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Make a Magnetic Chalkboard

Q. Hello!
I would like to take a large sheet of metal (3' 4" x 4' 6") and paint it with chalkboard paint. This is a craft project that will produce a magnetized, chalkboard for my children. Does it matter what type of metal I purchase, regarding the magnetization? Are cold rolled galvanized, hot rolled equally magnetized? It seems that I would want to purchase a 'rolled' sheet as opposed to a flat sheet due to shipping costs. I know nothing about metals so any recommendations are appreciated!

Thanks!
Jenny

Jenny Carlson
- Ashburn, Virginia, USA
June 25, 2012

A. Hi Jenny.

Any steel sheet, whether hot or cold rolled, galvanized or not, will be highly magnetic. As long as you don't buy aluminum or stainless, a magnet will stick very well. You can usually find galvanized sheet metal in hardware stores, although galvanized is harder to paint (you need to wash it, then wipe it with diluted vinegar [in bulk on eBay or Amazon], then prime it with a self-etching primer before spraying the blackboard paint on it.

You'll probably want to make or buy a wood frame for it, as the metal edges will be very sharp. I recently put blackboard paint on plywood; it's not the equal of slate, but it was better than I expected :-)

Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
June 26, 2012

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