Late last summer, my youngest son broke his crib. I’ll spare you the details.
Let it suffice that he lives up to costume.
From his wild antics sprung a few DIY projects. Being the green mama I am, I had to find other uses for the aftermath of the crib .
You would never guess that this chalkboard was once a crib support, right? This was the particle board beneath the crib. Yes, dear readers, despite the concern that the particle board wouldn’t hold up, we are on summer #3 with this chalkboard now.
Not bad for a free project, right?
-upcycled old crib particle board {the base the holds the mattress up}
-random leftover non-VOC paint in black {one cup}
-2 Tbs of unsanded grout
-four screws to bolt that sucker into the fence*
*Yes, we are aware our fence is the wrong way. The neighbors put it up when we were out of town, and oops, put the pretty side toward them.
1.) Hang board to fence with grumpy husband’s assistance.
2.) Mix grout with non-voc paint.
2.5) Paint with roughly three coats.
3.) Cure the board by rubbing chalk all over it before first use.
4.) Play with the chalkboard more than your kids do.
Stay tuned for more,
Nicolette
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I love what you did, I think my kids would adore an outdoor chalkboard (and so would I!)
Actually, Your fence is going in the correct direction. Pretty side out. (Digging back into the deep park recesses of my litigation paralegal brain…a real estate atty in school told us that (where property lines were not in dispute), fence ownership could be determined by which way the fence was facing. The rough side was the person who put it up. Your mileage may vary. I’m not a lawyer. Blah, blah, disclaimer.
LOVE the chalkboard.
Really? Only a little un-sanded grout makes chalkboard paint.
That is seriously cool.
I’ve seen it on Pinterest, but didn’t really believe it..
~ Dana
This is such a great idea!! May have to try this, we have the board that fell off of the drawer under the crib. Currently just hanging out under the crib on the floor….
I love the “hang board to fence with grumpy husband’s assistance.” step! Cracked me up because I have totally been there!
That is such a good idea … and your backyard screams Chicago!
Linda
Love it.
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I love this so much. I’m definitely making one for my backyard. Thank you for the inspiration!
Wow, that looks SOOOO fun! I’ll have to see if I can find a big board…Little Crafter would love it. Would you consider sharing here?
http://oneartmama.blogspot.com/2012/03/shine-on-fridays-19-and-some-fabulous.html
Doesnt’ particle board warp/swell with moisture? I’m not sure it will hold up in the rain. Awesome idea though.
It’s survived with a wee bit of swelling, but still in fighting shape after last summer. On year two, and it still looks pretty happy.
And we get quite a bit of rain/snow/sleet here in Chicago. But, hey, if it falls apart, it was an upcycle.
Still going strong with no signs of warping…July 2012….
How long did you let the paint dry before you used chalk on it? Did you “season” the chalkboard?
I just got finished painting our board and am wondering how long to let it sit. I used backer-board – the stuff used behind tile in the bathroom – because it’s lightweight and waterproof. Worried that it might be too rough of a surface but maybe it will be OK. I put two coats of paint on it.
Yes, I’m sure getting “grumpy husband’s assistance” will be part of my project. LOL
I LoVe this!!! My dd and her bff’s will love it too, (and they are 16/17 years old). Yep, this mom will use it all the time too. *wink* I found you at the Summer Fun Party!
I featured you today on Blissful and Domestic. Stop by and check it out!
http://www.blissfulanddomestic.com
Love your recycled crib! Most of all, I love the creative storytelling!
Why thank you! I also used the old rails from the crib to act as a drying rack…guess I should blog about that as well…lol…
From tragedy often springs greatness,
Nicolette
I have some chalkboard paint. Will that work for it being outdoors?
Jamy- I made my own, and I think the store-bought stuff will hold up. Worst case scenario-you will merely have to throw a coat on after a couple of years. We are on summer number 3- no warping, fading, and it still works like it did the day I painted it.
Go for it.