There’s nothing like a cup of Hot Cocoa during these winter months…. but even better… a Hot Cocoa Bar! I’m putting together my own Hot Cocoa Bar, and wanted a cute sign to go with it…. What better way to make that happen than a Trash to Treasure DIY!?
Off to the thrift store I went… and found this wooden plaque. It measured 12 x 12″ …. not too big, but not too small… just right! These are a dime a dozen at thrift stores!! When you head out to shop for one… just look for something paintable and sturdy with a smooth surface. I like buying these painted wooden signs, because they already have finished edges…. it’s nice that someone’s already done that work for me!
This sign even happened to have a beveled edge… which I really like, because I wanted to keep the contrast of the white edge and the chalkboard center. If you can find one with a beveled edge.. you’ll have an easier time when prepping the board for paint.
Once you pick up your board… making this chalkboard sign couldn’t be any easier!
What you’ll need:
- Wooden plaque
- Painters tape
- Chalkboard Spray Paint – I used Krylon Chalkboard Spray Paint
- White Paint
- Small Paint Brush
- Chalk or Chalk Pen
1. We’re going to paint the chalkboard first. Using the painters tape, tape off a center square or rectangle. For my board, this was simple, as I was able to use the beveled edge as a guide. If you don’t have a beveled edge, I would put the edge of the tape about 1/4 of an inch from the edge of the board. Make sure all of the edges of the board are covered in tape… you don’t want to accidentally spray them!
2. Using your chalkboard spray paint, start spraying layers of paint. I highly recommend going slow with this. Because this is a previously painted surface, you may have a lot of layers to cover. I start by lightly dusting the paint over the top… this acts as a good primer. It will dry quickly, and you can apply the next layer
3. Continue to spray each layer lightly, dry, and repeat until completely covered. You want this board to have a smooth finish, so don’t get overzealous with the paint… if you spray it on too heavy, it can cause clumps or drips. This paint dries quickly, and does a great job of coverage, so take your time!
4. Once dry, remove the painters tape
5. Although, my edges were already white, they were in terrible condition, and had to be repainted. I used a very small brush, and handpainted the white trim and edges. I happen to have a very steady hand and was able to run my brush along the line of the chalkboard paint without bleeding into it. I don’t recommend this for everyone. If you want to play it safe…. retape along the edge of the chalkboard line before painting with the white paint. Just be sure the chalkboard paint is COMPLETELY dry.
6. Once the white paint dries, your chalkboard is complete! If you want to be able to reuse your sign, use chalk to write your message. For me.. I want to keep this Hot Cocoa sign for future Hot Cocoa Bars, so I used a Chalk Pen. I am in the process of learning calligraphy, and would love to say that I just sat down and handwrote “Hot Cocoa Bar” with ease…. but I did have a little help. On my computer, I set up an artboard to the size of my plaque, and typed my message to ensure it would fit and that I liked the layout… It’s a good thing, because I designed and erased my message about 40 times before I finally landed on this one!! Then I printed it out, and used it as a guide while I wrote the letters.
Now.. go make some Hot Cocoa (here is the BEST Homemade Hot Cocoa recipe!) and get to work! Stay tuned…. I’ll be bringing you all of the details of my full Hot Cocoa Bar in the upcoming weeks!
If you like Chalkboard signs, check out this Framed Chicken Wire Interchangeable Chalkboard Sign!
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