How to Make a Freestanding Chalkboard

Create a sandwich board chalkboard for home or business use.

Signs that can be redone and reused make good business sense. Chalkboard signs are ideal for this purpose. Make a freestanding chalkboard to advertise sales or post daily menus and specials. They come in handy for personal use as well, advertising weekend yard sales or as a functional tool for families that homeschool. When created in a sandwich board style, they have a chalkboard on each side and can be folded up and stored between uses.

Things You'll Need

• 1 panel 3/4-inch thick plywood
• Measuring tape
• Pencil
• Table saw or jigsaw
• 2, 6-foot long 1-by-6 boards
• Wall paint
• Paintbrush
• Wood stain
• Chalkboard paint
• 16, 1 1/4-inch wood screws
• Screwdriver
• 2 double-strap hinges with screws
• 1-inch wide webbing strap, 1 yard
• Scissors
• Lighter
• Staple gun

Instructions

1. Cut two pieces of 3/4-inch thick plywood, 24 inches wide by 30 inches long using a table saw or jigsaw. These are the panels for your chalkboard. Cut four lengths of 1-by-6, 36 inches long. These are the legs of your chalkboard.

2. Paint the backs and the edges of the chalkboard panels using a wall paint in a color of your choice. Allow the paint to dry.

3. Apply wood stain to the sides, edges and ends of all four leg boards. Allow the stain to dry.

4. Apply a coat of chalkboard paint to the front surface of each chalkboard panel. Allow the paint to dry for six hours and repeat with an additional coat. Wait at least three hours before continuing with the construction of the freestanding chalkboard.

5. Attach the legs. Place a chalkboard panel with the front side down on your clean and smooth work surface. Lay two legs on the back of the panel, matching one end of each leg flush with the top of the board. The bottom of the legs will extend past the bottom of the chalkboard. Attach the legs to the chalkboard with 1 1/4-inch wood screws. Space eight screws randomly along the length of each leg. Repeat with the other panel and the remaining two legs.

6. Attach the hinges. Lay the chalkboards with the front sides down, tops of the legs abutting. Lay a hinge over the top ends of two matching legs. Attach each flap of the hinge to each leg using the hinge screws. Attach the tops of the other two legs using the remaining hinge and screws.

7. Fold one side of the chalkboard over the other and stand it up. The sides of the chalkboard will resemble an "A" shape. Halfway up the chalkboard, measure the gap between the legs. Cut two pieces of 1-inch wide webbing strap. Melt the ends of the strap with a lighter to prevent fraying. Place the straps across the gaps and staple to the edge of the legs. They will resemble the bar that goes across the center of an "A" shape. They will prevent the sandwich board from sliding apart, but allow the board to be folded together when it is stored away.