When I was in elementary school, I loved being called upon to solve problems on the chalkboard; it was pretty much the coolest part about class. Nostalgic and simple, chalkboards have become much more than a teaching tool over the years. Poole’s Diner, a local hot spot in downtown Raleigh, is known for their massive board of rotating specials (among other things!). The trend is widespread, however, reaching into shops, our homes, and WEDDINGS — I, for one, couldn’t be happier!
There are a variety of ways to utilize chalkboards for your big day, and with the ease of chalkboard paint, you really could turn just about anything into a fun writable surface. Today though, we’ll focus primarily on menus.
Whether your style is modern, fanciful, or quirky a chalkboard menu is a delightful way to share dinner plans with guests. A handmade chalkboard menu will be even more spectacular!
I thought long and hard about how I was going to share a DIY chalkboard menu post this month — I considered materials, size, style. I thought I’d go ahead and make one for my own wedding, but I haven’t figured out enough details just yet to know what look I might like best. Ultimately, the process is very simple and the outcomes so vast, that rather than show you step by step how to apply chalkboard paint to your surface, I thought I’d share some DIY tips to help you get an A+ on this easy as pie project!
The Necessities: Chalkboard paint, paint brush, paintable surface
Potential Surfaces: A simple wooden board, a surfboard (whoa!), a platter, an old window, a skate board, reclaimed wood, a lampshade (what?!) …the list goes on. If it’s flat and mostly smooth, you can make it work.
Framing Options (for flat boards):
- Check out local thrift shops for vintage funky frames to re-purpose in any color you’d like.
- Line up (and glue) wine corks around the edge of a painted board.
- Affix split wood or branches (natural or painted!) to frame your menu.
- Think about other odd objects that could frame your board — crayons, spoons, shells, toy cars!
The options are almost limitless. I’m glad I have a year to figure out the perfect chalkboard menu for my own big day! What ideas do you have?
Images: Cake Buffet board, Modern (prestonbailey.com), Fanciful board, Quirky board
