DIY Arrow Frame Chalkboard

Directional Framed Chalkboard for the Power Tool Challenge

This month’s project for the Power Tool Challenge is something Fall-ish – a DIY arrow frame chalkboard! It is so hard to believe that Fall is knocking on the door! While my project isn’t exactly Fall-ish, it is something I plan to use it for our annual Halloween shindig. Plus, it can also be used on virtually any holiday, party, or just as a decoration! The angles are easy to cut (nothing super-fancy here) and this project can be completed in a day. (For the record, there is nothing wrong with the chalkboard itself in the photo – my daughter leaned against it while helping me photograph it and I didn’t notice it!)

Materials:

• 1-1/4″ pocket hole screws (<– affiliate link!)
• Sandpaper (80 grit, 120 grit, 220 grit)
• Paint or stain of choice
• Chalkboard paint
• Paint brushes
• Hanging hardware or a French Cleat

Lumber:

• 1 – 1×4 at 6′
• 1 – 3/4″ square dowel at 4′ (or 2 at 3′)
• 1 – 2′ x 2′ sheet of 1/2″ plywood

Cut List:

• 1 – 1/2″ plywood at 18-1/2″ x 22-1/2″ – Chalkboard
• 1 – 3/4″ square dowel at 19-1/4″ – Narrow Frame Top
• 1 – 3/4″ square dowel at 23-1/4″ – Narrow Frame Side
• 1 – 1×4 at 7″ – Arrow Head
• 1 – 1×4 at 7-1/2″ – Arrow Tail
• 1 – 1×4 at 22-3/4″ – Arrow Frame
• 1 – 1×4 at 26-3/4″ – Arrow Frame

Step One

Cut the piece for the chalkboard itself. With the pocket hole jig set for 1/2″ material, drill pocket holes in all four edges of the plywood.

Step Two

Cut the pieces for the narrow frame from the 3/4″ dowels. Cut a 45° miter in one end of each piece – the other end will remain square. Secure the dowel pieces to the 1/2″ plywood using glue and 1-1/4″ pocket hole screws. The back face of the plywood will be flush with the back faces of the dowels.

Step Three

Cut the pieces to length for the head and the tail. For the head, draw a line across the center of the board, then draw lines from this point to the opposite end. Cut 45° angles in each side.

For the tail, this takes a few more fancy lines… Refer to the drawing for the placement of the lines, or my photo for a visual!

Step Four

Cut the pieces for the arrow side and bottom, Cut a 45° miter in one end of each piece and the other end will remain square like the dowels. Drill pocket holes in the straight ends of each piece, as well as the mitered end of one piece. Assemble the arrow portion of the frame using glue and 1-1/4″ pocket hole screws. I placed the pocket holes in the miter too close together and had to add a third hole!

Secure the head and tail to the corresponding ends using glue and 1-1/4″ pocket hole screws.

Step Five

Secure the arrow portion of the frame to the chalkboard. As you can see in the photo, I cut my pieces a tad too short so I had to cut a 45° miter in the 3/4″ dowels so that the arrow portion of the frame would fit. Use glue and 1-1/4″ pocket hole screws, and position the frame so that the back face is flush with the back face of the chalkboard (even with the narrow portion of the frame).

Finish the frame as desired. I forgot to photograph this step but I stained the frame first. Once the stain and sealer were dry, I taped off the edges of the frame and used the chalkboard paint. I applied three coats, lightly sanding between coats.

The cool thing about the chalkboard paint is that it doesn’t just have to be black… There are chalkboard products that can be tinted to a wide variety of colors and there is a clear chalkboard coating that is applied over paint!

Here are some of the other super-cool projects from the Power Tool Challenge:

The DIY Arrow Frame Chalkboard is an easy project that looks so fabulous in any room. Have any questions? Leave a comment below!

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Originally posted 2015-09-17 06:00:39.