How To: Custom Color Chalkboard Paint

Note: If you're in the Pittsburgh area and would like to make your own chalkboard paint, I have more than enough leftover unsanded tile grout for most projects and I'm more than willing to share. Just shoot me an email :)


ABM's Mixing your own chalkboard paint + Chalkboard magazine files gives you this effect. I think it works quite well on these Knuff magazine files from Ikea!

How To Make Your Own Chalkboard Paint
I generally followed A Beautiful Mess' tutorial on mixing your own chalkboard paint, but I only wanted to use half of an acrylic paint tube, and since that changed the numbers a little I've included those numbers below.

Materials. 1.5 tsp unsanded white tile grout, 1 fl oz acrylic paint, plastic cup, plastic spoon, paintbrush, chalk, and surface to paint.

Step 1. Prepare your surface to be painted. I did a base layer of my desired color, and used painter's tape to outline the section to be painted. Also, protect your work surface with some scrap paper!
Step 2. Mix 1.5 tsp unsanded tile grout per 1 fl oz acrylic paint, in the plastic cup. Mix with plastic spoon until lumps are gone.

Step 3. Paint with chalkboard paint mix immediately, as it begins to harden quickly.

Step 4. Wait for paint to dry. Apply additional layers as needed (I did about 2 applications).

Step 5. Once final layer is completely dry, slate the chalkboard by lightly rubbing chalk over the surface and then gently rubbing it off.

Done! Your custom chalkboard paint is now ready to be written on with chalk!