chalkboard paint Archives - Chalkboard Fridge: DIY or Buy Cheap

6 Ways to Clean Chalkboard Paint

If you paint your fridge, wall or other surface with chalkboard paint, you probably want to know how to keep it looking clean and new. My favorite method is below in this video. I have also listed several other ideas below.

1. How to Clean Chalkboard Paint with a Chalkboard Cleaner:

First of all, there are cleaning products for blackboards. However, you don’t need to buy them. Instead, you can use a few simple techniques that others have learned over the years.

2. Clean Off Chalk with a Chalkboard Eraser:

Second, you can use a chalkboard eraser. Just make sure that it does not contain dust when you use it.

Simply clean your eraser after every use, either by rubbing them with a cloth or vacuuming them. By the way, you can save money on erasers by purchasing them in multi-packs. Plus, when you have more than one eraser, you don’t have to clean them as frequently. =)

3. Remove Chalk with a Microfiber Cloth:

How to Clean a Chalkboard with Microfiber Cloths

Third, use a dry, lint-free microfiber cloth. Microfiber material picks up dust and lint really well.

Just make sure to wash microfiber separately than other materials, and don’t put them in the dryer. (They’ll keep their dust-attracting charge longer).

Note: If you clean your board frequently, it’s best to use a dry cleaner. Using water over and over can damage the surface and over time lighten your board.

4. Add a Little Vinegar to Get a Chalkboard Really Clean:

Fourth, you can use a damp rag. However, instead of using plain water, add a small amount of vinegar to the water solution. The vinegar reacts with the calcium in the chalk and therefore leaves a cleaner surface. (Did you vinegar makes an effective natural weed killer too?)

5. Squeegee Your Chalkboard to Clean It:

Fifth, use a squeegee. You don’t need to spend a lot of money or buy anything fancy, (a $10 squeegee will work fine).

First, remove the majority of dust from your chalkboard first. Then, use a squeegee with water. (This technique will work best on larger boards that have smoother surfaces.)

6. Add Lemon Oil to Chalkboard for Extra Shine:

How to Use Lemon Oil to Make Your Chalkboard Clean and Shiny

Sixth, add a few drops of lemon oil to make your chalkboard paint shine. If you want your board to look especially nice – either for an event or guests – add some lemon oil to a cloth and rub over the blackboard surface to create a more finished look.

As you can see, cleaning chalkboard paint, or a painted surface is not that difficult (and it can keep it looking fresh and crisp with minimal effort).

That said, keep in mind that chalkboard-painted walls or surfaces are meant to have that shabby-chic appeal, while looking weathered and worn. Therefore, don’t ever feel like you have to clean your chalkboard fridge at all (well maybe on the inside…)

DIY Chalkboard Paint Colors

Chalkboard Paint Colors - 3 ways to buy or make them and how to save money

Want to make your own blackboard or write-able surface? You don’t have to stick with just black! We show you how to make all sorts of chalkboard paint colors for cheap…

Options #1 & #2: Buy Colored Chalk Paint

Surprisingly, you can buy chalkboard paint in a variety of different colors. All you do is go to your local paint store or home improvement store and buy tint-able chalkboard paint. Next, have the person at the paint counter tint it to one of the 12 chalkboard paint color options.

Option #3: Make Your Own Chalkboard Paint Color

Tip: You can easily mix colored chalkboard paint yourself. It’s almost as easy as having the store tint the paint for you. Plus, this simple trick saves you a lot of money (and you’re not limited to only 12 colors).

Simple Steps to Make Chalk Paint:

First, buy a can of flax latex paint. Next, mix in some tile grout, baking soda, corn starch or plaster of paris. You can find the DIY chalkboard paint recipes here.

Yes, that’s all there is to it. On other words, you don’t have to purchase expensive ingredients or follow a complicated formula. In fact, with chalkboard paint recipes this simple, why buy store-made chalk paint, right?

Note: By the way, these ingredients all work equally as well. Consequently, many people basically use whichever ingredient the happen to have on hand. (This cuts the cost even more!)

Therefore, any paint color you can find at your paint store is available to you as a chalkboard color. Create a color to match the existing walls in your house, your kitchen appliances, furniture or something else. In fact, I’m thinking of even more ideas as I write this!

Note: Use paint without primer when making your own chalk paint because the primer tends to gunk up to “chalk” additives.

That’s all there is to it. Now, you may find yourself using chalk paint more often, right? I’ve actually found lots of reasons to paint cabinets and furniture with colored chalk paint. The matte finish has a sophisticated look, not to mention, flat paint is very forgiving if you are new to painting furniture.

How Much Chalkboard Paint Do I Need?

If you plan on painting a fridge, wall or large tabletop, you may wonder, “How much chalkboard paint do I need?”

This will depend on two factors:

If you plan on using 1 coat of paint or 2
If you are using brush-on or spray paint

How Much Chalkboard Paint is Needed for a Wall or a Fridge?

Chalkboard Paint Colors: How Much Chalkboard Paint Do I Need? — Yes, you can tint chalkboard paint

Note: I have used one coat or paint on many projects, and that amount has worked out just fine. However, many people recommend using two coats, especially on well-trafficked surfaces like refrigerators or walls. It makes a noticeable difference on surfaces where you are not using primer.

To paint an average-sized fridge using 2 coats of paint, all you need is one 30-oz can. If you want to use spray paint, see the cost calculation below. It basically will cost twice as much as using brush-on.

The amount of paint needed for a wall is much easier to calculate, since we can simply measure height by length to get the square footage. For example, one can of 30-oz paint should cover a wall that measure 10 feet x 10 feet. However, if you want to apply two coats of paint, get 2 cans.

Note: Spray paint is typically faster and easier and can eliminate any potential brush marks. At the same time, these conveniences will cost you most money per square foot, so keep that in mind.

Cost Comparison of Brush-On Paint VS Spray Can:

One 30 oz can of Rustoleum chalkboard paint covers up to 110 square feet. Other brands like Krylon make paint as well and sell them at a comparable price (about $15-20) and area coverage.

An 11 oz can of chalkboard spray paint, on the other hand, coves up to 12 square feet and costs about $4. This means you would need about 9 cans of spray paint to achieve the same coverage of one 30 oz can of paint. This would end up costing approximately $36 vs $15-20.

This is one of the cheapest ways to update the look of a refrigerator, and in turn, the entire kitchen. That said, if you are looking for way to spend even less money – find out how to make your own chalkboard paint from scratch. It’s easy!

Something I Learned:

After I painted my first chalkboard table, I decided I wanted to paint some picture frames and ceramic pots to match. It was very convenient that I had some leftover paint. If you think that this situation might happen to you, plan ahead. =)

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