Chalkboards in kitchens

[Convex]

Anyone got one?

We are thinking of painting some cupboard doors to be a giant chalkboard. Cliched I'm sure, but I fancy it.

Any considerations I need to think of? Tips to make it look good?

I've heard it can be dustier than expected, and not as shiny glossy as they look in the magazines.....

[WorkingMummy]

We have a built in chalk board on the inside of our kitchen door. It is genius. We use the panel above the door handle for shopping lists; kids draw on the panel below door handle height.

We bought a very crazy house with a lot of strange features fitted by the previous occupant. This is perhaps the only feature I'll keep.

[Belle]

I have always liked this idea but rather than do anything permanent, I bought some blackboard wall sticker stuff, and after one botched attempt got a really nice sized piece on our fridge door (which is actually a cupboard door as fridge is encased if you see what I mean). Similar to workingmummy's set up in that I scribble lists etc at the top and my 4 yr old draws at handle height. I have some left over I might put on the doors of the kids' fitted wardrobes as it's worked so well. Not dusty so far, and cleans well if you use a damp cloth. I like the idea I can take it down if I get fed up.

[BeccaL]

We've got some chalkboard paint which is also magnetic - great fun but... difficult to paint (very thick paint) and certainly not glossy (deceptive magazines) but blackboards aren't really glossy... Great to have though - good for drawings, magnetic words, playing word games on (Magnetic scrabble, anyone) - can see it lasting us well. Daughter now 8 - we've had it there for about 18months.

[ukdealguide]

I have painted a whole wall in our kitchen with blackboard paint and we love it! Good for to do list and small cute messages to my hubby. I would recommend :-)

[mrs f]

We have done it on our understairs cupboards. We think it looks good & if we get bored we can always paint over it. It does take some painting tho, about 4 coats & you need to leave it at least 12 hours between coats then a day or two after to allow it to harden properly

[treehugger]

My husband put a blackboard panel on our kitchen door (I think it was paint) and we all love it. Not dusty or glossy - just like a normal blackboard. Highly recommended.

[njc97]

BeccaL - how many coats did you use and is it magnetic? We've got 2 cupboard doors done but only with one coat and not really magnetic. I want to know how many more we have to do (and therefore if I can be bothered); I think the paint tins recommend 4 coats.

[mrs f]

njc97 I'd say 4 will be needed

[hpsaucey]

Hi there - I've been thinking about doing this too. WOuld be grateful to know what brand of magnetic paint people used. Some seem better than others..

H

[BeccaL]

Not sure what brands we used - think one was from B&Q and one from Homebase, because we had half a tin to start with (obtained from school sale!) then quickly realised we'd need another. Certainly had at least 3 coats I think, but ultimately worth it to make sure properly magnetic. As paint full of metal particles is thick and so quite hard to paint, and probably ruins brush (husband did painting, not sure what happened to brush afterwards), so use old brush and chuck it afterwards probably easier than cleaning! Still worth it in long run though!

[Convex]

Magnetic paint... Hard to get a good finish and it's not really that magnetic. It will hold magnets but not brilliant for anything heavy eg our wall wouldn't hold a postcard or paper under the magnet. We did this for our splash back and a small patch of wall and it took hours of making good.

[Convex]

Went to the colour shop on grove vale today and they can make chalk board painting any colour.

They also have magnetic paint, they have a chimney breast done in it and the finish is really good. So maybe it depends on what product you use.... I will never do it again though!

[KalamityKel]

As an observation it's interesting to note there's lots of chat of having/wanting a chalkboard but no mention for what purpose.

Surely that would effect the choice of location, size and materials used?

[Convex]

Size and location, sure. Not materials though... Chalkboard is chalkboard surely!

Ours will be approx 2m in height by 1.2m wide. I wanted that part of the kitchen to be deliberately different to the rest as it is being added a few years later and we can't match the cabinets exactly. And I'm bored of white.

[Katy Tonbridge]

Instead of a chalkboard, think about a magnetic whiteboard. They're quite expensive, but stylish and much easier to clean as you just use magnetic markers. Use them for shopping lists, games and - perhaps most useful of all - doing homework together, since both you and child can have a pen and sketch ideas together, much more collaborative than pen and paper.

[hpsaucey]

Whiteboard - maybe its my age but just reminds me of school esp with those marker pens lol...

Amazingly indepth article on the environmental pros and cons of white/black boards if you're twiddling your thumbs....

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/the_green_lantern/2009/09/i_will_be_good_to_the_planet_i_will_be_good_to_the_planet_i_will_be_good_to_the_planet.html

[Katy Tonbridge]

hpsaucey Wrote:

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> Whiteboard - maybe its my age but just reminds me

> of school esp with those marker pens lol...

whereas blackboards wouldn't remind anyone of school, would they? :-)

There are glass magnetic 'whiteboards', maybe called glassboards, which look cooool in the kitchen, I've seen them in action. And with bright whiteboard pens they look really colourful too.

[hpsaucey]

Katy Tonbridge Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> hpsaucey Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Whiteboard - maybe its my age but just reminds

> me

> > of school esp with those marker pens lol...

>

> whereas blackboards wouldn't remind anyone of

> school, would they? :-)

>

> There are glass magnetic 'whiteboards', maybe

> called glassboards, which look cooool in the

> kitchen, I've seen them in action. And with

> bright whiteboard pens they look really colourful

> too.

As I said - maybe its my age - depends what school you went to - ours had whiteboards lol... SO I have nice memories of using blackboards at home and bad memories of struggling with maths on whiteboards with stinky pens at school. Each to their own...

[hpsaucey]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Present-Time-Chalky-Steel-Planner/dp/B009SL1ZZ6/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=3VI7DOLA8ILBZ&coliid=IM7XTRGSFLT15

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Present-Time-Steel-Planner-Marker/dp/B009SL0994/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=3VI7DOLA8ILBZ&coliid=I2UMBCBZDX5SAY

These look nice though...

[hpsaucey]

and blyme, this is cheap! http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/50089231/

[hpsaucey]

Love that shop. Did you get a chalkboard from them?

H

Convex Wrote:

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> Went to the colour shop on grove vale today and

> they can make chalk board painting any colour.

>

> They also have magnetic paint, they have a chimney

> breast done in it and the finish is really good.

> So maybe it depends on what product you use.... I

> will never do it again though!

[Convex]

Yes, we got some paint.

Will report back once its done! Suspect it will take a few weeks unless I blag a daytime babysitter!

[clarebells]

We have whole door in our kitchen as a black board and its brilliant, lists at the top and something for the kids to draw on at the bottom. Will have one in any future house without a doubt. A must do.

[WorkingMummy]

I vote chalk board over white board for any house with toddlers. The havoc my 2 year old has played with felt tips. Hate to see what she'd do with markers. Strangely, she's never drawn with chalk on the sofa, carpet, baby etc etc