Decorative Magnetic Chalkboard from an Old Screen Door

I have so many projects to get caught up with. Since the kitchen was finished (for now) earlier this month, Karen (aka Splendid Stems) has been extremely busy with wedding season! Karen should be posting on her blog soon (hopefully), but as I know all too well - sometimes you have to keep moving on to the next project or baseball or softball or wedding...it leaves very little time to write...but we will get there I promise. I too have a vested interest in her getting her blog rolling again, because besides seeing and sharing her wonderful floral creations, many of my latest projects have been related to structures I had to build for her creations....and they are REALLY cool! Sorry no spoiler pictures yet.

Karen has always said - she thinks it - and I make it happen. This entry is no different...Karen had this great idea for our new kitchen. She wanted a control center for the family. A chalkboard, magnet board, cork board message center if you will. To her credit - she did most of the leg work on this one. She has been saving the main 'ingredient' for years now from one of our previous rentals. Then she went out and purchased all the other components. She was determined to do this one, but unfortunately ran into trouble cutting the other components to size...and I'll admit - it was not easy.

Decorative Magnetic Chalkboard from an Old Screen Door

We have moved this old wooden screen door from house to house for a while now. Every time we moved I would bellyache, "Do we really need to bring this?" She would say, "Some day we will use that old screen door for something cool."

Step 1 - Remove the Old Screen

Step 2 - Paint
We chose the same paint we have used for all our trim work - see any of my previous painting related entries for the specs.

Step 3 - Purchase sections of flat sheet metal from a hardware store

Step 4 - Cut the sheet metal to size
I used my tin snips to cut the sheet metal to fit in each of the 3 sections of the screen door

Step 5 - Chalkboard Spray Paint
Sand one side of the sheet metal so the spray paint will stick. Spray a primer on the sheet metal. Then spray a few coats of Chalkboard spray paint.

Step 6 - Attached the Sheet Metal

Flip the screen door over so the back of the door is facing up (see picture)

I used self tapping screws to cut throw the metal and into the wood frame.

Step 7 - Hang it

After Pictures

The board is both a chalkboard and a magnet board. We have an old window we want to make into a cork board, but we have not finished that one...yet!

Just the Staples

As you can see the kids have taken over the shopping list duties....hey at least Apples made the list! (thank you Luke).

...who knows maybe one day I will learn my lesson and just stop complaining...because Karen was right - we did make something cool out of that old screen door.