Easy to Make DIY Dry Erase Board

Today, we’re sharing an easy to make DIY Dry Erase Board!

One of my greatest joys is being lucky enough to work from home.  It’s definitely a privilege I don’t take for granted and has been a dream in the making for years.

Truthfully, I never thought I would have any coworkers that weren’t the sweet, snuggly and furry type but the pandemic changed that too.

It might seem like working from home is all rainbows and unicorns, especially on social media.

But the truth is working from home takes focus, motivation, and organization skills that are not for the faint of heart.

As we gear up for all things back to school and embrace another season of change, I thought it would be fun to share our easy to make DIY dry erase board.

This project is really simple to create and is one we use to help keep us organized.

It’s easily customizable, you probably already have the materials you need at home and you can complete this project in an afternoon.

Here’s a look at our easy to make DIY dry erase board…

• Large Picture (This one was a thrift store score for $3)
• Damp Lint Free Cloth (to clean the picture frame glass)
• Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (I’m using a custom mix of Old White, Country Grey and Paris Grey)
• Large foam brush
• Zinsser 123 Primer For All Surfaces (You can find it here)
• General Finishes Milk Paint (I’m using Snow White which you can find here
• 2 paint brushes (1 – 1 ½ in work great for smaller projects like this. You can find a great starter pack here
• Vinyl letters (optional)
• Newspaper or Kraft paper (optional)
• Tarp to protect your work surfaces

DIY Dry Erase Board Steps:

I found this picture frame at a thrift store for $3 and knew it would be perfect for a dry erase board.

It’s a generous size at 31 inches long and 25 inches wide.

Using caution and care as glass and staples will be sharp, carefully remove the picture print and any backing.

Once they have been removed, make sure the glass and your frame has been cleaned and is completely dry.

At this point, the front of the “picture” should be facing your work surface and the back of it should be exposed and facing you.

You will be painting the back of the glass to pull off the dry erase board look.

As always use caution and care when handling glass. And be sure to lay a tarp down to protect your work surface.

Next, apply chalk paint to the back of the glass using a foam brush.

You’ll want to use even brushstrokes and a thin coat of paint as you will be layering multiple coats of paint onto your DIY dry erase board.

This is after the first coat of chalk paint. You’ll definitely want to make sure each coat has dried completely before adding another coat/layer.

Once all the layers are dry, very carefully replace the original cardboard or foam board backing into the frame again.

Use caution and care as paint can be easily nicked and the glass and staples will be sharp.

Painting the Dry Erase Board Frame:

While the chalk paint coats were drying, I decided to paint the frame.

This frame has a mahogany style finish which can sometimes bleed through the paint. So, I’m choosing to prime the frame with Zinsser 123 prior to painting.

Place a piece of newspaper or brown kraft paper under the rim of the frame so you don’t get primer on your chalk painted glass.

This is how the picture frame looks after one coat of Zinsser

and this is after two…

It may seem like a lot of extra work for just a frame. But it made the General Finishes Milk Paint in Snow White go on so much easier.

Bonus, all that prep work saved me from having to deal with red stain/pink paint bleed through too.

Adding Vinyl Letters:

Once all the coats of paint on the glass and the frame were completely dry, I used vinyl letters I purchased at The Dollar Store to spell out Office.

But you can spell out anything that inspires you or even skip this step altogether.

Keep in Mind:

I always look through the picture section at our local thrift store. If you’re a treasure hunter, I’m sure you do too.

You can usually find frames like this for less than $10 which makes them very budget friendly to decorate with and to make projects with too.

As you’re buying markers for your DIY dry erase board, make sure to use those that are specially formulated for dry erase use.

You’ll also want to avoid abrasive cleaners. 

I know a lot of people didn’t plan to work from home this long and are having to create a workspace in the bedroom. Some are even having to carve out an office space in an extra guest room because the dining room has officially become a home school space.

No matter what room you’re using to work in though, try and find ways (even if they seem small) to help you keep things organized.

It can help to make a big difference in your workday!

Let us know what room you’re working in these days.  Until next time, I’ll see you on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

Other Office Related Posts You Might Enjoy:

• DIY Office Work Island 
• Office Refresh at Bliss Barracks 
• A Simple Bedroom Office Space 
• Easy Tips for Styling a Bookcase

Many blessings,

CoCo