddle where you want it! I might end up hanging it on the wall eventually, but for now I love how it looks on my counter top. Isn’t it adorable?

You may have noticed just how shiny and reflective my counter tops are. It’s all because of my DIY granite cleaner! If you want that shiny look, you should definitely check it out.

For how easy this was and how little it cost, I don’t think I could have done much better! The edges are not perfect, but I like it that way. I like how it adds a little vintage handmade touch to the kitchen. It really warms the room up.

So, what do you think? Ready to make yours? Good luck DIYing!

Thanks, Susie! We have loved your fun, simple DIY projects! In case you missed them, check out Susie’s previous project tutorials that you can whip up in no time!

DIY painted pillow tutorial

Simple DIY Dog Leash Hanger