If I had to pick the one toy that gets more use than anything else in our house, overwhelmingly it would have to be our DIY magnetic chalkboard. E could spend hours rearranging her magnets, coloring lines, and erasing them (let’s be honest – erasing may be her favorite). As a parent, we’re thrilled to have something that takes up so little space, keeps her entertained, and has been instrumental in her growing knowledge of animals, foods, and vehicles.
The whole project came together in a day and for less than $100. It didn’t require a highly skilled carpenter or a bunch of power tools either. The hardest part was waiting for the glue to set!
Today, we’re breaking down how to build your own in just a few hours.
If you’re worried about giving a toddler chalk, I’m with you! We bought these adorable chalk holders which keep her hands from being covered in chalk, and the chalk (generally) out of her mouth – even when she was tiny. Part of what i love about this easy DIY is you can actually hold off on the chalk until your littles are older and just use it as a magnet board! We love these alphabet foam magnets, and this mixed set of animals, foods, and vehicles. Now that E is older, she’s moved on to these fun foam letters. Can you spot the matching game she’s been playing?
Scroll to the bottom of this post to shop more of our magnetic chalkboard favorites!
Materials
- 3’x4’ piece of galvanized sheet metal, or whatever size you’re choosing for your board
- Piece of thin plywood trimmed to the same dimensions, to add stability to the sheet metal.
- Gorilla Glue or other heavy duty adhesive, like Liquid Nails
- Chalkboard paint
- Wood to trim the board. Wood should be at least ¼” thick so chalk can rest on it.
- Wood stain or paint, for the frame if desired
- Screws to mount chalkboard onto the wall
- Stainable/paintable screw covers, to pop over to give the board a finished look
Optional materials
- Metal rail, for baskets
- Hooks to hold baskets
- Baskets (long basket // short basket)
- Chalk
- Chalk holders
- Eraser
- Magnets (letters // mixed pack of common words)
DIRECTIONS
- Adhere the sheet metal to the plywood using Gorilla Glue or other heavy duty adhesive, being careful not to put too much pressure on the sheet metal which can result in denting. Allow glue to set overnight.
- Paint the sheet metal with chalkboard paint with a foam roller. Allow to dry, applying an additional coat if needed.
- While the paint dries, cut the wood to frame the board. Stain or paint if desired.
- Stain or paint screw covers to match trim.
- Add the wood trim to the board using Gorilla Glue or other heavy duty adhesive. Allow glue to set overnight.
- Drill pilot holes through the wood frame. Screw the chalkboard to wall studs. Note: You can use heavy duty picture hangers attached to the back, however we chose to screw straight into the wall to reduce the risk of kids pulling the board down on themselves.
- Cover screws with screw covers.
- Prime the chalkboard by covering it entirely in chalk, swiping in multiple directions to fill all pores. Erase. Do not skip this step: It is critical to ensuring future chalk drawings erase.
- If adding, hang bar under the chalkboard frame and add buckets for chalk and magnets.
I couldn’t be happier with the way our chalkboard turned out. We’ve even had a few friends build their own after watching their kids play with E’s! I’d love to see yours when you’re done – tag me in your photos on Instagram (@ashley.hetrick).
Want more kid-friendly DIY ideas?
Check out our DIY sand and sensory table and our playhouse makeover.
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