Anyone actually used chalkboard paint?

[wtrmlnlabs]

I'm trying to find out if it actually works. I read all the time about how great it is, but I read the same about dry erase paint and that magnetic paint, neither of which have worked at all for me. The magnetic junk will hold a magnet, until I try to put a piece of paper between it and the paint. Well, it might hold a thin piece, with several magnets, but nothing large or remotely thicker.

Anyway, I need a large chalkboard area in our new school room and really want to paint it, but I'm afraid to waste my time and money on it if it isn't going to work. Thought I would see if anyone here has tried it.

TIA

 

[a pirate's mama]

I have not tried it on a wall, but I did use it on wine glasses and wrote on those for a wedding shower. It worked beautifully. We also used chalkboard contact paper and wrote on that on walls. I would think the paint would be much more permanent. You'll definitely need two coats.

 

[mistysue]

Yes, it works. You can actually use chalk on most surfaces, including any regular paint. I do chalk and charcoal drawings on my walls when I get bored. Comes off with water. The chalkboard paint is designed not to lose its finish though. You will want a few coats of paint. Boards that are meant to be long term are now a porcelain and they recommend for those that you put a piece of chalk sideways and rub it around the entire thing to prepare it before use- this prevents having a streak that doesn't come out. This would probably be a good idea with the painted version too. The paint is really thick and every time I've used it there are little dots that get missed in each layer. Don't worry too much as you are doing it, if you try to run the brush or roller back and forth to even it out it just thins it. As it dries you will see it does flatten itself a bit. Then do 3-4 coats of it and it should be good. Leave it time to dry between coats.

We have a file cabinet with black chalkboard paint and we write notes on it. I had a chalkboard post in my kitchen too but we took it out.

 

[jenndisney]

http://www.marthastewart.com/271574/custom-color-chalkboard-paint

You can make your own any color. It works great.

 

[wtrmlnlabs]

Thanks for the replies! I feel much better now I don't feel so bad about trying it where I know I want it, maybe adding more in other areas too!

Glad to hear the Make your own works too. I was wondering about that!!

 

[kittycatalina65]

http://www.marthastewart.com/271574/custom-color-chalkboard-paint

You can make your own any color. It works great.

I did this in a wall in our playroom. Worked great, and it was nice to have more choice in colors. Make sure you have more paint than you;ll think you need, it's thick and globby going on the wall.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

We used it on MDF wall we created in the playroom. It is very very thick and we were not entirely sure it would cover up if/when we go to sell the house. It works great. We purchased our product from menards. It took two coats and it does take more to coat than traditional paint.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[rszdtrvl]

I asked this same question on the Community Board a couple of months ago, and decided to try it.

Yes, it does work!

I ended up putting about 4 coats of paint onto the wood area of my son's room. As soon as the last coat is on, you are supposed to wait 2 days and then color the board with chalk (use the side of the chalk, not the tip) to prime it.

It works great, and looks awesome in his room!

I used the kind at Home Depot -
Rust-Oleum Specialty
30-oz. Specialty Flat Chalkboard Paint $9.99

I was told that the kind that comes in a spray can does not work even half as well as the kind you actually paint on.

Have fun!! I still have over half a can left. Trying to figure out what to do with it!

 

[wtrmlnlabs]

I asked this same question on the Community Board a couple of months ago, and decided to try it.

Yes, it does work!

I ended up putting about 4 coats of paint onto the wood area of my son's room. As soon as the last coat is on, you are supposed to wait 2 days and then color the board with chalk (use the side of the chalk, not the tip) to prime it.

It works great, and looks awesome in his room!

I used the kind at Home Depot -
Rust-Oleum Specialty
30-oz. Specialty Flat Chalkboard Paint $9.99

I was told that the kind that comes in a spray can does not work even half as well as the kind you actually paint on.

Have fun!! I still have over half a can left. Trying to figure out what to do with it!

So any idea how large of an area you actually can cover with the Rust-oleum then? With it being so thick and needing so many coats I would have thought you'd go through it pretty fast. I'm defiantly doing the back side of the murphy bed that will go in to the room. I might do another whole wall, depending on what space I have to work with after I get everything else in there. I'm putting cork board up and a dry erase area too. (It's a wonderfully large room). If I can get away with just buying the paint I think I'd rather do that... it would get done faster

 

[clh2]

I've used this paint, more for a 1-time use sign, and that happened to be the paint that was available.

