DIY Blackboard

Project duration

Working Time : Approx 2 Hours.

Waiting Time : Approx 6 - 8 Hours.

Materials in this Kit

Sand Paper Grit 120 2pcs
Black Board Paint 500ml
4" Roller 1pc
4" Paint Tray 1pc
Thinner 500ml
Plastic Bowl + Ice cream stick
Studs 4pcs
Screws and plugs to fix the studs.
Wood Drill Bit 8mm 1pc
Masonry Drill Bit 6mm 1pc
+ and - Screwdriver 1pc
Masking Sheet 1pc
Latex Gloves 1pair
Dust Mask 1pc
A Pack of Colour Chalks to get your started!

Materials to be sourced locally

12mm Sheet of MDF of the size desired. This setup can effeciently hold a Max recommended size of 4' x 4' (16 sqft).

How to Do It Yourself

Prepare the Black Board

Purchase an MDF sheet of the size desired.
Mark holes at a distance of 2" x 2" from all corners. Use the 8mm wood drill bit to make the holes. Make sure to place a soft material such as a used piece of plywood below the holes while drilling so that there is no damage caused to the surface you are using to work. It also ensures that there is minimum break out damage at the point where the drill exits the MDF sheet.

Wear the supplied latex gloves and mask. Cut out about 1/3rd of the sand paper and fold. Rough up the surface evenly using the  sand paper. Sanding in any one direction consistently is recommended, either left <> right or top <> bottom. This creates a good surface for the paint to adhere to and also removes any dirt and grease. Make sure to sand the edges of the board too.

Spread out the masking sheet.

Pour out approximately 200ml of the supplied black board paint into the empty plastic cup. Pour in about 60ml of supplied thinner and mix using the ice cream stick.

Pour the mix into the paint tray. Dip the roller in the paint and remove excess paint using the washboard on the tray. Start from the center of the board and roll outwards in an overlapping W shape. Make sure to get an even coat of paint. Allow to dry for about 3-4 hours. Apply a second coat in a direction perpendicular to the first coat. Allow to dry for another 3-4 hours. The black board is now ready.

Mount the Black Board

Place the black board where it needs to be mounted. Mark the holes onto the mounting surface using a pencil or pen passing it through the hole. You will need someone to help you out here.

For wooden mounting surfaces, the studs can be screwed on directly. For masonry surfaces, drill holes at the marked points using the supplied 6mm masonry drill. Remove any dust in the drilled holes. Push in the supplied plugs and then screw on the studs.

To screw on the studs, remove the stud tops and pass the screws through the hole in the base.

Once the stud bases are screwed on, mount the board and thread in the stud tops.

Spend many happy hours doing what you love on the black board you made.