Materials
Tilano Fresco Chalkboard paint
Summer Wonder Yellow
Oh la la Red
Sweet 16 pink
Perfectly Pear
1 can white spray primer
½ sheet pegboard
½ sheet whiteboard
1 sheet 1/8” wall panel (any style with a smooth surface)
3 rolls corkboard or ½ sheet of ¼” corkboard (if available)
¾” oak dowel rod
contact cement
2 tubes Liquid Nail Clear Projects glue
4 pieces 4” finish trim
finish nails
white trim paint
drywall anchors
wood putty
2 yds. Fabric of your choice
Tools used
Utility Knife
Drywall square
12” bubble level
Medium philips screwdriver
Hammer
Mitre saw (optional)
Circular saw (optional)
Introduction
This project on my craft room wall turned a drab corner of my basement into an area of fun and creativity. It was amazing how much new life was brought to the room and how much larger my craft room suddenly became. Where I once stored leftover moving boxes, I now find a spot of inspiration and a fun place to display old and new ideas. How you use your wall can be totally up to you, and the squares you use to create your wall can be almost anything you want.
Each square is 14” x 14” and made from a laminated fiber board available at any Lowe’s or Home Depot. The squares can also be 16” x 16” if you want to take up a larger space on your wall.
The chalkboards were created using a 1/8” interior wall panel painted with Tilano Fresco’s chalkboard paints.
Tilano Fresco has so many chalkboard colors to choose from. My thought for this project came after having so much fun with their chalkboard paints in my son’s room, that I wanted a chalkboard area for myself, too. Where better than in my craft room? I picked four great colors that had a fresh, springtime feel to me, and the idea of a chalk and cork bulletin board came to mind.
The following is a guide and instructions for creating this project on the empty space on your wall. This project can be duplicated or modified to fit your own style. If you can mount it to a wall and cut it in a square you can probably use it in this project.
Disclaimer: This project results in your squares permanently adhered to the wall. The alternative is to mount the project to the widest plywood you can find which is likely 48”. This project is 64”, but can be modified to fit 48”.
Step 1 – Planning
There are a variety of ways this project can be completed. I chose a 4x4 pattern, but a 3x4 or 3x3 pattern would work well, also. One of the biggest considerations is how much wall space you have available. The size of this project is a 64” x 64” square (5’2”x 5’2”). Make sure your design will fit where you want it to, and that it’s not too large.
Draw a plan of what type of squares you want to have. There are five different style squares in this project: chalkboard, whiteboard, corkboard, pegboard, and fabric covered corkboard. Find an arrangement that doesn’t put two of the same style side by side. I also found it helpful to put one fabric covered corkboard in each row which I’ll explain later.
Make a list of each style you will need for your layout. Corkboard and fabric covered corkboard are essentially made the same way, with one being covered in fabric and stuffed with polyfill.
Step 2 – Cutting
You will need to cut each square to the correct size as accurately as possible. This project uses 14”x 14” squares.
Chalkboard and corkboards are cut from the plain wall panel and constructed as explained below. Pegboard and whiteboard are usually sold in half sheets and are finished and ready for mounting as soon as they are cut.
You may be able to have the hardware store cut the panels for you. This is by far the easiest method, but not always accurate. They will not guarantee their accuracy, but most are generally good and will be careful if you ask nicely. If your squares are not exact there could be gaps around the frame, or your corners might not line up well. The fabric covered corkboard with its padded sides can be strategically placed to hide some minor gaps, and that is why my layout has a fabric covered square in each row.
The alternative is to cut your own squares using a table saw, circular saw, or a utility knife. Those fortunate enough to have a table saw will have no problem cutting their squares. A circular saw can also make a good cut, but it is important to cut straight so no gaps appear between squares. A fine tooth saw would be best for any of the power saw options.
The final method is a utility knife. The wall panel can be scored with the knife using a drywall square. A drywall square will help you cut a straight line up to 48 inches. Score the smooth side of the panel several times and the panel will break on the line when folded. The backside may tear slightly but only a straight cut the smooth side is important.
Step 3 – Corkboard
Corkboard is mounted with contact cement onto the plain wall panel. It is possible to find corkboard in ¼” thick sheets; however, I was not able to find any large enough for 14” squares. Instead I used rolls of thin corkboard readily available in hardware stores and office supply stores. The thin sheets were cut to size and glued in 3 layers onto the wall panel. 2 layers were not enough to hold a tack well. The cork cuts very easily with the utility knife. The cork can be cut oversized and trimmed after it is glued onto the wall panel.
Some of your corkboard squares can be covered with a thin layer of polyfill and covered with a fabric of your choice. Fabric is a great way to add a pattern to the project and compliment your chosen colors.
Step 4 – Painting
Your desired number of chalkboard squares need to be painted with chalkboard paint. Tilano Fresco makes a great chalkboard paint in the most variety of colors. You can use one or several colors. The wall panel should be sprayed with primer before brushing on the chalkboard paint. The chalkboard paint goes on easily like any normal paint. I used 2 coats of chalkboard paint, although one coat appeared to be enough.
The pegboard can be bought in a white, silver, or brown color. I chose the 1/8” hole pegboard for its lighter duty accessories. The color really doesn’t matter. The pegboard can be painted with the primer and painted to any other color you desire.
Step 5 – Mounting
With all your squares cut and prepared it’s time to mount them on the wall. The pegboard requires a space behind it for the pegs to fit behind it, and the fabric covered corkboard is the thickest square. All of the squares need to be mounted at the same height from the wall. This will be approximately 3/8” away from the wall.
The corkboard and fabric covered corkboard are mounted directly onto the wall using Liquid Nails Clear Projects glue. This glue by far worked the best and was essential to the success of this project. This glue hold the squares onto the wall within seconds of pressing them firmly onto the wall.
The chalkboard and whiteboard require a ¼” thick spacer to be flush with the thicker corkboard. The spacers are cut from the dowel rod using a miter saw or other type of saw. You will need at least 12 spacers per square. The spacers are glued to the back of the wall panels and then glued to the wall. It is helpful to glue the spacers to the wall panel and allow them to dry before mounting to the wall.
The pegboard may have come with spacers in a kit. Some of the pegboard accessory kits also contain spacers. You can also use the same spacers as mentioned above with an extra hole drilled through it. The pegboard is then mounted as normally installed.
Step 6 – Framing
The frame of your choice can now be installed around the mounted squares. You can install the bottom frame rail to help support the project while it is being glued to the wall if you find it helpful. Because this project is mounted directly onto the wall and not on a backer board, the frame is also attached directly onto the wall. The horizontal pieces can be nailed directly into the studs of your walls using the finish nails; however, the vertical frame pieces will likely not sit on top of a stud location. Drywall anchors were used to secure the vertical frame pieces securely to the wall. The nail and screw holes in the frame are then filled with putty and painted for a finished look.
Step 7 – Enjoy
Your wall is now done. Take a step back and enjoy what you have created.