It worked great - but I will admit - since the sign was 1-time use, I did not follow the directions - just painted the paint on, and then let it dry. I don't even remember if I did two coats - probably not.

If was wanting this for a permanent situation - I would have read and followed all the directions.

 

[wendow]

I only used it on a toybox but that was back when my oldest dd was about 12mos...so 11 years ago and my almost 2yo still chalks on that toybox So, it works and it lasts!

 

[wtrmlnlabs]

I only used it on a toybox but that was back when my oldest dd was about 12mos...so 11 years ago and my almost 2yo still chalks on that toybox So, it works and it lasts!

Excellent!!!

 

[disneychrista]

Any tips on how to get rid of the "graininess" it leaves behind. Do more coats make it less grainy? We did 2 coats and it is very grainy.

 

[rock_doctor]

It is simple to make. Just flat paint and plaster of paris. You can find the recipe on the web. You can also get the white plastic for a marker board. You need a very flat surface. Just unroll, remove backing and stick it up with as few bubbles as possible. Wax it and now you have a marker board.

 

[OklahomaTourist]

Any tips on how to get rid of the "graininess" it leaves behind. Do more coats make it less grainy? We did 2 coats and it is very grainy.

I had the same problem with some cabinet doors I did for my wife's classroom, and I think it was a combination of three factors: 1) The chalkboard paint we used wasn't exactly fresh (some leftover on a project where it worked famously); 2) I did not adequately sand the surface of the doors before I painted it; 3) Because the stuff is really thick, thicker than "normal" paint, I did not wait long enough between coats to ensure the previous coat had dried thoroughly.

The thickness of the stuff makes it that much harder (at least for me) to get a nice, thin coat applied with each layer.

Mind you, the end result was entirely usable, just not quite as "nice" as I'd hoped. The grain prevents the eraser from cleaning the doors completely, smearing the chalk as much as literally erasing it.

 

[mm1971]

I'm trying to find out if it actually works. I read all the time about how great it is, but I read the same about dry erase paint and that magnetic paint, neither of which have worked at all for me. The magnetic junk will hold a magnet, until I try to put a piece of paper between it and the paint. Well, it might hold a thin piece, with several magnets, but nothing large or remotely thicker.

Anyway, I need a large chalkboard area in our new school room and really want to paint it, but I'm afraid to waste my time and money on it if it isn't going to work. Thought I would see if anyone here has tried it.

TIA

We painted almost a whole wall a few years ago when we built a toy/play room for the kids. They have mostly outgrown it at this point, but it worked great and just like a regular school chalk board. You will need to wash with water occasionally if used a lot, but I remember having to wash the old school boards as well when I was a kid to get them completely clean (yes, as punishment for those concerned).

 

[wiigirl]

I did it in the garage...works great!

 

[rszdtrvl]

So any idea how large of an area you actually can cover with the Rust-oleum then? With it being so thick and needing so many coats I would have thought you'd go through it pretty fast. I'm defiantly doing the back side of the murphy bed that will go in to the room. I might do another whole wall, depending on what space I have to work with after I get everything else in there. I'm putting cork board up and a dry erase area too. (It's a wonderfully large room). If I can get away with just buying the paint I think I'd rather do that... it would get done faster

The area I painted was 42" x 17". I still have over half a can of paint left, and that was after I did 4 coats instead of 3, as directed. Hope this helps!

 

[joliesmom]

I asked this same question on the Community Board a couple of months ago, and decided to try it.

Yes, it does work!

I ended up putting about 4 coats of paint onto the wood area of my son's room. As soon as the last coat is on, you are supposed to wait 2 days and then color the board with chalk (use the side of the chalk, not the tip) to prime it.

It works great, and looks awesome in his room!

I used the kind at Home Depot -
Rust-Oleum Specialty
30-oz. Specialty Flat Chalkboard Paint $9.99

I was told that the kind that comes in a spray can does not work even half as well as the kind you actually paint on.

Have fun!! I still have over half a can left. Trying to figure out what to do with it!

I used the same stuff and my wall came out awesome. I also had Home Depot cut my border out of crown molding and now I have a ledge for the chalk and the chalk board is framed.

 

[Mom-to-2-Princesses]

I was told that the kind that comes in a spray can does not work even half as well as the kind you actually paint on.

Exactly! When I first did the wall in the basement for my kids all I could find was the spray paint. It was ok, but not great. A few years later I found it in a paint can, did a few coats and wow, so much better! My kids and their friends had a lot of fun with that wall.