apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I've never really understood this trend.

Absolutely not....it depends upon where you put it.. I have mine in my pantry and it helps me keep track of things that I need to buy....Of course I would never use the application in the main part of my kitchen or anywhere else for that matter....Using it in a bedroom or elsewhere is so....design Star HGTV' ish....enough said!

i think it still has its place, and if you actually plan on using it to write on. were actually in the middle of chalkboard painting my toddlers closet doors. he can draw now, then when he's in school we can use it to help him learn to read/write. i think its great for kids rooms, home offices, kitchens, or anywhere you need a message writing area.

i don't understand random chalkboard walls though.... i probably wouldn't put it in my living/dining room.

Yeah I'm kinda over it

my mom chalkboard painted our basement a little over ten years ago. i've been in love with it ever since. i'm looking to re-paint my kitchen with it

And this trend started because...? It was silly then; it's silly now. Why would anyone want crap scrawled across their walls and dust all over the floor?

wow. lots of anger about this issue; i recall other posts with the chalkboard paint on different surfaces and
everyone was ecstatic.
I love it. I grew up with a huge chalkboard in my room; but it was heavy...this is such a great option. it works well in my kitchen to write notes; i.e. things we need, to do's, etc.
thanks for the tip on how to repaint over it.

It's absolutely invaluable in the workshop, which already has crap all over the place and everything is covered in dust, and my scrawling notes aren't gonna hurt anything. I've got drawer-fronts painted (for the rollaway workbenches) so I know what's in a drawer and can rub out/re-write per changes, and one wall cabinet's chalkboard front list of all chemicals stored in that cabinet, so I know how much I've got and/or what I need to buy when it's restocking time.

Most useful was painting a row of the insets on the garage doors as well (even if at night this makes it look like I have two rows of windows, what with black-glass above and black-paint-area below). As I told the SO, I got tired of making calculations on wood... and then realizing my notes had just gotten cut up and/or sanded and/or planed away!

Kitchen? better than writing on paper and getting grease/food all over paper, I guess. Sewing room? Would be very handy, same as woodworking, since I tend to refer to base measurements, and can't misplace an on-the-wall list like you can a scrap of paper. Elsewhere in the house? No idea. I think erinpearce is right -- anywhere you need a message board to yourself (or others), it could be useful.

Besides, it's just paint. It's cheap (relatively), easy enough to put in place, and easy enough to paint over. What's not to love about that?

Schools stopped using chalkboards years ago. I'm not sure why people are so enthusiastic about having them in their homes.

I'm enthusiastic about it because schools stopped using chalkboards years ago.

I can understand why this trend became so popular. Its fun to have surfaces that we can create, draw, and write on and then in a flash, erase and make something new! It seems suitable to many purposes (kitchen, kids room, workshop). The dark color draws attention and makes a statement.

As far as the dust goes... yeah. It could get messy. I guess this option isn't for everyone!

@TVsJessica: Ha!

My husband built a huge chalkboard for an odd corner in our kitchen a couple of years ago, and we still love it and use it all the time. At the lower level, the kids doodle on it while we're cooking dinner. At the upper level, we keep my 4-year-old's ongoing list unanswered questions ("How are magnets made?" "Why does black attract the sun?" "How do hot air balloons work?"), so we can respect the question when it happens (usually at an inopportune time) and refer back to it when we have a few minutes to do some research on the computer.

The chalkboard is also fun for wordplay and number games. Kids really respond to the immediacy of seeing their thoughts about words and numbers recorded where they can see them.

We haven't found it hard to keep clean. We just use a damp cloth. No dust, no fuss.

Having said that, while the chalkboard looks great in the kitchen, I wouldn't have one in a smaller space like my office. For there, I'm planning a whiteboard wall. ;)

people who love it: artists and creatives, people with children, list-makers

people who hate it: decor traditionalists, those with dust allergens and/or wall to wall carpeting

i happen to fall into the former camp (minus the children).

If "messy" is your look, go for it!

I like chalkboard paint in small doses--enough for a small wall or space. Of course, I also like lists and doodling.

I think they're wonderful. Loads of fun, they look stylish, and fantastic!

things come into style, and that exposes people to new ideas/products/trends. People who are mainly interested in keeping up with new trends will, eventually, turn up their noses at what they enthusiastically embraced not long before.
HOWEVER, there are people who embrace certain ideas
because they love them. For them, it makes no difference if the hordes of trend followers are later ready to move on, and declare the look "over." I happen to think trend following is pathetic, and something is only "over" when the home maker is no longer loving it.

TammyE - LOVE how you use it to respect your child's curiosity!!!

thekrecs, my sentiments exactly. My home is a canvas and having a space for spontaneous creation is a thrill for me. My only problem is when people write notes for me on the chalkboard, and I can't bring myself to erase them.

I don't judge people who dislike it. Don't see why some feel the need to judge me for liking it.

i happen to be a creative artist who makes lists, and i hate chalkboard paint!

mostly it's because i hate other people's handwriting 9/10 times.

Nothing easier than taking your chalkboard wall to the grocery store with you... The "practical" argument seems really silly.

I can see chalkboard paint being a fun addition to a child's space, but haven't understood the craze for putting it in the kitchen or dining room or elsewhere. I guess the charm of writing and drawing all over the walls went away after my seventh birthday.

I can see it has its place and if it suits your kitchen then great go for it.

I don't really get the point of using it for notes though. I've got a small whiteboard stuck to the side of my fridge. All notes go on there. It's easy to clean, the marker pens are less messy and easier to source than chalk, and I didn't have to paint _anything_ to get it.

k02 just listed practically every reason i would have. i just finished painting a wall in my garage workshop, and i love it.

my wife leaves for work before I do, so now when i go out to the garage, i sometimes see little love notes, or shopping lists, or handy reminders like "dinner at mom dad's house, dont forget!"

you can buy chalkboard markers if you are worried about dust....

I still think it serves a purpose in kids rooms and offices, and in the kitchen as well.

jmlo: you actually let your spouse near your workshop? I built the SO a library specifically so he'd stay out of my play-area, err, workshop!

I have a blackboard wall in my kitchen. It's fun, and I like having that "color" as a accent. So I'm happy with mine!

It's a trend I've never been fond of, this comes from an eccentric artist type.

I still think it's quite fun in small doses or in a child's room.

Schools don't use chalkboards anymore? What do they use instead?

This post's title is: How to Paint Over a Chalkboard Wall.

Hmmmm.

Do people really have a problem knowing how to do this? Is this a burning question? You paint over a chalkboard wall the same way you paint over ANY painted wall: clean/sand/prime/paint. It's not rocket science.

Chalkboard paint is a trend/fad/whatever that I happen to love. I won't be painting over mine any time soon. But when I do, I won't need any instructions.

BTW, nice comeback, TVsjessica.