I've just discovered the coolest thing ever: chalkboard contact paper.
The roll on Amazon is $6 for a piece 18" across and 6' long. I wasn't totally sure what do with it when I bought it, but I knew I wanted it. The package arrived Friday and by Friday afternoon this plain boring bar top area became a chalkboard bar top. It took about 10 minutes and should be just as easy to remove when it's time for me to move out again. In the mean time, I love the variety it brings to the kitchen and how it matches the living room.
Carefully cleaning the counter top is important since even a grain of salt leaves a bump in the finished surface. Unroll the contact paper to lay it out straight. A ruler works well to press down the contact paper as you pull the backing paper from under it very slowly to make sure it doesn't get crooked. The trickiest part was using a box cutter to trim the edges once the entire counter was covered. Last, I "primed" the surface by lightly covering it with chalk. I've heard that's an important step for all things chalkboard.
Oh, and I bought a fish! Her name is Fancy. She lives on the counter now. I drew her picture. Because I'm an adult.
A perfect, simple big impact project with little effort for us renters out there! Or homeowners who just don't want to commit.Have you been wanting to try the chalkboard trend? Did you already jump in head first? I'd love to know!
Sheila
P.S. You should have at least a few inches left over from the end and the side. Hold on to them if you can, I've got some ideas in the works.
Looks great! How does it come out when putting drinks on it? Do you know if condensation of cups cause any problems with the contact paper?
ReplyDeleteThank you! It held up great actually through threat of water rings, spills, and general wear and tear. I just wiped it down with a wet cloth when it needed it and it stayed perfect otherwise. I'm just getting ready to move from this apartment now and removed the contact paper that's been there almost 3 years with no issue or residue. This was the most rewarding 5 minute apartment project I've done to date!
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