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DIY: Chalk Paint Door

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Remember that chalk paint project I was worried about? Well, it took FOUR stinking coats, but finally the basement door serves a double purpose…
I LOVE chalk paint, probably a little too much. I DIY’d a chalk paint door in my classroom makeover and decided to try it at home too.
It started with a plan, just a little sketch in my notebook. The supplies cost a total of $22 from Lowes. This was my first time using Frogtape, and I fell in love. I’d been avoiding this particular brand of painter’s tape for a while now even though DIYer’s have sung its praises since it hit shelves.

An Irrational Fear…
I’m going to be honest and divulge a little something about myself which is sad and ridiculous; I am terrified of frogs. The fear is so intense that I have an aversion to even cartoon frogs or things named after them. I apologize if you are a champion for these creatures’ cause, but I really can’t help my physical and emotional repulsion to amphibians.

It’s actually not a laughing matter, and I don’t usually like telling people. (They typically think I’m kidding and try to see how I’ll respond to a live frog.) Growing up in Houston, frogs and toads were everywhere. I have very early memories of crying and begging my parents to carry me into the house, so I wouldn’t risk stepping on the ones that camped out on our front porch. I think I suffered PTSD from my 7th grade science lab dissection, and the problem only got worse.  Now I’m an adult with a completely irrational fear who’s blogging about it on a post that has nothing to do with the issue.

Readers, forgive me. Blogging is cheaper than therapy.

Chalk Paint Tips
1. Sand the door you plan on using beforehand.
2. Plan to apply several coats, allowing each to dry overnight before applying the next one.
3. As pictured above, before you write on the surface you have to “chalk” it. Just rub the entire surface with chalk and then clean it off. This allows the chalk you write with to adhere better.
4. I used a combination of white paint pen (calendar grid), chalk pen ( “Remember To” section), and actual chalk. I knew that I wanted the calendar grid to be permanent, and it blends so well with chalk. The chalk paint pens are great because they write very precisely. They don’t erase quite as easily as real chalk does, so I tried to use real chalk for items I know will change often.

A week in and I stop and stare at my door any chance I get. Even if I’m not actually more organized than I was before, at least I know what day it is! Anyone have an area of their house that they recently chalk painted or are contemplating using chalk paint for?
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Comments

  1. Kat says

    wow–I love it! It looks really great, Heather. I was on the fence for a while about chalkboard paint…kept going back and forth with whether I want it in my house or not. But you may have won me over to the “dark side” with your project:) Good thing you didn’t paint it frog green;)

  4. LeahJo says

    It turned out great! I’d like to try to do something like this on my pantry door.
    I’m from Houston too-pretty cool!
    my mom has the same fears of amphibians & reptiles. Just the picture of a lizard makes her cringe.

  5. travelingteacher says

    love it! I wonder if this would be easy to paint back to original color when I move out of my apartment? Actually, do you know much about paint or wallpaper when living in an apartment?

    Love the chalkboard look1

    Kelli
    talesfromatravelingteacher.blogspot.com

  6. Linda says

    This is a brilliant idea! Marvelous. I’m thinking of where to do this…. hmmmm….

    Thanks for the tutorial also.

    Best wishes. Linda

  7. Tan says

    First off: I completely sympathize with your ‘irrational’ fear and how people react to it. Since I was a kid I’ve had a huge fear of spiders. It got to the point one day when I was a teenager that I was home alone, saw a spider and went into shock. My parents came home to me frozen in the floor and blue from restricted breathing. I know what you mean by saying people ‘see how you react’ and don’t believe/understand your fear. I don’t take any fears lightly, regardless of how silly or innocent they may seem (like say a cartoon frog) they definitely aren’t for everyone.

    Woah sorry rant.

    On to #2!
    LOVE the door! I’ve used chalkboard paint tons in a bunch of my houses. We currently have a magnetic chalkboard above my fiance’s desk (post to come next week) and I love it.
    I love how you’ve used yours as a calendar/to do list. I definitely need this!

  8. Barbara says

    It turned out so good, I have a small framed CB on my kitcken door but this looks realy good my nephews would love it they have to stand on a chair to play with it.

  9. Heather {The Lovely Cupboard} says

    Kat, welcome to the Dark Side; you’ll be a here a while.

    LeahJo-maybe living in a city that was once a swamp wasn’t the best place for your mom or me!

    Kelli- I think it would take A LOT of primer and coats to cover black. My suggestion would be to find a huge frame, have particle board (or some other material) cut to size and pait it. Then you can take it with you when you move! Also, I’ve seen some cute rooms where they used fabric as “wallpaper”, simply hanging it tautly to cover an entire wall.

    Ok, Tan. I thought we were soul sisters before, but now I know it. I completely get it! Thank you for sharing.

    Thanks to everybody else for stopping by today.

  11. 17 Perth says

    I am literally looking around my house to figure out where I can do this! I love this idea. I have never used chalkboard paint—but I think I am about to try. 🙂

  21. Heidi Rew says

    I am sooo glad I saw your post! I am visiting from Serenity Now & I’ve been wanting to do a HUGE framed chalkboard for the kitchen. You gave me an idea…I may just get a door from Habitat Restore & paint the inside with the chalkboard paint! Thank you! 🙂 Heidi Rew from PartiesforPennies.blogspot.com

  28. Natalie Dixon says

    That looks fantastic! I’ve never heard of a chalk pen before, but that’s genius! I’ll be sharing this on my Sunday Spotlight tonight! Thanks for sharing at my party!

  30. Jen says

    Love the post. We have recently purchased an unfinished house (basically a shell of a house)& I have reserved a few walls for chalkpainting. 2 are small walls at the end of hallways near kids rooms about 3ft wide & however high I decide to go, one is an entire wall in the garage. I also plan on painting a piece of particle board to put into a cool old frame I picked up at a garage sale for a buck..its 3×5 ft.& will be awesome either in my office/craft room or on my command center wall. can’t wait to finish!!

  31. Heather {The Lovely Cupboard} says

    Jen- how exciting! even though the sheer amount of tasks you have when moving into a new house (especially in your case) can be daunting, the feeling of finishing even one project is just priceless. I would LOVE to do a whole wall, but can’t find a spare one in my house. When you finish, I’d love to see pics of your projects!

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