vintage inspired hanging chalkboard

I’ve seen quite a few vintage looking, hanging chalkboard maps lately, and it was kind of love at first sight.

via Restoration Hardware, Design Sponge & shopdirtsa

But I didn’t want a map, I wanted a blank chalkboard for the sparkletots and I to doodle on. Having it hang takes away the commitment of painting with chalkboard paint on the wall and it rolls up so it isn’t as heavy or as large as a framed chalkboard. Plus, I wanted it to be large, to cover a good portion of the wall.

Supplies: wooden dowels (2), wood stain, eye and hook screws (2), chain, chalk cloth (found here), utility knife and a heavy-duty stapler.

Have your dowels cut to your desired length (mine are 62 inches). Then stain them (I used Minwax Color Express in Walnut). Let the dowels dry overnight.

Cut your chalkboard cloth to your desired width. It comes 48 inches long and I cut mine to be 60 inches wide. I used a measuring stick, cutting mat and a utility knife to get my cuts as straight as possible.

Once the chalk cloth is cut, you need to cure it, by rubbing chalk all over, wiping it off and doing it again.

Then staple the cloth to the top and bottom dowels. For the top I used two rows of staples, each staple about an inch from the next, to ensure that it hangs properly and doesn’t rip (in case someone pulls on it).

Insert the hook and eye screws into each end of the top dowel. Then attach your chain to the hook and eye. I found my chain(s) on sale at Crate and Barrel, but you can get them at the hardware store.

Make sure to hang you chalkboard securely to the wall. I just hung mine from the chain, but I might attach it to the wall from the bottom as well if I find it necessary.

I am looking forward to drawing on and decorating it for the upcoming holidays. And if I get tired of it, I can just roll it up and tuck it a closet.

Linked to: House of Hepworths, Whipperberry, Remodelaholic, Designer Garden, Tatertots and Jello, Funky Junk Interiors, CraftOMatic, The Girl Creative, Making the World Cuter, Skip to My Lou, Today’s Creative Blog