chalkboard paint?

[DCJenn]

Yes, I am already contemplating the new paint scheme! (one week in- I set a personal record!)

Anyone have any experience using chalkboard paint? I was thinking of doing a portion of one wall in Nikolai's room. I read on hgtv that the paint itself is rather runny. Any cautionary tales?

and lord above- the previous previous owners wall-papered the bathroom with cabbage roses, a border and a fake tin print wall paper! and won't that be fun to remove, prime, and repaint.

Can you hear the swearing now?

Jenn

I've used the chalkboard paint on a piece of furniture and on an easel (silly me - I didn't want to put it on the wall since I was trying to make Quinn understand that coloring on the wall is unacceptable ). I did not have a problem w/the paint being runny, per se. It is rather thin, but not difficult to manage. You'll need several coats though (and it's not cheap stuff). I think I put 2 coats on the easel, and it's worn down quite a bit after an afternoon party where several kids were coloring and then wiping w/a damp paper towel.

Let us know when you're working on the bathroom, and I'll put the earplugs in.

[Stella]

I've only used the chalkboard spraypaint when I did some picture frames once. It was great. Good luck!

[Sheherezade]

I've got a house full of the stuff. We put a chalkboard border up around the kitchen and we use it for phone numbers. We also have an entire wall in the family room. I haven't found it particularly runny. You need to use a heavy nap roller and it does take a good amount of paint. They say to put up three coats and let it dry for several days before preparing it for use. I believe it - now. We did that on the border and it erases well. The wall needs to be wiped down to really rid yourself of the last drawing. Right now, it has my chalk Christmas tree from the party. (You could also add a coat of magnetic paint underneath. We have a magnetic wall in another room and that's a hit even with the teens.)

magnetic paint??? oooooooh. I'm all OVER that one.

[mommax3]

We have friends that have the chalkboard/magnetic paint in their son's room. It is awesome. We are sad, sad, sad, in the personal touch dept. as far as decorating with paint, but if we ever did actually paint one of our kids' rooms anything but boring neutrals, we would try the chalkboard/magnet thing.

Sally

[Momo]

In my most recent issue of Martha Stewart Living there's a whole article and section on making your own, apparently from colors you like...I'll try and look it over & get back to you or you could go get the issue (Jan 07)... I'm not sure if it's on news stands yet!

[DCJenn]

Thanks for the Martha tip- she has the information on her website- that calendar is AWESOME. If only I were that ambitious.

Jenn

Angie -

What brand did you use? I've been looking around online and finding mixed reviews. Some paints don't really do well w/magnets, others seem to give the wall a bumpy texture ...

Any other thoughts?

[DCJenn]

and it's expensive- a quart of chalkboard paint was 12 bucks at Home Depot!

Jenn

[Sheherezade]

I got my magnetic paint at Michaels. It was a small can. It covered about a half wall that's 12 feet high with 2 coats-- and it is a bit more "textured" than a normal flat paint. It's very thick. It's in our playroom, so the thick quality wasn't an issue for us. It looks a bit like a rock wall (color) and we have put up climbing rock handles on it for the kids to climb up high.


The magnets from the fridge stick to it and the ones out of those magnetic activity books. Supposedly, more coats gives better "stickiness". I always intended to put on a few more coats with a new can.....but never got around to it.

I suppose you could sand it lightly before applying the paint color of your choice over top. It works because it contains iron filing, I believe. Hence the texture. I hope it works out for you. It is big fun. I know our teenage babysitter did her room with some. I should ask her how she handled the problems with the paint.

I just want to paint a rectangle on the kitchen wall, and then build a frame around it w/trim. Will that be stupid?

[Sheherezade]

Totally stupid. :>

Seriously, that sounds great! You'd only need a can - and I don't think the texture thing would hurt you at all. It's kind of the anti-corkboard.

I'm sorry I don't have any tips, but I have seen the chalkboard wall paint in some of the Design magazines I get and I love it for kids rooms because it seems pretty versatile. Little kids like it and so do teenagers(heck-I want it). Brilliant!! Let us know how it turns out.

Also, I don't know if you have tackled that wallpaper yet, but I heard that fabric softener mixed with a bit of water works pretty well. You just have to sponge it on and let it soak in for a bit.