DIY Chalkboard Canvas

February 2, 2013 by bfm | 1 Comment

Some sweet young friends of ours took a year off of “regular life” and moved to STX where they lived and thrived for over a year.  That is all they wanted and they fell in love with it.  They knew they would eventually return to Texas, but just knowing the had the balls to take that chance and make that move is awesome.

And now, they have returned to the daily grind of young, 20 something triathletes.  Oh, did I leave that part out?  Super hot bods.  They recently plunged into home-ownership and are just adorable with building their nest.  I knew exactly what their new house-warming gift would be: Chalk Board Canvas.  They are always leaving cute little notes for each other and this is just another way of saying “I HEART YOUR BODY, WE SHOULD MAKE ONE OF OUR OWN”.

I’m obsessed with chalk board paint.  I bought a quart of it last summer and have barely put a dent in it, even though I paint EVERYTHING chalkboard.

Now, pay attention real good, because this is the simplest DIY in the herstory of DIY.

You’ll Need:
Canvas
2″ sponge brush (I find that these leave less stroke marks for this type of project)
Chalkboard paint, available just about anywhere now days, or make your own.
Chalk or pastels to write your message

Find yourself a canvas.  Sure, you can go buy one at the craft store, but there are plenty of perfectly unwanted canvases at thrift stores looking for a sweet new home.  They are perfect for this project because you are covering it in black paint.  Does not matter what is on the canvas, because you won’t see it.  Isn’t that the craziest thing you have ever heard of?  I picked this fleur-de-leu beauty at GW for about $5.  It’s a nice, large size at 2′x2′.  Enough to make an impact.  The bigger, the better, I always say.

Cover your canvas with a thin coat of paint using your sponge brush.  Don’t worry if you can see the design on the canvas print, you’ll add a second coat.

After all the canvas’ I have painted, I have learned that keeping your brush strokes in one direction keeps the canvas nice and clean.  Allow to dry for about an hour or so before applying a second coat.  Use your brain and make your own rules.  If you feel like adding a third coat to make it super black, go for it.  You make the rules.

After the final coat of paint has dried (I usually allow 1-2 hours between coats of paint) you will want to PRIME your canvas. If you plan on using your chalkboard, priming seems to help.  If you are writing a message to stay, then I wouldn’t bother priming.

To prime your CB, just rub chalk over the entire piece and then wipe away with a damp cloth.

Now, your board is ready for your message!  I like to wipe down the canvas with a damp cloth before I start writing.    It allows you chalk pastel to write smoother and makes the color richer. I use chalk pastels vs. regular chalk. I LOVE the array of colors here:

The Fisherman and I presented our loving housewarming gift which was received with OOHHHHHS and AAAAHHHHHS.  Then they placed it above their bed and it said: BABY MAKING STARTS HERE.  Wait, that didn’t happen, but it should have.

This project can convey to almost any surface: old metal trays, cabinet doors, drawer fronts, walls, appliances, etc.  The medium is versatile and can be used on just about any surface and is mistake proof!

Happy weekend of fun DIY projects!
bfm

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