Turn Any Framed Glass into a Black Chalkboard with This Easy DIY Tutorial

DIY black chalkboard paints are all the rage these days. They have been for awhile now, actually. Which means that there are a variety of methods of how to make a DIY chalkboard, so it can be hard to know which ones actually work.

This tutorial will show you exactly how using chalkboard spray paint and an old picture frame.

This method is extremely simple, and it works great as long as you complete each step entirely. Ready to create the easiest DIY chalkboard you’ll ever make using Rustoleum chalkboard paint? Here’s how.

What You Need to Make Your Own Chalkboard

an old framed picture or empty picture frame with glass
palm sander
fine grit sand paper disc
painter’s tape
Rustoleum chalkboard spray paint
chalk

How to Make a DIY Chalkboard

Step 1: Sanding the Glass

Choose a piece of framed glass in whatever size or shape you want. You can pick up inexpensive, large frames at thrift stores, or you might just have one lying around. Carefully give the glass a good sanding with some coarse sandpaper or steel wool. I used 80 grit sandpaper here. Be sure if you’re using a power sander that the glass is firmly and evenly supported on the underside, or it will break. You’ll want to see some scratching of the glass surface. Wipe off the glass and frame with a soft cloth.

Step 2: Tape the Frame

Tape off the frame with painters’ tape. Take care to keep tape edge, even 1mm, off the glass completely, or your chalkboard will have blank spots.

Step 3: How to Use the Chalkboard Paint

Shake up a can of Rustoleum chalkboard spray paint. You might be hesitant about chalkboard paint in spray form. I don’t blame you. But if you’ve sanded your glass thoroughly so that the spray paint can have something to grip to, your chalkboard will turn out beautifully.

Related: The Best Chalkboard Paints And The Cool DIY Projects You Can Do With Them

Spray in light, even strokes, across your framed glass. Resist the urge to apply the chalkboard spray paint too thickly with each layer. It’s critical that the paint is thin enough that it can dry completely.

Note: You can make your own chalkboard paint if you’d rather. We’ve included how at the bottom of this article.

Step 4: Removing Painter’s Tape

Follow the guidelines on the chalkboard spray paint for coating. I did four *very* light coats, waiting about 5-10 minutes between each coat, in the sunshine. After your last coat has been applied, immediately peel your painters’ tape off at a 45-degree angle. Allow the chalkboard to dry and harden. Due to weather circumstances, I let this chalkboard sit for over 48 hours so it had a good and hard surface before I even got close to it with chalk. Then I carefully peeled away the painter’s tape.

Step 5: How to Condition a Chalkboard

After your DIY chalkboard paint is thoroughly hardened, and before you do anything else, take the side of a piece of chalk and rub it all around the surface of your chalkboard. If you skip this step, the first thing that you write on your chalkboard will likely never come off completely.

Once your chalkboard surface has been covered completely with the side of a piece of chalk, erase the chalk completely. This is called conditioning your chalkboard and it’s an important step so don’t skip it.

Your chalkboard is now ready to use. You can write on it, erase it, and write on it again, over and over. Just like a regular chalkboard. And to think that this spray-on chalkboard was so easy to make!

Because it’s on glass, your chalkboard surface will be completely smooth, which is fun to write on.

I love the vintage appeal of a great chalkboard. You will need to take care not to scratch your new chalkboard, but that’s not really any ground-breaking advice when it comes to chalkboards anyway. *shudder*

Final Step: Hanging Your Chalkboard

One of the many benefits of creating a DIY chalkboard on a piece of already framed glass is that the mounting hardware is already installed.

Easily hang your chalkboard wherever you want it! This one is hung about two feet off the ground, ready for little artists to use their creativity.

(Note: If you’re interested, check out the tutorial for building a simple DIY picture frame to mount some tactile-heaven mermaid tail fabric, shown next to the DIY chalkboard here.)

FAQ:

How to Make a Chalkboard Wall

This is easy! Simply tape off the wall you want to use as a chalkboard or tape off just a section of it. Proceed to give the area a quick wipe down to remove any dirt. Then, use either roll-on chalkboard paint or chalkboard spray paint to cover the area.