giant wall dry erase board project,... the house hold organizer!
get it together,... and have fun too!
the dry erase board has become an indispensable hub of communication in many homes,... but a new twist on an old tool is to create one of gigantic proportion,... and its a great evening project for one or the whole family.
supplies;
3 pieces of 8ft trim stock or 1x2 white pine
1 piece of 10ft trim stock or 1x2 white pine
1 tube of 100% silicone sealant
1.5" finish nails for applying the trim stock
1 sheet of bathroom board, the kind with the shiny white water proof side
tools;
short hand saw, or a power miter box for cutting the trim stock
small hammer
nail set
caulking gun
power circular saw for trimming board
the planning stage
first course os action,.... planning.
deciding what size is needed and appropriate for your setting is the first hurdle. though your communication needs may justify 32sq feet of message space,... your home or office setting may not accommodate that so think this out.
once you've settled on a size, you can cut the sheet of bathroom board to size. buying in this large format allows you a lot of room to customize your project,... and gets a lot more bang for your buck. the full 4x8 board trimmed in simple 1x2 white pine stained and cut to length, cost about 40$ for the complete project. 3x4 dry erase boards bought at staples or walmart or on line will cost between 35-40$.
the next step in planning is selecting the trim. using a trim that matches the rest f the home or office decor will effect the final cost. simple 1x2 white pine can stained to any color, and routered to dress it up a bit,... and its a money saver.
hands on time
select a wall space that is clean and free of obstructions such as switches or outlets. the project pictured above actually had a cut out to accommodate a wall outlet,... but we won't cover that here.
finding the studs within the wall isn't needed as this is not a structural project, so no need for the stud finder.
remember to use your carpenters square to check the measurement lines, then once your board has been cut to your custom size using the power circular saw, you can mount it to the wall using the 100% silicone caulk as an adhesive. this material will flex over time, allowing for the gentle or sometimes not so gentle movements within a structure, whereas liquid nails becomes very hard and unyielding in short order. the 100% silicone also allows for removal at a later date without completely destroying the wall,... liquid nails does NOT like to give up that which it is attached to..... should you opt for the liquid nail adhesive and them need to remove it later,.... prepare for a hole in your wall,... one of corresponding size to what you are removing.
some tape may be needed to hold the board in place while the silicone sets up, but you may put your bottom length of trim in place in advance of the board itself to provide a rest for it. the other three trim pieces may be put up driectly after the board is siliconed to the wall, to hold it in place. two or more sets of hands will make this a much easier task,... and makes for a fun family project.
let comuniation ensue!!!!
the board pictured is the one in my home. my son and i use it constantly to leave messages for one another,... i wish i could show you some of them,... but that would probably be inappropriate! ha! from grocery lists to events to remember, song lyrics, to foul mouth sayings that weird folks use to express love.
if you build one of these, i hope you have half the fun that we have had with it.