DIY Chalkboard, Beadboard, Menu Board

Today I am so excited to show you my new menu board. It is made from bead board and painted with chalkboard paint.

Want to make your own?


Here's what you need:
An old frame - {the opening on mine was 9 1/2 by 12 1/2}
Bead board - I used scraps from when we finished our kitchenette in the basement
Chalkboard Paint
Regular paint - for the frame, I just used a small bottle of acrylic paint.
Vinyl letters - I used my silhouette to cut them out.
Jigsaw

Step 1 - gather your supplies. I had these short pieces of bead board that I kept from when we finished the basement. I had no idea what I would use them for, but I knew that eventually I would use them. They worked perfectly for this project. I was happy to find this frame that fit 7 "rows" of the beadboard so I could use one for each day.

Step 2 - Stick the bead board in the frame and mark where you need to cut.

Step 3 - Cut the beadboard with the jigsaw. Make sure it fits in the frame. A couple of mine I had to trim a tiny bit more.

Step 4 - Using your first piece, mark the other boards. Then cut them.

Step 5 - Depending on your frame, you will probably need to cut your last piece long ways as well. I placed it in the frame and marked it as best I could. Then cut it with the jigsaw as well.

Step 6 - Place all the pieces in the frame to make sure they all fit.

Step 7 - I guess this isn't really a step, I just wanted to show you what it looked like from the front.

Now it's time to paint....

I just realized that I should have started at step 8, not 1 again. Oh, well... Too much work to relabel the picture. You guys understand, right?

Step 1 - take your bead board out of your frame and paint it with the chalkboard paint. Let dry and add a second coat.

Step 2 - once paint is thoroughly dry, rub it with the side of a piece of chalk.

Step 3 - wipe off the chalk - the box said to avoid excessive chalkdust to clean with a damp cloth. I'm not sure if you can do that with regular chalkboard paint.

Step 4 - Paint your frame.

Step 6 -  Sand down the edges if you want a worn look.

Step 7 - Add your vinyl lettering.

{I was worried about the vinyl sticking to a lot of chalk residue, until I read that I could wipe it down with a damp cloth. If you end up using a different chalkboard paint, you may want to add the vinyl before you rub it down with chalk.}

And yes, this is what we will be having for dinner this week. I always wonder about that when I see menu boards. Do they just make up stuff that sounds good? or Are they actually going to be making it?

You may remember that I'm a little scared of color.  I was worried about the green. It's kind of bold. But I ended up loving it. So much that I quickly painted my little mason jar that holds all my measuring spoons. I used the same process to paint the jar as I did here. I may even repaint a few other things in the kitchen.


This is the longest post I've written in a long time. If you've made it this far, I'd love to know what you think about my new menu board?



You may also like my other beadboard projects:

Bead Board Picture Frames 
Bead Board Hearts
Bead Board Flag and Stars 
Bead Board Easter Eggs 
Bead Board St. Patrick's Day Decor 
Reversible Bead Board Pumpkins
Bead Board Snowmen