Confession time: I am extremely attracted to chalkboards. My chalkboard collection continues to grow and I don't think that will stop anytime soon.
Can you blame me? Who doesn't love chalkboards, right?
They're awesome. They're classic. They're useful. Their text can be easily changed with a swipe. Need I go on?
I'm also into touches of rustic and industrial in the home. Remember my Rustic Kitchen Sign and Rustic Coat Rack? That's evidence, people. Evidence that I'm on a rustic roll!
This fabulous DIY Rustic Industrial Chalkboard first made it's appearance in my Hanging Gold Leaves Art Fall Decor, but I wanted to show this little beauty in a post all of it's own because it's totally worthy of it, if I do say so myself.
The story of this chalkboard started with a birthday party. My daughter's birthday party to be exact. It was the first time we were hosting it in our house and since it was outdoors I thought it would be great to have a giant chalkboard for all the kids to doodle on.
All materials were bought with the said birthday party in mind.
All labor, all screw ups, all re-do's were a labor of love because I had to have a chalkboard for my daughter's birthday party.
Pretty awesome Mom, right? Don't answer. Just keep reading.
Well, the final product was finally finished and I stared at it long and hard. I admired it, I petted it, I scribbled on it just to test it out, you know.
It was at that moment I knew I could never let little hands touch this chalkboard. I know that sounds awful. I fell in love with it and its purpose changed just like that. It would no longer be used outdoors but stay indoors where it would stay nice and pretty.
Apparently, I didn't have to have a chalkboard for my daughter's birthday party.
Just some sidewalk chalk and a sidewalk.
You can go ahead and answer the awesome Mom question now.
The kids had a blast though. Although, I did send them home covered in chalk dust so I'm sure parents just loved me that day.
Moving right along....
I actually don't have a step by step tutorial for you guys because I got way ahead of myself while putting it together and taking pictures was the last thing on my mind.
However, Liz from Love Grows Wild has a great one here. Perhaps I should have looked through her tutorial first and I wouldn't have used the wrong brackets for the straight cuts! It's okay though. I'm still quite smitten by this chalkboard!
But I do have a list of all items I used to put this baby together!
What You Need To Make A DIY Rustic Industrial Chalkboard
- Two 1 x 3 boards (each board is 10 feet long)
- MDF board in whatever size you like (mine is 2 x 5)
- Chalkboard Spray Paint
(or you can just buy the mdf chalkboard that's ready to go)
- Wood stain (I used my favorite, Dark Walnut
)
- Four L brackets (as you can see I used L brackets when I should have used the straight ones since my cuts are straight...oops!!)
- Liquid Nails
(I used the liquid nails to glue my 1 x 3's to my board before screwing them in with the brackets, that way they wouldn't move around on me)
- Screws
And here it is welcoming Autumn into our home!
I love these brackets (even if they are the wrong ones)! You can also age these brackets with a torch if you want a more worn out look! You can see how Liz did that here.
My favorite thing about this DIY chalkboard is its size! It's big enough to make a statement and goes perfectly in what used to be an awkward corner.
I can't wait to change it up with the seasons! Although, I really need to work on my chalkboard art!
Are you into chalkboards in home decor? What about giant ones like this one?
