Creating a Kitchen menu wall
Elizabeth DowningWe wanted to improve the area of the kitchen used for writing a weekly meal plan, shopping lists and the family calendar.
We decided to get creative with a mixture of Blackboard Paint, MagnetPaint, Self-Adhesive Blackboard Wallpaper and a little bit of elbow grease!
Products Used:
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Step One - Mark out the Wall
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Using a laser level we carefully marked out the wall to ensure that the end result was going to be straight and level.
We marked out an area that was going to be a magnetic section.
The plan was to paint this section in three layers of MagnetPaint prior to topping up the whole area with fresh emulsion.
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Step Two - Applying the MagnetPaint
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MagnetPaint is applied in three layers. Normally, it is recommended to sand the surface to a smooth finish before application, however, because the wall has a textured look we decided that we were happy with a textured finish, so we went straight onto the cleaned existing emulsion wall. We used a short nap roller and had no issues with the magnetpaint going on in an even layer. |
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Step Three - Freshen up the Emulsion
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Whilst waiting for the first layer of magnetpaint to dry, we gave the emulsion in all areas other than the magnetic area a nice freshen up. We used Farrow & Ball String to match the existing kitchen colour, however any emulsion can be used with the water-based products we used in this project. |
Step Four - Vinyl Lettering
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We had some vinyl wording custom-made as we weren't confident to freehand the words. We put the days of the week down the left hand side and the plan was to have a box next to each day so we could write in the meal plan for that day of the week. We wanted the lettering to be large and eye-catching and a nice handwriting style font. We found the lettering easy to apply and very effective. |
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Step Five - Measuring out the blackboard paint boxes
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To ensure that our blackboard paint boxes looked neat and even, we spent some time measuring out and marking up the blackboard paint boxes. We used a spirit level and some low-tack decorators tape to mark out exactly where we wanted the black boxes to appear next to the day of the week so we would be able to write in the menu choice for that day. Whilst this was a bit time-consuming it was worth it for the end result. |
Step Six - Applying the Blackboard Paint
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We applied the water-based blackboard paint using a paintbrush. We found it easy to apply and it gave an excellent coverage even on the first layer. We did give it a second coat just to make sure it had a really deep colour and we hadn't missed any bits, especially as we were painting onto a slightly textured surface rather than a really flat surface. |
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Step Seven - MagnetPaint additional Layers
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To ensure maximum magnetism, we repainted the MagnetPaint in three layers, ensuring that the paint was dry in between layers, as per the manufacturer's instructions on the tin. Each time the paint went on easily, without pulling away any of the previous layer. The Dark grey colour got darker each time and the paint dried with a powdery texture. |
Step Eight - Removal of the tape
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Once the MagnetPaint was completely dry, we removed the tape. We found that the tape came away easily and left very clean edges as pictured. |
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Step Nine - Emulsion over the MagnetPaint Area
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To hide the Magnetic Area so that it blends in with the rest of the wall, once fully dry we painted over the MagnetPaint with emulsion. Prior to painting we gave the surface a light sand back to ensure that the surface was as smooth as possible. Bearing in mind that the whole wall was textured and we wanted the final surface to match, we didn't take it completely smooth. It was still a bit textured. Non the less, the emulsion went on really well, and 2 coats was enough to completely hide the dark grey colour and blend the area in with the rest of the wall. |
Step Ten - Measuring and Cutting the Blackboard Wallpaper
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We decided to opt for self-adhesive Blackboard wallpaper for the little section under the magnetic area to write shopping lists. The main reason for this was that it is quick and easy to apply, in any shape and size. Without the need for multiple coats. We measured the area to cover and then simply scored the material using a scalpel and spirit level to cut the material to the exact size required. |
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Step Eleven - Applying the Blackboard Wallpaper
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The Self-Adhesive Blackboard wallpaper was really quick and easy to apply, and ready to be used straight away. Simply peel away the backing and carefully stick to the desired space. We made sure that we smoothed the material down as we went, working from top to bottom, pulling away the backing slowly and pushing out any air bubbles as we went along. |
Step Twelve - Removing Blackboard Paint Tape & Touching up
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Next it was time to remove the tape from the Blackboard Paint boxes. We found that this time it was a little less successful than when we removed the tape from around the the MagnetPaint. This was perhaps because we used a different tape? The emulsion pulled away from the wall a little bit and we were not left with clean edges. However, it was a fairly easy fix as we just re-edged around the boxes with emulsion using a brush. |
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Step Thirteen - Priming the Blackboard Paint
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This step was to ensure optimal functionality of the Blackboard Paint as directed by the Manufacturer's instructions. Priming the Blackboard paint surface helps the chalk write-on wipe-off with minimal ghosting. You simply rub the chak all over the area, allow to sit for a bit, then wipe it off. |
The End Result
We were thrilled with the end results.
The blackboard paint looked rustic and worked really well for writing out our weekly meal plans.
The magnetic area worked perfectly for attaching invitations and other notes and notices using magnetic attachments.
The Blackboard wallpaper was a higher gloss finish than the more matte paint, but looked and functioned really well for writing shopping lists etc.
Watch the reel: