creating a blackboard on a melamine kitchen unit

[The Night Tripper]

Hi All we have the normal white kitchen melamine units - on the cheap and old side as it happens. We also have a 20-month old granddaughter at the 'drawing on everything with wax crayons' stage. There is one side panel which would make a good site for a blackboard. Is it feasible to paint blackboard paint over the melamine, or would we have to have some intermediate paint layers, or would it be a case of creating a blackboard from a sheet of ply and then screwing to to the side of the unit? Suggestions welcome.

Thanks J^n

[Tabby]

Any of those would work, but I'd sand the melamine first with fine paper to matt it before painting. You want matt, not scratched.

NT

[Andy Dingley]

Yes.

Key the surface with 0 wire wool first. Then prime (essential) with real melamine primer (essential). The best of these (better than International's, although I forget the brand) is a clear watery varnish that looks like it can't possibly work, but does. As it's so runny though, take the door off and lay it flat.

Then paint with blackboard paint, which is handy stuff to have around anyway - ultra matt, ultra black. Incidentally you can shine it up with wax polish later, if you want a good black eggshell.

Although you could also use it white as a whiteboard, it's hard to make a DIY whiteboard surface that doesn't stain. If I was trying, I'd put clear sticky-backed plastic over it.

[Lobster]

You'd need to prep the surface first - you could paint it with ESP primer and then blackboard paint; however given that this is presumably a relatively short-lived period, why trash the kitchen unit? Just buy a cheapo kid's blackboard from the Early Learning Centre or ebay, and stick it to the side of the cupboard with double-sided tape for the next couple of years.

David

[Tabby]

Can I quote this on wiki?

NT

[The Night Tripper]

ESP Primer (from a search of previous postings on this group)?

Anyone any recommendations for blackboard paint?

Cheers Jon N

[Andy Dingley]

That's the one.

Feel free to wiki it. Anything posted to Usenet has so little hope of copyright enforcement that I consider it to be releasing into the PD.

[chris French]

In message , The Night Tripper writes

Yes, that's it, I used it when we painted our old kitchen unit doors (worked a treat, the paint was still on about 5 years leater when we moved. don't think we keyed it with wirewool tough.

I used International, because that's generally what is easily available in a local store, and their stuff is reliable.

[1501]

Tricky; since the OP said it was a side panel.