DIY!

Chalkboard Command Center

and Family Calendar, Part 1
Holly Lefevre, 504 Main
www.504Main.com

ed it,
This is a 2 part tutorial -
Part 1 is today, the chalkboard and frame.
Part 2 the tags will be on Thursday.

Board and Frame Supplies

www.504 main.com Page 1 of 7

Calendar/Command Center
DecoArt Chalkboard paint, black
Purdy Paint Brush
Rockler, Norton Sanding Bug
Rockler Painter's Pyramids
Rockler Bench Cookies
Gorilla Glue, Wood Glue
Gorilla Tape
Mythic Paint Semi Gloss, Sugar Rush (LOVE this color)
Krylon Indoor/Outdoor, Gloss Black spray paint
One piece of luan or smooth board. I found a piece in the cut bin at Home Depot
and used it.
Saw, if you need to cut the wood.
Molding, enough to fit the frame (with miter cuts on the top corners). I also looked
for molding that have a dip/groove so that the chalk would stay put.
Cup hooks (I could only find gold, so I painted them)
Wood filler
Ruler
Miter saw
Paint pen, white (or color of choice)

www.504 main.com Page 2 of 7

Calendar/Command Center
Tags Supplies (tutorial on Thursday)
• Brass Key Tags
• Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Spray Paint, Dover White, Gloss
• Rockler, Norton Sanding Bug
• Newspaper or covering to protect surface
• Clear number stamps and mounting block
• StazOn Solvent Ink Pad, black
• P.K. Glitz Embossing Powder

DIY IT!

DIY Chalkboard
• Cut (or have cut) the board to the correct size.
• Lightly sand allover
• Paint the board: paint vertically and let dry for one hour; paint horizontally
and let dry for 24 hours.

• Layout the grid of your calendar on a scrap paper/newspaper/butcher

paper

www.504 main.com Page 3 of 7

Calendar/Command Center
 • Transfer the grid to the board either by simply measuring or by use the
pencil lead transfer method (rub a pencil on the back of the layout grid,
place on board and trace over on the front)
• Go over lines with a paint pen (I think drafting tape would work well for a
more distinct line)

• Prime chalkboard by rubbing chalk all over the board and then wiping
clean

www.504 main.com Page 4 of 7

Calendar/Command Center
DIY Hooks

• I could not find black hooks, so I used gold cup hooks (with 3/4"
projection).
• Use an old piece of wood or foam and stick the allotted number of hooks
into it - I used 42 hooks (7 days of the weeks and 6 rows down). Spray
paint with Krylon Black Spray Paint. It took multiple coats to cover the
hooks - be sure to turn the board all around to get all the angles of the
hooks.

DIY Frame

• I used pre-primed molding for my frame. While I typically distress my

projects, I wanted a crisp clean look for this one and decided to splurge for
the primed boards and save myself a step.
• I marked off a 3/4 " border all around my chalkboard and laid out the
molding to measure.
• I measured off the top length and mitered the corners.
• Next I measured for the 2 side pieces. I cut the bottom with a straight cut
and the top with mitered corners to match the top piece.
• For the bottom piece of molding, I wanted it to be perpendicular to the
chalkboard, so I simply measure the length I would need, being sure to

www.504 main.com Page 5 of 7

Calendar/Command Center
 include the side molding in the measurement and made straight cuts on
both sides.
• Using Gorilla Wood Glue I glued the top 2 mitered corners together, and
then placed Gorilla Tape on the corners to hold them together until they
dried (you could also use staples on the back, but when dry that Gorilla
Wood Glue holds like crazy, so I generally so not).

• I filled in the spaces with wood filler and then sanded with the Sanding
Bug.
• Once dry, I painted the 3 sided frame by propping them on Rockler's
Painters Pyramids it was simple to get all the edges.
• For the bottom piece (I was out of Painters Pyramids) I used bench
cookies wrapped in paper to protect them. I painted this piece completely.

Assemble It!
• Once all the paint was dry, I put a line of Gorilla Wood Glue all around the
top edge and two sides and placed my 3-sided frame on the board,
matching it up to the 3/4" border I drew earlier.

www.504 main.com Page 6 of 7

Calendar/Command Center
 • I let this dry before attaching the bottom edge piece.
• To attach the bottom, I ran a bead of Gorilla Wood Glue along the back of
the molding that would be attached to the chalkboard.
• I used Gorilla Tape to securely hold the bottom lip/frame piece to the
chalkboard.
• Once completely dry, touch up any paint if necessary.
• Once all glue and paint is dry, I placed my cup hooks on the grid/calendar
layout: I went in 3/4" and down 3/4" from each top left corner and then
screwed in the hooks (NOTE: my board was thin and the back of the
hooks just ever so slightly peeked through to the back...next time I am
going to see if hooks come with a shorter screw!)

www.504 main.com Page 7 of 7

Calendar/Command Center