I have seen all these fabulous posts on Pinterest about chalkboard paint… people painting walls, doors, shelves… pretty much anything you can paint, it is being turned into a chalkboard. So, I got to thinkin’. I need to do something about my sad, pathetic kitchen table. It is very old, has marks and is just plain ugly. What better way to spruce up my table than by turning it into something functional???
This was not a quick process but it was well worth the effort in the end.
The first thing I needed to fix was this…
I needed to fill those holes. So, I grabbed some wood filler and filled all those lines. After filling, I let it dry and then sanded them down. I had to use a good power sander to get the varnish off the table well and get those lines all flat. Even if you don’t have ridges to fill, you will need to sand the table before painting.
Here is the table all sanded…
Next, I taped the edges off all around…
I was ready to paint. I chose to use a tinted paint. You can purchase black or one that can be tinted to the color of your choosing. I have some red accents in my kitchen so I went with “Garnet” color. I used two different methods to paint and the superior of the two is a nice soft, thick roller brush. You can also use a foam brush but that coat of paint was not near as neat looking. USE A ROLLER!
Don’t be too worried about that pink color! It was pretty bright going on!
I had to do a total of 4 coats of paint on the table to get the desired color and coverage.
Finally, I got the desired effect!
Now you wait… 3 days!
Time to condition the chalkboard paint. All this means is that you take a piece of chalk and rub it down the table.
Now, simply wipe with clean cloth and it is ready to use!
Set your places…
Say your prayers…
Do some homework…
You will need to wait about a week before cleaning the table with soap and water. In the meantime, you can use a wet cloth (I used a microfiber towel) to clean the table. I would also recommend grabbing some dustless chalk. It really does make a difference! I found mine at a local school/teacher supply store. I also purchased a chalkboard eraser but I think the microfiber does just as well. The holder is to keep the chalk from breaking and not get all over!
We love it. I have only one rule and that is no chalk at dinner time! Other than that, we are having a lot of fun with the table. It has made homework more fun and interesting. The best part… when we get tired of what we see, we wipe it off and start over!
So, what do you think about our {special} family table? If you like it, how about a pin, thumbs up, or like? If you have any questions about the process, let me know!
Kim @ What's That Smell? says
I love this idea!
Stefany says
Thanks Kim. I love our table!
Marcela says
Thanks for the reply! When I had gone to lowes and asked the paint guy about it he totally it me off and was like “no, no, no”. I left very disappointed but now my enthusiasm is renewed thanks to you.
Stefany says
Don’t let them discourage you Marcela! I did do several coats so that may help with my kids but I honestly couldn’t be happier with the way the table holds up to the kids’ abuse. There have been a few times when I really thought the table was ruined… greasy fingerprints that sat overnight, spilled drinks that soaked in, etc. Every time the table wiped up with no problems and looks great. 🙂
Marcela says
I love this idea but how well does it clean up? My son constantly spills milk or juice on the table. Does it stain? Does it chip easy?
Stefany says
I have had NO problems. It didn’t even chip in our move. We are not easy on it at all and have had no issues with the paint. The kids make messes all the time, even sometimes water sits on the table. While it looks like the paint will stain, it never does. It always dries nicely. I think it is easier to care for than any other surface!
Deborah Pucci says
Oh my gosh, I love it!
Ellen Christian says
What a cool idea!
Sarah L says
It’s a great idea! No chalk at dinner is a good rule…
Rhonda says
That is so very awesome! If we didn’t have a nice, dining room table, I’d totally be transitioning to this! I may just decide to do so anyway with my kid’s activity table. 🙂