Repurposing Children’s Items Series: Using Chalkboard Paint to Repurpose Children’s Furniture

You may already have the staples to a great children’s bedroom or playroom, such as chairs, beds, and dressers. But suppose you are wanting to give your child’s room a little pizzazz or face lift? If it is not in your budget, you may be tempted to just keep things as they are. But guess what? You don’t have to! There are plenty of ways you can repurpose children’s furniture using a wonderful product called chalk paint.

 

Chalkboard paint is an inexpensive paint you can either spray on or roll on, that when dry create a chalkboard surface children can actually write on. This gives you unlimited options for creating fun and personalized children’s furniture and other items on a dime. If you are looking to add some frugal charm to your child’s furniture and accessories, take a peek below at how using chalk paint to repurpose children’s furniture is a cinch.

Before you begin, head to your local craft store. You can find chalk paint with the other painting supplies for anywhere from $8-$10. You will find it in two varieties: spray or roll on. The kind you choose depends on what project you are doing. If you are doing a project that requires more control, a roll on option would be best. Remember if you are shopping at Hobby Lobby or Michael’s, take your 40% off coupon with you when you go to score this product for even less.

Ready to begin? Let’s go repurpose children’s furniture!

Using Chalk Paint to Repurpose Children’s Furniture:

1. Make personalize chairs.
Chances are you already have small children’s chairs. If not, find cheap ones at a thrift store or discount store. Then, apply some chalk paint to the back of it. You can then personalize the chairs with the children’s names, or label them with names such as “the thinking chair.” The best part is when you are wanting to change them up, just erase and start over!

2. Invoke sweet dreams.
Apply chalk paint to a headboard and then write your child’s favorite poem or prayer on it. They will love sleeping with their head next to such sweet words! You can then erase and change the poem or prayer each week.

3. Create an instant art wall.
Roll chalk paint onto your child’s wall and create an instant art wall. They will be able to spend hours decorating the wall, drawing pictures and erasing as they wish. A small quart of chalk paint can cover an average size wall, so it is a great bargain and an easy way to add instant art to a space.

4. Spice up an old table.
Find an old child sized table and paint the top with chalk paint. Kids can then pull up a chair and color to their heart’s desire! It is cheaper than going through packages of paper, and creates less waste since once they are done they can just erase and start over.

5. Create versatile framed art.
Scour your thrift store for old frames. Remove the glass and spray the cardboard inside. Replace the cardboard back into the frame. Your child can then create all sorts of art, and have a nicely framed piece to hang on their wall. When they get tired of the design, just erase and start over!

6. Make a growth chart.
Roll chalk paint on the inside of a closet door. Kids can then use the surface to trace themselves or mark their height each week or month. They will love seeing how they grow and change even over a short span of time.

7. Make organizational labels.
Apply some chalkboard paint to buckets and bins then write on each object what they are meant to hold. It is an easy way to label toys and small pieces and keep them organized. When the objects change, no need to buy new buckets or bins. Just erase the label and start over.

A few tips and tricks for smooth use when you repurpose children’s furniture with chalkboard paint:

• Apply two coats of paint for each project.
• Allow paint to dry for 24 hours before drawing on it.
• Condition the surface with a flat side of chalk. Just gently rub the flat side over the surface and wipe clean. It will prevent your first drawings from leaving a shadow behind.

As you can see, there are a number ways to repurpose children’s furniture with chalk paint! These projects will spice up your child’s room and turn old furniture pieces into new and exciting pieces children will be able to enjoy hands on! Chalkboard paint is so easy to use, easy to clean, and can totally transform a piece. So give it a try and see how it can help you repurpose children’s furniture pieces!

Looking for more great ways to repurpose children’s items? Check out the rest of the series! Learn how to reuse wipes containers, turn children’s old clothes into something new, repurpose stuffed animals and make new treasures out of unused books. There are so many great ways to reuse what you already have around the house!