How to Paint Your Fridge with Chalkboard Paint

This post is brought to you by Lullaby Paints.

Few things in life make me as happy as zero VOC paint. I'm not even kidding. I love paint. I love color. But breathing toxins while painting and then for years afterwards? Not so much. 

If you're not familiar with VOCs (or Volatile Organic Compounds), in short they are toxic fumes put off by items like traditional paint, varnish, plastic, some glues and more. 

VOCs are why traditional paint smells bad. But VOCs aren't just the smell - paint will off-gas toxic VOCs long after the paint has stopped having a scent - like for three to five years long! 

The EPA has listed indoor air pollution among the top five hazards to human health - and VOCs play a large part of that. 

So if you care about reducing your overall toxin exposure, you want to pick zero VOC items as often as possible. 

Our goal is to only use zero-VOC paint on any items that will live inside our home. 

So while I've had a few fun chalkboard paint ideas in mind for a while now, I wasn't aware of any non-toxic solutions I felt good about using around my family so those ideas never went anywhere. 

Until I learned about Lullaby Paints and their chalkboard paint line. Not only is it non-toxic just like their regular indoor paints but it comes in lots of fun colors, too!

Supplies

• Sponge
• Zero VOC Primer (Lullaby sells this if you don't have it on hand)
• Paint roller for primer
• Lullaby Paints Chalkboard Paint Kit
• Large zip top plastic bag
• Extra chalk 
• Soft cloth or towel

Directions

Step 1: Clean

Clean your fridge well with a sponge and warm water. Don't use spray on cleaners as these may leave a residue. Allow to dry completely.

Step 2: Prime

Apply painters tape from chalkboard kit to the edges of the fridge and any nearby hardware. Tape down a piece of newspaper at the base of your fridge to protect the floor. Use a paint roller to apply primer to the side of your fridge you would like the chalkboard to appear on. Allow to dry completely.

(We are priming because we are painting a shiny metal surface. If you are chalkboarding a wall or other non-shiny painted surface, you can skip the primer)

Step 3: Paint

Squeeze or shake the paint pouch to mix the contents well. I love the pouch the paint comes in because not only is is easy (and kind of fun!) to mix the paint but any leftovers aren't going to get dried out like they will in a big can with lots of air room.

Squeeze some paint into the tray included in the kit and dip the roller, rolling it on the bumpy ramp of the tray to coat the roller evenly. Apply chalkboard paint to your fridge using up and down strokes. Allow to dry at least 6 hours.

While the paint is drying on the fridge, store your whole paint tray and roller in a zip top plastic bag and pop it in the fridge. This will keep the paint from drying out while you wait for the fridge to dry and save you the extra step of cleaning everything in between coats.

After 6 hours, apply a seconds coat. This time, apply paint in horizontal strokes. Allow to dry at least 6 hours before re-evaluating coverage (store paint roller and tray in zip top bag in fridge again while waiting). 

If needed, apply a third coat using vertical strokes again. Remove painters tape.

Allow paint to dry at least 6 hours or longer before moving on to step 4.

Step 4: Prime Chalkboard

Once the paint is completely dry, prime the surface by rubbing the side of a piece of chalk all over the surface of the chalkboard. 

Use your soft cloth or old towel to rub the chalk into the paint and remove any excess. 

Since you are priming such a large surface, you may need to shake your cloth out part way through. Continue rubbing until most of the chalk is removed from the surface.

Step 5: Have Fun!

Of course the fun part is drawing on your new chalkboard. I drew a simple calendar on the top third and left the bottom for kiddo creativity.

Want to Paint Your Fridge with Chalkboard Paint?

UPDATED August 2019

This blog post was originally written in 2013 and sponsored by Lullaby Paint to promote their chalkboard paint kit. 

While Lullaby is still in business, they no longer sell the chalkboard paint kit shown throughout this tutorial.

Luckily more non-toxic, zero VOC chalkboard paints are on the market in 2019.

You can still get the same results from this tutorial by using FolkArt Chalkboard Paint and the FolkArt Foam Roller.

About the Author:

Carissa Bonham is a lifelong crafter and mom of two creative boys. The owner and lead writer at Creative Green Living, she won the Craftys Award for the "Best Craft Blogger" category in 2016 and the ShiftCon award for "Best DIY Blogger" in 2018.

Her goal is to empower families to make easy projects and healthier choices that are beautiful and delicious! She is also the author of the hardcover cookbook, Beautiful Smoothie Bowls (Skyhorse, 2017) and Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens (Skyhorse, 2018). 

Her projects have been featured in magazines like Kids Crafts 1-2-3, Capper's Farmer and Urban Farm Magazine. Follow her on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter or join the Creative Green Living Tribe.

Do you like this post? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter!

When you subscribe you can download our FREE Recycled Crafts E-book!