Easy DIY Magnetic Scrabble Chalkboard

“One of the things I love about blogging is how friendships and relationships are formed both locally and abroad (the wonders of the internet, hey). Today’s guest blogger is the lovely Erica from the blog Dwell Beautiful – a blog of ‘beautiful solutions for everyday living’. Erica shares a fun DIY which would make the perfect addition of any home, because who doesn’t love a game of scrabble?!? I can definitely see me whipping one of these up in the future for the kids to play with, plus it makes a great addition to the holiday packing list for when the weather packs it in.”

Hello, friends! My name is Erica and I blog over at Dwell Beautiful! My blog is all about crafts, DIY, home decor, current interior design trends and home owner advice. I’m so excited and honored to be guest posting for Lydia today as she celebrates the arrival of her new little one! Congrats Lydia and family!! Babies are just the best 🙂

Today I’m here to show you how to make an awesome magnetic scrabble chalkboard from a dollar store baking tray. This is a great and easy DIY that makes for a great kid’s toy on long car trips or for family game night!

Whenever I hit up my local dollar store, I just love going up and down all the aisles to find the best stuff! I hit up the cooking/baking aisle and a shiny metal baking tray caught my eye. I had some scrabble tiles lying around at home and when I saw the baking tray I knew it would be perfect for making a magnetic scrabble chalkboard!

Magnetic Scrabble Board Materials

– Baking tray

– Chalkboard paint (I used a spray version)

– Spray paint in any other color

– Thin magnetic strips

– Scrabble tiles

– Ribbon

– Hot glue gun and gluesticks

– Canvas drawstring bags

Step 1

First, cut your magnetic strips into squares. Peel off the paper backing and then press them to the back of your scrabble tiles. You can often find old scrabble games at thrift stores or for cheap on sites like Amazon and Ebay. If your magnetic strips don’t come with adhesive already on the back, you can use little dabs of hot glue to stick them to the tiles.

Step 2

Tape off the edges of the baking tray. Make sure you get a sharp, crisp line around the edge of your tray. Cover the interior of the tray with chalkboard paint, either by using a spray or a regular brush and paint. Add a second coat if it needs more coverage!

Step 3

Once the chalkboard paint has dried, protect the chalkboard surface of the baking tray up with some paper and then carefully tape around the edges, once again making a nice crisp line. Take another color of spray paint and paint the edges of the baking tray. I used gold because it fits in well with my decor, but feel free to use a bright fun color if this will be a game for a child!

Step 4

Once the spray paint is dry, remove the paper and tape. Now it’s then time to ‘season’ the chalkboard! Take a stick of chalk and rub the flat side of it over the surface of the tray and then blend it in using your fingertips for a smooth finish.

Step 5

If you’re going to be hanging this magnetic scrabble chalkboard in a hallway or playroom, flip your baking tray and use a hot glue gun to attach a loop of ribbon. This is totally optional!

To keep all the pieces in one place, take some mini canvas drawstring bags and attach them to the bottom of your tray either with hot glue or tape. I opted for tape so I could remove them in the future and if I decide to use this as a car travel game. These baggies are great to keep the extra pieces in and so you can separate the tiles out between the players during a game!

And here’s my finished magnetic scrabble chalkboard from a dollar store baking tray!

This magnetic scrabble board makes for some adorable and quirky home decor! I put mine in a high traffic hallway in our home so my husband and I can have an ongoing game or leave messages for each other. It’s super fun! This board also work great as a travel set to keep kids entertained in the car for either drawing or playing a game with a sibling. The little baggies can hold either chalk, the magnetic game pieces, and more!

Thanks SO much again to Lydia and Always Made with Love for having me along to share this crafty post with you all! Be sure to check out all her other great posts that she has coming up. You seriously don’t want to miss out. And congrats once again to the happy family 🙂 Be sure to drop by Dwell Beautiful sometime to say hello!

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