DIY Chalkboard Trays

Let's dive right in, shall we? Today's project, the first project of the Sail South Home blog (yay!), is one of my favorites: Chalkboard Trays! Who doesn't love a good chalkboard nowadays? I'm on a bit of a chalkboard paint craze. Bottles, vases, furniture, walls, and yes, TRAYS! Virtually anything can be made into a chalkboard. Tack had a tough time convincing me that French Bulldogs do not make very good chalkboards....

In all honesty, these little diddies are super easy to do, but they are a bit time consuming. 

What you'll need: 

An old tray (or 10)

Chalkboard Paint

Paintbrush of your choosing

And chalk, of course.

Simply start with an old tray (or 10) and wash them down with some soap and water. After they are completely dry, it's time to start painting! If it makes you more comfortable, you can trace out your tray with painter's tape or just freehand it. I seemed to prefer diving right in sans painter's tape, myself.

As for the paint, I prefer the Rust-O-Leum chalkboard paint over the spray version. It is just thicker, more durable and to me, is easier to work with. 

It works best if you paint multiple thin layers, allowing the paint to dry completely in between coats. It may take a couple hours for one coat to dry, so be patient! It will pay off, promise.

 Once you have the paint applied to your liking, let it dry for at least 24 hours before you season it (i.e. rub it down with a piece of chalk and wipe off with a cloth).

And then, viola! A beautiful chalkboard (or 10)!

Now what to do with all of the beautiful chalkboards you've made? Give them to friends and family for gifts! Pictured below are the trays I gave to to my sweet neighbor friends for Christmas this year. 

Feel free to shoot me any questions about the process! Or, let me know if you would like to order some from me.

Peace & Blessings, ya'll!