Our Chalkboard Wall
Add a chalkboard wall in your kitchen, office, playroom. or other part of your home. It’s simple way to add both charm and function. Find out all the reasons we love our chalkboard wall!
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When we were first planning how our kitchen at Old Salt Farm would look, I knew I wanted a chalkboard wall. In addition to matte black faucet and knobs, pendant lighting, and a barn wood island, it was at the top of my list. That was 8 years ago, and I’ve never looked back. It’s still one of my favorite things about this kitchen, and my kids love it too!
Table of contents
Why paint a chalkboard wall
It added contrast to my otherwise white kitchen, and surrounding area.
Chalkboards are the epitome of farmhouse style, and I’ve always loved the idea of having a huge chalkboard in the kitchen. But they are also very versatile, and now fit a variety of home styles. They’ve been around for awhile!
I wanted a place to write my grocery list, menu, as well as an area for my kids to draw!
Supplies and how-to
The painter did the actually painting of the kitchen chalkboard wall when our house was built, since he was already doing the whole house, and this just counted as one of my colors. We supplied the paint (Rustoleum chalkboard paint), and he used a foam roller for the walls (two coats), and a small paintbrush for the edges. The walls had been primed before painting.
How to prep wall before using
Once the chalkboard paint was dry (let dry for 3 days), we came out to prime the wall before anything touched it, and before using it. This is SUPER IMPORTANT. Chalkboards are porous, so if you don’t prime a chalkboard (any chalkboard–whether you frame it and hang it or paint on the wall), anything you write on there will most likely be permanent. Even if you try to erase it, there will be “ghost marks” left. It’s super easy to do–just lay a piece of chalk on its side and rub it liberally over your entire chalkboard. I like to go up and down, then side to side, just to be safe. Then rub it in with a dry rag and erase it. That’s it!
FAQ
I’ve had quite a few questions about the cleaning and maintenance of the wall, so I thought this would be a good place to address them.
No, it actually doesn’t! When my kids draw on the wall, there is some chalk dust that mostly goes on to the baseboards, and a little on the floor. When they’re finished, I take a wet paper towel and wipe it up—it literally takes 30 seconds or less. I like everything really clean, and it’s been super fast and easy to keep clean. No complaints in this area at all, and I have six kids drawing on it quite often.
Yes! I leave up my kids’ drawings for awhile, because I like to look at them, but when they’re ready to draw something new, or I need to change my menu, I just use a wet cloth to wipe off the chalk and let it dry before writing again. So easy. You can use soap and water (Rustoleum brand–in their directions) if you need more of a clean.
I absolutely love the contrast of the black/dark against the white of the other walls. I think it adds so much to my kitchen, and I would certainly make the same choice again.
I happened to read a post that was written a few years ago, addressing this very topic, and it insinuated that chalkboard was most definitely on its way out. Fast forward 3+ years later, and it’s still going strong! It’s impossible to predict the whims of trend, but I do know this: Chalkboard is the epitome of farmhouse style, which is what I love. I see it ALL the time in pretty much every home decorated in a farmhouse style. I consider it more of a classic style, but for me, I love it whether it’s “in” or not. I tend to not follow trends–I do what I love, what fits in my home, and what I want. So, while I love chalkboard, it will be in my home. And it’s paint–super easy to change if I decide to
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XX, Kierste
we have a pantry with chalkboard doors, and i love it!! it’s the perfect place to have a chalkboard walls. it gives the kids something to do when i am making dinner too!