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How to Paint a Whiteboard Wall

Save money and paint your very own whiteboard wall for fun and functionality.
Prep Time1 day
Active Time30 minutes
Dry Time4 days
Total Time5 days 30 minutes
Calories:
Cost: $100

Materials

  • 1 set Rust-Oleum Dry Erase Paint Kit white or clear
  • 1 roll Painter's tape
  • 1 4-inch paint roller
  • 1 Painter's tray and liner
  • 1 4-inch dense foam roller
  • 1 tub Interior/Exterior spackle
  • 1 Wood chisel optional for wood walls
  • 1 stick Painter's mixing stick

Instructions

  • Determine size.
    By this point, you should have a place in mind where you would like to paint your whiteboard. In order to determine how much paint to purchase, measure the square footage of your space (length x width).
    Determine if you want everyone in the family to write on it; thus, paint closer to the ground to let the little ones take part.
  • Prepare the wall space.
    Patch any existing holes with spackle, let dry, and sand until smooth.
    For new drywall walls, you will need to paint a coat of primer first; otherwise the whiteboard paint will soak in and not work as it is intended. You do not need to do anything if your walls are already painted. But you may want to paint a specific color if you want to use the clear coat whiteboard paint.
    If you have wood walls, as I do, use a chisel to scrape any larger paint or wooden protrusions. You can also sand down the wall until it is completely smooth. I find this too much work, and since you will then have bare wood, it would be best to prime again, like if you had new drywall.
    Tape the area you wish to paint.
  • Now paint!
    Pour the smaller A, which is your resin activator, into the larger B paint can and mix with a stirring stick.
    Next, pour paint into the tray with a liner. Roll a foam roller into paint and roll paint on the wall evenly. Be sure to roll out any paint drips.
  • Tips to Remember
    You must move in a timely manner because you must use the combined paint and activator within 45-60 minutes, depending on the temperature of the room. Leaving the paint in the tray to do something else will cause a goopy, slimy mixture that can no longer be painted on the wall.
    If you want a white-colored whiteboard and intend on painting on top of a dark-colored wall, I would recommend painting the wall white first. One coat of Rust-Oleum is perfect for use, but dark colors will show through.
    You can paint a second coat within 3-4 hours, or when it's dry to the touch. But remember, this second coat cannot come from the first mixed paint batch. That will be a gloopy mess. A second coat will need to come from a new batch of paint.
    Let the wall go through its proper cure time. Do not write on your new whiteboard for four days after painting it.
    Many markers work on this paint: dry erase, wet erase, and liquid chalk markers. As a precaution for reducing shadowing, we make sure we erase the wall each night.