How To & How NOT To Build A Framed Magnetic Chalkboard {Tutorial}

We absolutely LOVE our magnetic chalkboard now that is is complete but let me tell you...we had know clue what we were doing and mistakes were made. I will try my best to walk you through the process, including what we did wrong. 

DO measure your area and decide on a size of framed chalkboard. Once you decide on your frame you can subtract the width of the frame out from your total size and then get sheet metal cut to size. We had to go to a metal warehouse to find sheet metal this big but it was super cheap and cut to the right size!

DO prop your sheet metal up on a work table so that you can easily reach and paint it

DO buy material to frame your chalkboard with (sheet metal is sharp and you don't want it exposed)

We bought a package of interlocking siding since our plan was to "slip" the chalkboard edges into the siding groves (more on this later)

DO recruit your husband to measure and cut perfect angles for your frame

DO assemble 2 sides of the frame together to make a fixed corner

Liquid Nails for Wood

Securing with wood jointers

Use wood filler to fix any gaps in the corner on the visible side of the frame

DO paint all the pieces of your frame (we decided to use our baseboard enamel)

DO take a piece of course steel wool and rough up the surface of the sheet metal to allow the chalkboard paint to stick

DO buy quality chalkboard paint and a smooth surface roller

DO paint your sheet metal with the chalkboard paint (try and roll in the same direction)

After 1 coat

After 4 or 5 coats (I lost count...remember it fell and got scratched)

DO take a piece of fine steel wool and gently rub the surface of the chalkboard paint once it is dry. This helps get the roller marks out and also helps the chalk to stick better (sorry, no picture of this)

DO prime your chalkboard with a piece of chalk laying on it's side

Rub the entire board in chalk

Take a wet washcloth and wipe off all the chalk

A clean & primed chalkboard

DO buy a mount big enough to hold the weight of your sheet metal

Mount still packaged shown on top of unpainted sheet metal

DO screw the wall mount into the wall making sure you hit the studs (we used painters tape to map out the spot)

DO NOT secure the other 1/2 of the mount to the back of the chalkboard with liquid nails!

DO NOT try to hang with the mount glued to back of chalkboard

DO NOT try and "slip on" the frame while hanging. 5 Minutes after this... it came crashing down! (tearing a big hole in the side wall and scratching up the chalkboard paint)

*The glue on the back of the chalkboard could not hold with the slight bending the metal does when trying to lift it up onto the wall and with all the manipulation of getting the frame on.

DO secure the chalkboard to a larger piece of wood with a bunch of liquid nails (we got used the measurement of what the chalkboard would be framed for our piece of wood)

The wood acts as a support and prevents the metal from any bending

DO paint the exposed edges of the wood to match your frame color

DO glue your frame onto the exposed wood while it is still laying down - it is now merely cosmetic (sorry no pic of this)

DO screw the other 1/2 of the mount into the back of this supporting wood (again no pic)

DO hang your framed (& secured) magnetic chalkboard once all your glue has set (I did put some basic Command Strips under the bottom 2 corners so it wouldn't bounce off the wall any)

Completely secured Giant Magnetic Chalkboard (we even banged on the walls to test it out!)

You may notice I distressed the frame and this was not my intention. My enamel paint "bubbled" really bad despite a new enamel brush, sanding the wood and cleaning it off well. So I needed a new plan. I had never distressed before. I wanted the darker color to show through but I had already painted the frame white. So... I took a piece of fine sandpaper and lightly sanded out the bubbles and then got a heavier sandpaper and scuffed off some of the white paint on the ribbed design of the wood. Then I cheated (although no one can tell)! I took a stain pen (that I had for my daughter's crib) and rubbed the stain pen on the distressed parts of the frame. I then re-sanded the stain pen areas to help make it look distressed and not like fresh stain.