You should pick the right chalkboard paint according to the size of your project and your own personal preferences. Here are our 5 recommendations and keep in mind that these brands also make other types of paints if you want more options.
Features
Just as the name implies, American Crafts makes thousands of cute, little products that can be used in various DIY projects. Its range of products includes different types of chalkboard paints, paper straws, multicolored stickers, inks, designer albums and more. Basically, if you or your kid are artists and want to create unique, attractive projects, you should check out the multitude of products made by American Crafts!
The American Crafts DIY Shop Chalkboard Paint comes in a 16.5 ounce jar and it contains black paint which can be applied on various surfaces including wood, paperboards, walls and more. The paint dries very quickly and once it’s ready, you can use regular chalks or liquid chalk markers to draw or write on it. Most customers painted the walls of their kids' rooms and gave them the opportunity to sharpen their innate artistic skills in a fun and creative way! You might eventually need several jars to completely paint an entire room, but that’s not a big deal.
We also love the fact this paint is odorless and made from non-toxic substances, so it’s safe for kids to use. The chalk drawings or writings can also be erased quickly and in most cases, it is sufficient to apply just one coat of paint, as it covers surfaces with great ease.
Features
Rust-Oleum makes multiple useful products such as tub and tile finishes, fabric spray which protects against rain and snow, chalkboard paints, metallic paints, colored markers and many more. These sprays, paints and finishes can be applied on everyday items such as vases, furniture items, boots, tables, etc to improve their aesthetic appeal or protect them against impurities and damage.
The Chalkboard Spray from Rust-Oleum comes in a bottle of 11 ounces and you can buy a single bottle or a pack of 6, saving a few bucks if you go for the latter. This type of spray is a special, oil-based paint which can be applied on a wide variety of surfaces including wood, paperboard, metal, masonry, glass and even concrete. Can you imagine all the possibilities at your disposal? You might even apply this paint on your driveway, allowing your kids to draw and write on the concrete all day long.
This particular bottle is capable of painting a surface of 7 square feet and it dries after just 20 minutes. However, if you want to write with chalk on it, you should wait for at least 24 hours. By doing so, you allow the paint to really settle into the surface and deliver optimal results when you write or draw on it. Best of all, the paint is scratch resistant and in most cases, it is necessary to apply just one coat.
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Krylon is a prestigious company specialized in aerosol paints, founded back in 1947. Its extensive range of products contains rust protectors, artistic and decorative finishes and paints, glitter finishes, magnetic primers and more. If you want to give a piece of furniture a brand new look or make your mugs look just a bit more interesting, Krylon's paints and finishes will definitely help you!
For example, the Krylon Chalkboard Paint with Special Purpose Brush can be applied very easily and it works perfectly on numerous indoor surfaces, including glass, plastic and metal. This particular bottle contains 32 ounces of paint which dries in about 60 minutes and can be used after 24 hours. You might want to use this paint to create a slate-like chalkboard surface on almost any interior object you have such as furniture items, mirrors, windows, walls, even floors.
Thanks to the fact that the bottle contains 32 ounces of paint, you can actually paint an entire wall (of a medium-sized room) and still have some paint left over for your kid's room. This acrylic paint is also quite dense, so you will eventually have to apply just one coat as it covers the surface completely. Use it to transform the looks of your house at an affordable price!
Features
FolkArt is all about paints, finishes and brushes! This company specializes in chalkboard paints, home décor waxes, stencils, acrylic paints and many similar items which can be used to decorate the walls of your house, doors, furniture items and vases. We like the fact FolkArt doesn’t only provide an extensive range of artistic products, but sells them at affordable prices.
The 8-Ounce Chalkboard Paint from FolkArt is available in several color options such as black, blue, gray, pink and purple and it is a special type of acrylic paint for decorating furniture items, boxes, vases, tableware and more. This type of paint is water based and completely non-toxic, so even your kids can use it to decorate the walls of their room. Be careful, though – they might like it so much, they try to decorate your nose while you sleep, making you look like a funny clown!
Another advantage provided by this paint is the simple fact that it dries quickly and can be used for writing and drawing on in as little as 24 hours. The painted surface can be conditioned for chalk writing by rubbing the side of the chalk on the surface and then erasing everything. You will see that the paint is strong enough to hold for repeated writing and drawing!
Features
The last product in our list comes from DecoArt which, as you can imagine, sells hundreds of attractive products designed for painters and artists. For example, you can shop for metallic paints and finishes which can be applied on cabinets and coffee tables, or sets of multicolored paints in small bottles, ideal for painters. We were particularly impressed by its neon paints which are highly pigmented and create a fluorescent and bright finish, excellent for parties.
