All About Chalkboard Paint

Chalkboard paint is an easy and fun way to add a unique decor element to your home. It can be used in so many ways to update a space or an object and give it a second life as a chalkboard!

This post will give you everything you need to know about how to use chalk board paint on your next DIY project.

I originally published this post (back in 2014 – yikes!) comparing spray versus brush chalkboard paint on glass. Since that time, I’ve used it on so many different surfaces and wanted to share all things chalkboard paint in one comprehensive post!

What is Chalkboard Paint?

Chalkboard paint is a type of paint that allows you to turn any surface – from drywall, wood, metal, glass, concrete, or furniture – into one that is writeable, and erasable, with chalk. It comes in a few standard colors (black and vintage schoolboard green), but some paint manufacturers allow you to custom tint chalkboard paint in any color (more on this below).

It’s important to note that chalkboard paint is not the same as chalk paint (or chalk-style paint). Chalk paint is a type of paint that contains calcium carbonate that can be used on furniture. It’s known for its adhesion powers and matte finish. You can read all about chalk paint in this post: Five Types of Paint for Furniture.

Different Uses for Chalk board Paint

This type of paint can be used in many different ways around your home. The most common uses are on smaller home decor items like signs, but it can also be used on walls, furniture, and even glass.

Chalkboard paint on walls

Chalkboard paint can be used to paint entire walls or sections of walls. It works well in kids’ bedrooms, playrooms and even offices. If you’re not committed to painting an entire wall, you can frame out a section of the wall with some wood trim, a large wooden frame (there are always a ton of options at second hand stores) and then paint only the area inside that frame.

Here are a few things to consider if you are thinking of painting a wall with chalkboard paint:

Stonger odor

It does have a stronger odor than normal wall paint, so if you are painting an entire wall, I would suggest you ensure you have proper ventilation.

Dust

A chalkboard wall will obviously create dust. When writing on the wall with chalk, dust will fall, as when you erase the chalk. In my daughter’s vintage schoolroom nursery with a chalkboard wall, there is constantly a layer of chalk dust along the baseboard.

Smooth surface

It’s important to use this paint on smooth walls, not walls with any texture. If you do, the chalk will catch on any grooves and bumps and won’t really work as intended.

You can always paint over it

If you grow tired of having a chalkboard wall, you can easily paint over it! I painted over a section in our basement I had made into a chalkboard wall for the kids and now you can’t even tell there was a chalkboard section before.

To paint over chalkboard paint, wipe away any remaining chalk with soap and water and let it dry completely. Sand with 220 grit sandpaper to remove any texture left from the paint or along the edges. Then, prime and paint over it with any regular paint.

Chalkboard paint on glass

Yes, chalkboard paint can be used on glass. I have a full post with all my tricks for using chalkboard paint on glass vintage windows, but any piece of glass (think mirrors or picture frames) can be painted with chalkboard paint in the same way.

Chalkboard paint on furniture

The top of a low table, dresser, or cabinet works great as a potential chalkboard surface. I painted the top of a kids table with chalkboard paint which I used in our playroom and in my classroom.

Chalk board paint has a similar characteristic to chalk paint in that it adheres well to surfaces. Of course, beyond that, it’s going to be very different from chalk paint because you’ll be able to write and erase the surface.

Chalk board paint for small home decor items

This is the area where I find chalkboard paint to be most useful and the possibilities of what you can use it on are endless! Scroll through the images below to see some ways I’ve used it in the past, including making a command center on the side of my fridge, painting old tins to create custom Christmas cookie tins, making a fall chalkboard sign from an old silver platter, and painting on wood slices to make a rustic chalkboard banner. Click on the image to view the full tutorial post.

Different Types and Brands of Chalkboard Paint

Brush/Roll On Paint

There are a few major brands that sell chalkboard paint, making it easy to find at major home improvement stores. There are the traditional colors of black and “chalkboard green”, but many companies make chalkboard paint that can be tinted to any color. Or, there is also clear chalkboard paint so you can paint over any existing finish and make it a chalkboard!

  • Rustoleum – chalkboard paint in available 12 different colors (sold at Menards)
  • Krylon – chalkboard paint that can be tinted to any color swatch color (sold at Lowes)
  • Benjamin Moore – chalkboard paint that can be tinted to any color swatch (sold at Ace Hardware and any specialty paint stores that sell Benjamin Moore paint)

Spray Paint

Chalkboard paint is also available in a spray paint finish, primarily manufactured by Rustoleum and Krylon. I personally prefer to use brush on paint, which you can read more about below.

Tips for Painting with Chalkboard Paint

Use brush/roll versus spray paint when possible

I tested Krylon spray chalkboard paint versus Rustoleum chalkboard paint in a can on a piece of picture frame glass. Of course, glass is the most difficult surface to paint on with paint, but it created an interesting comparison. (Spray is on the left and the canned paint is on the right in the image below)

comparison of spray versus brush chalkboard paint on glass

I found the spray paint to dry to a very slick surface, which made it difficult to write with chalk. The chalk skidded across the surface and didn’t want to grip onto the paint. Plus, the spray paint surface didn’t erase nearly as well and left cloudy letters wherever I had written.

Prepare surface for chalkboard paint

  • Wall – no additional prep is needed, just paint as you would a normal wall
  • Furniture or metal – lightly sand with 220 grit sandpaper before paint
  • Glass – sand with 220 grit sandpaper and clean with rubbing alcohol

Use multiple, thin coats

Chalkboard paint is a thicker paint, so it’s best to paint in thin coats to avoid brush strokes or uneven application. Be sure to sand between coats with 220 grit sandpaper to give the chalkboard the smoothest texture as possible. Two to three coats is always needed to create the correct surface to use as a chalkboard.

Condition the surface before writing with chalk

After the paint has dried for three days (which allows for proper curing of the paint), you should condition the chalkboard. This prepares the surface for writing and erasing the chalk with ease. condition the painted chalkboard, rub the side of a piece of chalk all over the surface, and then erase it completely. After this, you can write and erase to your heart’s content!

how to condition a chalkboard before writing on it

Chalk board paint needs 7 days to cure completely before using water on it to wipe it clean. After that 7 day dry time, you can use a damp rag to wipe away chalk which minimizes the dust when erasing. It also helps to remove any leftover haze from previous messages.

How to Write Neatly on a Chalkboard

There is a trick for writing perfect letters in chalk that you see on menu boards and signs, even if you’re not a chalk artist. You can read that full post here: Chalkboard Writing Tricks

everything you need to know about using chalkboard paint in your home decor

All in all, there are so many different uses for this type of paint, besides just using it to paint a section of a wall that you want to make into a chalkboard.

Jenny at Refresh Living (dev.refreshliving.com)

Post by Jenny Leads

Jenny is the voice behind Refresh Living. She has a passion for helping people to create a home they love without spending a lot of money.

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6 Comments

  1. I’m so glad you shared this. I’ve only used the brush on, but I purchased some spray-on to try. My mistake with the brush-on was putting it on too thick and the first time, I did not know to cure it.

    I accidentally, by trying it, learned that rubbing alcohol will clear off any lines and smooth it out if you go crazy with it like I did.

    Thanks again for sharing!

    1. I’m so glad you shared the tip on the rubbing alcohol – I didn’t know that! I’m sure spray paint is ideal for some projects, but overall, I almost always reach for my can of chalkboard paint.

    1. Hi Lori. Honestly, I’m not sure. My guess is it probably gave it a coating that helped it from breaking, but I don’t have much to compare it to. Nothing has broken yet, though!