Customized chalk boards are all the rage for weddings these days. After seeing how pricey they were, I decided to take a stab at making them myself. Turns out the project was a bit more time consuming than I had planned, but the end result was fabulous and the great thing is that the chalk boards can be re-used for
other events, parties, baby showers and more. It took two store stops to find the products used for this project, Michael's Craft store ( wood & paint ) and the Home Depot ( foam rollers & refills ). You need to have about 3 days for this project because of dry time, so plan a head!
Time: 3 Days
What you need:
1. Flat, cut wood surfaces - you can find them at a local craft store. I chose ones with a rough, rustic edge
2. Foam Roller & Refills- after doing a few wood refinish projects, I have learned the foam roller leaves the best finish with no streaks
3. 2 Plastic Paint Trays
4. Rust-oleum Magnet Primer - if you don't want to make your chalk boards magnetic, you can use another chalk paint primer
5. Rust-oleum Chalk Board Paint
5. Sharpened Chalk Pencils
7. Picture Frame Stands ( I chose black )
8. A well covered surface
Directions:
1. Roll on your primer - I did two coats before applying the chalk board paint. The primer will be very light, but that's okay. Make sure it's COMPLETELY dry before you apply the next coat. Here's what it should look like. Having a family dog watch over is always good luck...
2. After the primer is done, you are ready for the chalk board paint. Because the paint is black, you need to be VERY careful with how precise you are with your roller. Do not put too much paint on, you are better off with more coats of paint then pain that runs off the side of the wood. Each coat takes about 12 hours to dry, so paint and walk away. Here's what they look like after 3 coats of chalk board paints.
3. Almost done! It's now time for chalk and picture stands! Chose phrases that represent you both. I went with the pick up line my husband used the night we met,our names with the wedding date, our wedding favor sign and a cute line for the grooms Jaw's Themed Cupcakes ( a story for a nother post). Here are the finished products, great for any rustic wedding.
Professional Photo's taken by Hailey Tash Photography
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