Paint

Chalkboard Fridge

If you have an ugly old fridge that you want to make more fun, try chalkboard paint to create a chalkboard fridge.

We are not big fans of the fridge that came with our house.  It’s old, glossy black, and just hard to maneuver.  It opens towards the cabinets, and not only are you squashed, but you have to be on your knees to rummage through the fridge.  However, my husband and I are too practical to replace it right now.

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I decided the only way to make this thing work in the space was to paint it.  Luckily my husband was okay with this idea – especially since it will eventually become the garage fridge. First, you need to clean your fridge with a cleaner.  You want a clean surface for the paint to adhere to

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After you have a clean surface, the fun can begin!  I taped off the edges (I wanted crisp lines – even if I was painting black over black).  And, I used a small roller for this project. fridge.4

I gave the fridge *two coats of chalkboard paint.  While the first coat dried, I covered the roller and pan with foil so it didn’t dry out.

*I would suggest using a primer before the chalkboard paint – especially on a glossy surface like my fridge.

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I gave the fridge the second coat with the roller and left it alone for 24 hours.

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The next day, I treated the chalkboard paint with chalk.  You cover the entire “board” with chalk and rub it in with a rag.

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Now, my fridge was ready! I wanted the top to be our family schedule, so I printed out the days of the week along with a cute little design to go on the side.

week.1 week.2 week.3

***You can download the PDFs here:

week.1

week.2

week.3

 

 

Then, I covered the back of my printout with chalk.

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Next, I taped the printouts onto the fridge.

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And I traced over the printout with a pen.

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You’ll get a faint chalk line of your lettering or design.

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I used a chalk pen on my design and days of the week. (See more about the chalk pen in this post.)  This way, it’s a lot harder to wipe it away (you actually have to use water to remove it).  On my weekly schedule, on the other hand, I just write in with chalk and can easily wipe it away every week.

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I followed the same technique with frames for the lower door:

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Here’s the result!

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More to come on the rest of my kitchen!

Go create something!

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34 thoughts on “Chalkboard Fridge

  1. I love that “lunch with Jenny” made the calendar!! Fridge looks good – you have a great way of making things look so pretty, Sara!

  2. Your mom introduced me to your blog and I love your adventurous creativity! If the direction your frig opens is a problem, it may be possible to remove the door and change the handles and hinges. Many refrigerators have the ability to be either right-handed opening or left-handed opening. Check your owners manual if interested.

    1. Hi Becky! Thanks so much for visiting my blog – and thanks for the suggestion! We did look into switching the door, but there isn’t a handle on the other side. Which now that I think about it, may be a good thing. A childproof fridge would help me better control the juice box consumption…

  3. What a fantastic idea! If we weren’t renting right now (fridge isn’t ours) I’d be all over it. Can you please share which font you used for the days of the week? Again, great project! 🙂

    1. Thanks for your sweet comment, Amber! The font is bombshell, and it’s a free font. I’ve been using it a lot lately.

  4. Looks great! I believe most refrigerators come equipped so you can switch the direction of the door easily. Hth

    1. You know, we looked into switching the direction of the door, but there is an obvious handle on one side of both the freezer and fridge. We decided the handle would cause even more confusion if we swapped the way the doors open. Thanks so much for stopping by and the comment!

      1. Looks great – re the handles – the one on each compartment is the same so don’t you just take them off, turn them upside down and then the handle part will be on the right side? So…. the fridge one becomes the freezer handle and vice versa?

  5. Very nice technique with th lettering! I just made two chalkboards for my freezer and fridge. They attach with heavy duty magnets though, so we can remove them later. Also- I have a Lena!! It is rare that I see anyone else with that name. Our Lena is short for Helena. 🙂

    1. Hi Theresa! What a brilliant idea – I love the idea of a removable chalkboard. We’re stuck with ours. I also love that you have a Lena, too. Our Lena is just Lena – it’s not short for anything. I’ve always loved the name. I had a great grandmother named Lena and saved the name until I got my girl! 🙂

  6. I have chalkboard painted on the kitchen wall and have wanted to try the chalk markers. I’m afraid it won’t wipe off though. Does it wash off well with water or is it actually permanent.

    Love your ideas!

    1. Hi Shawn! No, chalk markers aren’t permanent. They actually does wipe of with water (and a little elbow grease). My only concern for you is that I have heard people say that the chalk markers are hard to get of chalkboard walls. I’m wondering if this is because drywall is somewhat soft? I also wonder about the markers leaving indentations on the drywall as well. The markers do require a little more pressure than chalk. If you attempt chalk markers on your chalkboard wall, report back and let me know your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by!

  7. Great idea! I painted the wall in my garage and was wondering if you had any tips on how to clean it It leaves white and I used vinegar and water. Thanks!!!

    1. Hi Christina! Are you saying the chalkboard wall has white residue, even though you clean it with vinegar and water? Or are you talking about the chalk pen leaving white?

  8. I’ve been searching for this font but still can’t seem to find it. Is there a particular website you got it from?

    And I love the chalk pens, but cannot get them to erase. How do you erase them?

  9. Hi,
    Is it possible to change the writing? I mean, how can you clear the writing without clearing the black paint off? If is possible, it would be great just to hand write each time something new. thanks

    1. Hi Eva! You can use water to remove the chalk ink, and it shouldn’t remove the chalkboard paint. The only issues I’ve run into with doing this is that there is often an imprint left behind. The chalk pen requires a lot of force when using, and it can actually dent into the chalkboard paint. However, you can change out the writing without wiping off the chalkboard paint.