As this review is about chalkboard paints, we’re going to focus on the Americana Gloss Enamels Chalkboard Carded Paint from DecoArt. The paint comes in a small, 2 ounce bottle, but it is sufficient to cover approximately 15 square feet. It is primarily designed to be used on glass surfaces, but we read that it works well on wood too, so you are free to experiment.
If you want to increase the durability of the finish, you can also bake the glass products you’re painting, as heat will create a stronger, long-lasting bond between the paint and the surface. Obviously, the paint is non-toxic and if you intend to use it on a porous surface such as wood, you don’t have to apply any sealant before.
Writing with chalk on a chalkboard is truly a unique experience which probably takes you back to your teenage years when you used to have
blackboards in the classroom. Nowadays, you can have your own chalkboard in your house by getting chalkboard paint and applying it on furniture items, walls or even mirrors.
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, chalkboard paint is more suitable for writing on using chalk while
chalk paint is usually used to redecorate old furniture items and generally improve their appearance.
If you’re an artist or painter, you definitely understand the full potential of having a big chalkboard in your workshop, near the
art easel or a
dry erase board, among other drawing accessories. It allows you to quickly express your ideas in writing or drawings and if something went wrong, you can quickly erase mistakes and start over again. You can also apply chalkboard paint on the walls in your kid's room, giving them a unique opportunity to express innate drawing abilities. The possibilities are endless!
If we sparked your interest when it comes to chalkboard paint, please continue reading this guide and learn more about them. You will soon find out how affordable they are and how easy it is to work with them.
Price
The cost of chalkboard paint is mostly influenced by the capacity of the container it comes in. For example, the price range for such products is between approximately $5 and $25. If you go for a large container which might hold around 30 ounces of paint, you will inevitably pay more than if you go for a small bottle of just a few ounces. Obviously, the thickness of the paint as well as its uses influences the final price of these products.
However, make sure you don’t settle for excessively cheap chalkboard paints which are usually priced below $5 for a large container. Too much of a good thing is usually fishy and these paints might be made from toxic substances or come in leaky containers. Spend a couple of extra bucks and you will have more peace of mind.
Features
If this is your first time buying chalkboard paint, don’t worry. Here are the most important aspects you need to keep in mind:
- Color - in most cases, chalkboard paint comes in black, but you can also have it in red, green, purple or gray
- Container Type - some paints come in regular containers and you use a brush the apply them or they can come in spray bottles
- Capacity - most bottles or containers have capacities between 2 and 32 ounces, but this is not written in stone, so exceptions are made
- Compatibility - some paints are specially designed to be used on wood, others are more suitable for glass while other paints are the "jack of all trades" of the chalkboard paint kingdom and they can be used on multiple materials
Before buying a bottle, it’s wise to assess the size of your project. Do you want to use the paint on a vase or to redecorate 2 walls in your kid's room? In most cases, the bottle of the paint specifies the area covered and this should give you a good starting point. In any case, it’s better to get slightly more paint if you’re unsure, so you can finish your project quicker, instead of waiting another few days for new chalkboard paint to arrive!
Construction and Design
We begin this section with good news as most high-quality chalkboard paints on the market are made from non-toxic substances and they’re generally odorless. Therefore, you can use them in the room of a child or even better, allow him or her to decorate the room. You can use a regular brush to apply the paint (sometimes, brushes are supplied with the paint) or just spray it on the walls or furniture items. This paint usually dries in less than 1 hour and you can write on it with chalks after 24 hours.
By the way, before writing or drawing with chalks, you might want to condition the painted surface by rubbing the side of a chalk on it and then erasing everything. This helps the paint to settle in and makes it easier to draw or write on it using chalks of different colors. Also, you must remember that some paints are thicker than others, so in certain cases, you might need to apply 2 coats to completely cover a given surface.
Remember, chalkboard paints can be used on multiple surfaces including wood, metal, paper, masonry, ceramic, plastic, glass and even concrete. This gives you unlimited decoration possibilities and you are paying a ridiculously small price for all this fun!
Performance and Ease of Use
For more decoration ideas, you can also use stencils to create unique patterns on interior walls as some paints are specially designed to be used with stencils. If you follow the instructions provided and condition the paint correctly, it will not peel off or get easily scratched, so make sure you consult the manual. At the end of the day, chalkboard paints will really put a smile on your face and allow you to improve your interior décor with minimal effort!
Using chalkboard paint is an inexpensive, popular and exciting way of redecorating the interior of your house! Some of the best paints to create DIY chalkboards out there cost just a few bucks, get dry in less than an hour and are ideal for kids to write on. See how much fun you can have with them!
