Oversized Chalkboard

So it's been a busy few days around here, with cramming projects into hubby's long weekend, Easter Dinner Party, lots of baking and some mud pies as well :)
But we found some time to finish up the humongo chalkboard that's been living in our garage for a few weeks and hung it yesterday, love it!  Not going to lie though, I was terrified to write on it at first but I got over it quick and baby girl has already created some master pieces as well. Side note: I've been taking photos of those masterpieces with her proudly posing by to make a little book that documents how big she's getting :(  Can't we start over and go back to being a tiny little thing....)

Supplies:

4x4 birch board

4 1x4's (2 will need to be cut down to 3 ft 10 inches)

chalkboard paint

desired paint color for frame

finishing nails

wood glue

2 nuts, bolts and washers

picture hanger wire

I painted about 5 layers of chalkboard paint ( probably a little overkill) allowing each layer to dry before painting the next.

Paint out trim boards.

Once dry, adhere trim to chalkboard with a thin line of glue and 4 finishing nails spaced evenly. (The nails are so small you can just paint over them and they disappear) The longer boards trim the top and bottom.

We bumped out the bottom trim board to create a ledge to hold the chalk.  If we had thought of it earlier we would have used a wider board to make the bottom flush but it was a last minute addition.

Dixie or "Dee" according to baby girl thought she was getting a treat and had to get in on this one :) She's just 6 months old and 45 pounds...her paws are fat, plump things so we think she is going to be H.U.G.E

Since the birch board is so light and thin, the nails we put through the back of the board to hang the picture wire kept pulling out of the wood so we screwed bolts with washers through the top corners and used nuts to secure.  

Attach picture wire to the back of screws and hang.

thanks for reading!

ashley

mudpies...yummm