Children’s bedrooms are areas of the home where you can truly let your creativity take over. However, while you could transform this space into a dream come true for your kids, many kids’ bedrooms unfortunately are rather dull and boring. This simple, affordable, do-it-yourself project can be just the flare of improvement your child’s room needs. This project can also be customized based on the style or theme in your child’s room.
A Chalkboard Wall
Kids love chalkboards, and you can easily add a fun chalkboard wall to their room. Follow these easy steps to creating your own chalkboard wall in your child’s room.
Tools Needed
• 100-grit sandpaper
• Putty knife
• Paint roller with an extension handle
• Safety glasses
• Drop cloth
• Gloves
• Pole sander
• Ladder
• Paint tray
Materials
• Painters tape
• Respiratory protection
• Latex chalkboard paint (writable and erasable)
• 3-inch paintbrush
Directions
1. Move everything away from the wall that you don’t want paint on. Remove any nails from the wall and place the drop cloth on the ground in front of the wall you’re painting. Also remove the baseboard. Using the pole sander and sandpaper, sand the wall from the ceiling to the floor, wall to wall. If you’re painting around a window, be sure to tape around the edges using painter’s tape. When done, be sure to vacuum up any dust residue.
2. Pour the paint into container that you will use to cut in around the window trim, ceiling corners and edges of the wall. Apply two coats of the chalkboard paint to the edges of the walls, around the window and in the corners.
3. Once you have finished painting the corners and edges, pour the rest of the paint into the container. Using the paint roller, apply one coat of the chalkboard paint onto the wall. After two hours the paint should be dry enough to apply a second coat. Be sure to not over soak the roller with paint.
4. Once the second coat of paint has dried, pull off the painter’s tape and throw away. Be sure to clean the roller and container with warm soapy water. If needed, touch up any trim paint. Replace the baseboard, and any nails. Let the chalkboard paint sit over night before writing on it.
You can add an open picture frame or even tack molding around the painted area to give definition to the chalkboard feature. If you don’t want to paint an entire wall, you can also create a chalkboard by painting a piece of flat, sanded wood with chalkboard paint and tacking that board to a frame. Be sure to add a chalk tray or other storage compartment for the chalk nearby to keep mess to a minimum. As a side note, you can also add some sliding barn door hardware to help preserve your child’s imaginative creations while adding a rustic flare befitting a room with a chalk wall.
With these couple of DIY projects, you can transform any child’s room into a more fun and inviting space.
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