milk paint chalkboards.

Published on by Quandie

Did you know that you can make a chalkboard using milk paint?

Yep.  No need to buy special chalkboard paint.  Plus the sky is the limit color-wise.

First, the technique.  It’s super simple.  Mix your milk paint as per usual (equal parts water and powder).

Let your paint sit while you prep the surface of your chalkboard by sanding it well, then cleaning it with TSP Substitute.  If I’m using new hardboard for my chalkboard I skip the TSP and just wipe it clean with a damp rag.  Remember, you don’t want a chippy chalkboard so be sure you’ve given your surface plenty of gripping power with good prep.

Give your paint another good stir or two and then brush one coat onto your chalkboard surface.  Once dry, lightly sand with 220 grit sandpaper.  Normally I don’t sand between coats of milk paint, but in this case sanding between coats will help keep your chalkboard super smooth.  Paint a 2nd coat of milk paint.  Once dry, sand again.  The final step is to season your chalkboard by rubbing chalk all over the surface, then wiping it away with a dry cloth.  No other sort of topcoat is needed.

And voila, you have a chalkboard.  Keep in mind that freshly applied paint is always easier to scratch than cured paint.  I’d wait a day or two before drawing on your chalkboard.

Black is a no-brainer and probably everyone’s first instinct for a chalkboard, but I’ve done several green chalkboards too.

I like the look of a green chalkboard with a white painted frame.  This is one of my favorite ways to re-purpose a dresser mirror.

I’ve used a recipe of 3 parts Miss Mustard Seed Boxwood mixed with 2 parts Miss Mustard Seed Artissimo to make a green chalkboard.  But I’ve also discovered that Homestead House milk paint in Bayberry is the perfect chalkboard green.

But you don’t have to stick with just black or green chalkboards.  I’ve also painted a chalkboard using Homestead House milk paint in Laurentien, which is a pretty aqua color.

I make a lot of chalkboards.  In addition to re-purposing a dresser’s mirror frame, it’s also a great way to use a picture frame that no longer has its glass.  I even like to turn unconventional items into chalkboards like small folding chairs …

 or washboards …

I always keep a packet of milk paint on hand for whipping up a quick chalkboard.

By the way, not sure what to do with your chalkboard once you have it painted?  I’ve used a few different techniques for drawing on a chalkboard.

You can use chalk to transfer a printed design onto the chalkboard and then fill it in (more details on that here), you can use a stencil (more details on that here), or you can just work on practicing your chalk lettering skills using the book that comes with today’s giveaway.

Speaking of which, it’s time for the fun part!  Today’s prize:

Includes: the Complete Book of Chalk Lettering, 4 colors of milk paint perfect for chalkboards, and a lovely Miss Mustard Seed paint brush for a smooth chalkboard finish.  Thank you to Homestead House, Miss Mustard Seed and The Real Milk Paint Co for providing items for today’s giveaway.

The basic rules:  to be eligible to win today’s prize leave a comment on this blog post telling me whether or not you have at least one chalkboard in your house (I have five!).  Your comment must be left on the blog, not on Facebook.  You are not required to follow my blog, although it would be awesome if you did!

Normally I make a point of answering every comment left on my blog.  If someone takes the time to leave a comment, I like to acknowledge that.  But I usually only get 10 to 20 comments so it’s easy to fulfill that promise.  But I’m guessing that I’ll get many more comments on these posts so I’m going to warn you up front that I won’t be answering each one.  That helps make it easier for me when it’s time to pick a winner too, so I hope you guys will cut me some slack on that this week.

I will randomly draw the name of a winner for today’s prize from all of the comments left on this post by Saturday, April 7, 2018 at the stroke of midnight.  You are eligible to win each day, so if you leave a comment on each day’s post, your name is eligible to be drawn for each prize.

The fine print: no purchase necessary, you must be 18 years of age or older to win, void where prohibited by law, the number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning, approximate retail value of prize is $122, if the prize is not claimed by Friday, April 13, another name will be drawn at random to win, blah, blah, blah.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for the next segment of milk paint madness, and in the meantime remember to pin today’s post for future reference.

 

126 thoughts on “milk paint chalkboards.”

  3. I may have missed this tip about using milk paint as chalkboard paint in your past postings so seeing it today made me smile as I look upon my can of black chalkboard paint sitting on my shelf. It’s boring and predictable. Your tip gives us a wonderful and very useful way to liven things up with new colors. I adore your chalkboards! Thanks so much Linda!

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  4. Love the green chalkboard!
    The chalkboard/chair is really cool.
    I have painted a lot of chalkboards but never with milk paint. That would be fun to try. Love your blog!

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  5. I have not done a chalkboard for my home…yet. But I have the perfect frame that I picked up at a barn sale. So….time to get busy, as you have given be great instructions and the inspiration.

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  6. Now this seems like an ideal first milk paint project! I desperately need a chalk board in our kitchen, and this way I can personalize it with color and a lovely frame!

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  8. I have painted several chalkboards using the ‘chalkboard’ paint, and I have read your earlier posts to use milkpaint, but it just dawned on me that instead of struggling to get chalkboard paint to have no brush marks and go on smoothly I should have been using milk paint all along. A lightbulb moment, indeed. I love the green painted boards in the dresser frames the best, but I really think all of your examples are fabulous!

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  10. Let me see… yup I have 4 chalkboard and just bought a old mirror to make into my 5th. I’ve always used black chalk board paint but now I’m super excited to try a green one. Off to the store to buy green milk paint… thanks for all the wonderful hints. I’ve really enjoyed this whole week’s post… anticipating tomorrow’s.

