How to Make a Removable Chalkboard Wall

Run a stud finder horizontally along your wall. Start at the wall’s left edge, and work your way completely across until you’ve reached the wall’s opposite edge. Listen for a beep or look for a flashing light to denote your device has located a stud, and mark the studs’ location with a pencil dot.

Measure the space between each stud with a measuring tape. Usually the distance between each wooden support is exactly the same. While you’ve got your tape measure out, measure the height of the wall from the bottom of the ceiling (or ceiling molding) to the top of baseboard molding. Also measure length of the wall at three locations: near the ceiling, near the floor, and at the very center of the wall. Note the smallest of the three measurements. Also note the location of outlets, switch plates and other wall fixtures you’ll need to access.

Divide the smallest measurement for your wall’s width by four. Standard plywood sheets come in widths of 4 by 8 feet; most residential ceilings are 8 feet tall, making the plywood sheet’s length a good fit for a regular wall’s height. The wall’s width, once divided by the plywood sheet’s 4-foot width, tells you how many plywood sheets you need for your project. For example, if your wall is 14 feet long, you’ll need four sheets of plywood; you’ll use three without cutting them, and the fourth you’ll cut in half so that it’s 8 feet tall and 2 feet wide.

Cut your plywood sheets to fit the space as you’ve measured it; use a table saw for the large, unwieldy sheets. Cut out spaces for your wall fixtures and outlets with a jigsaw.

Transfer your stud width measurements to the top of your plywood sheets. Make each dot 1 inch from the top edge. Drill a hole through each dot. Drill pilot holes into the stud marks you made on the wall, too. Use a drill bit that’s a slightly small diameter than the hooks you purchased. Twist the hooks into the pilot holes you just drilled.

Pour your paint into your paint bucket. Add your paint, glazing medium and grout power into the paint bucket. Stir the mixture for a few minutes, until it’s well blended. Dip your roller into the bucket, and roll it against the screen to remove excess paint. Your roller’s cover should be saturated, but not to the point of dripping.

Paint the plywood with several coats of your chalkboard paint. Use standard the standard wall painting procedure; create tall, thin and overlapping “V” shapes for seamless coverage across the entire surface. Paint along the edges of the sheets as well, just in case they are slightly visible after you hang your chalkboard wall.

Allow the paint to completely dry before threading the open holes onto the hooks.