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  12. I LOVE chalkboards. I have several in my home!! Would love this give away ☺️. Thanks for the chance to win and all the helpful posts!!

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  13. This is a super idea! I’m definitely going to try this – and it’s a good excuse to buy more milk paint 😉 I only have yellow so far so I’ll be experimenting with coloured chalk first I think! X

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  14. Love your ideas for coloured chalkboards. I surprisingly don’t have a single chalkboard in my house. Will need to get working on that!

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  15. Love chalkboards! I have a large one with a fancy frame in my dining room and the same small chair with a chalkboard seat that you have! Love your blog as always!! – Kristin

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  16. I have painted chalkboards with black chalkboard paint. I have never tried using milk paint, but I will now! Thanks for the tips! I have a chalkboard on my pantry door.

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  17. We have seveal chalkboards in our house-but made with chalk paint. I’d love to try the custom mix and get a green old-school color! Love your blog!

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  18. I have several chalkboards in the house- but none as beautiful as yours! I want to use bayberry to create my next one because I love that color. Thanks for the inspiration- again.

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  20. Love chalkboards! Have so many memories of helping my teachers erase them after class and going outdoors to clean the erasers. I am loving these posts! Thanks for your efforts!

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  21. I’ve made chalkboards for other people but still not one for myself! Time to change that. I have an old dressor mirror like the white one you did that I want to convert.

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  26. I have three chalkboards, I have one in my guest room, my guests draw on it or leave messages. I never thought of using milk paint. Thank you for teaching me new techniques

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  27. Love the idea for using the divorced mirrors for chalkboards and your other creative suggestions. My lettering skills leave something to be desired. I am going to invest in this book after your giveaway. Here’s hoping 🙂 You always inspire! Jeanie

    > WordPress.com

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  28. I have two vintage chalkboards, one black with the alphabet and the large green one in my kitchen. Love them both, although I really am loving the frames from the dresser mirrors! The bayberry is my favorite 🙂

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  29. Thanks for all the chalkboard ideas and tips. I have made a few and have one in my house currently. I have always used chalkboard paint so I am very excited to try using milk paint. Your chalkboards are all lovely.

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  34. I have one chalkboard – love chalkboards. Mine is an actual small chalkboard with a metal tray for the chalk and erasers. It’s in the kitchen. Have had it for about 13 years. I love your use of old mirror frames – beautiful details for a, now, useful item to have on the wall.

    Help me understand the base for the chalkboard – I feel dumb asking – didn’t understand the medium for the paint: “Let your paint sit while you prep the surface of your chalkboard by sanding it well, then cleaning it with TSP Substitute. If I’m using new hardboard for my chalkboard I skip the TSP and just wipe it clean with a damp rag.” What am I sanding (the surface) and what would be a good example of a hardboard? Is it a clear plywood? Thanks for helping me with this 🙂
    Suzy K

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    1. There are no dumb questions here. If you’re wondering, that probably means there are a dozen others wondering the same thing! Hardboard is also called high density fiberboard. It comes in thin sheets (1/4″ or 1/8″ thickness) that are either 4′ x 4′ or 4′ x 8′. You might be used to seeing the version with holes in it that is commonly used for pegboards. I buy it at Menards and it is fairly inexpensive. It has a rather smooth surface which makes it perfect for chalkboards, but also means you need to sand it just a bit so the milk paint will stick. You can easily cut down the sheet to fit a frame (I say that, but I always have my handyman Ken cut them for me). Here’s a link to the hardboard at Menards.

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  35. I have 3 chalkboards in my house. One is small, one is a cupboard door that I painted the glass in and one is a large ine my hubby and I built. I love them all and would love to add more throughout my home.

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  36. I love the chalkboards that you have done. I particularly love the one that you did for Christmas where you used, I think, an Eastlake mirror from a dresser. Didn’t you also use a specific type of chalk? I have used MMS’s recipe before for a chalkboard for my granddaughter. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. I know a lot of bloggers out there have been using something called Soapstone Chalk, but I haven’t tried it myself. But you’ve reminded me that I want to try it, I think I’ll order some …

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  37. Wow, awesome chalkboards. I have one I made from an old cupboard door. I used black chalkboard paint but I’m loving all the different shades of green you used. Thank you again for the chance at another give away. That lettering book would be great too.

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  38. I currently have none. I do have everything I need sitting on my table waiting for me to make one as a gift for my sister. It’s a start😀

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  44. Yes — I have several chalkboards, plus a cheat sheet of fonts and techniques (I think from one of your earlier blog posts?) next to one of the boards so that I can draw something readable onto it (translation: I have horrible handwriting). LOVE the idea of using chalk paint in -any- color for these!

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  45. I don’t have any chalkboards in my house…..yet! It seemed like all I could find were quart sized cans and I just had a 2’x3′ frame I wanted to use. Seemed like such a waste. I didn’t know you could use milk paint that way! Thanks.

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  48. Yes, I have four or five chalkboards in my house, I’ve made all of them. One used your green milk paint (boxwood/artissmo) recipe. I like be them!

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  49. Linda, you are so clever with your ideas and many of the techniques you share. I’ve been thinking a chalkboard project may be in my future. It seems like a safe way for me to try being creative with paint. I thoroughly enjoy your blog each and every time you post.

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    1. Tamara! So fun to get a comment from you (Tamara is my hair dresser everybody!) I think this would be a totally safe way for you to explore your creative side 😉

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