Can you use blackboard paint on chipboard?
Maybe you have some leftover chipboard from boarding out the loft and you are now thinking about turning it into a custom blackboard for the little terror(s) in your life. But can you use blackboard paint on chipboard?
Well, I did what I do best, and I tested it. I grabbed some chipboard, grabbed a tin of blackboard paint and my trusty brush and got to painting, so let’s find out how I got on.
The Test
So in order to test whether you can blackboard paint on chipboard, I did a little sample painting. I grabbed a few different samples of various materials and painted them all together.
Here you can see all of the different samples I painted. If you are interested in the other tests then they were MDF, Plywood, Pine and Fencing Timber.
Can you use blackboard paint on chipboard?
Yes, blackboard paint can be applied to chipboard. The chipboard gives a nice smooth finish which makes it great for a blackboard. The blackboard paint also adheres really well to the chipboard with little or no prep work.
Do you need to sand the chipboard?
I did not, and the finish was fine, so you don’t have to. But as you can see in the image below the result is not perfectly smooth. So sanding could be advantageous if you were after a perfectly smooth finish.
As the chipboard is relatively smooth and flat already I would just recommend giving it a quick once over with a high grit paper. Something around 120 grit should work well.
Do you need to prime the chipboard?
No. Blackboard paint is very thick and dark, and as such, it covers incredibly well. Because of this, there is no need to prime the surface first. I did my usual adhesion test on the piece of wood you can see above and the paint did not chip or flake.
It has stuck to the surface really well. I tested this by running a rough piece of timber across it to see if any of the paint came away from the wood.
Will it last outside?
It’s funny you should ask that, I was wondering the same thing myself. So I added this newly painted sample to my outdoor sample selection to see how it would last in the great British weather. You can see the sample in its new home below.
It has not been long enough yet to see how this sample has fared, but make sure you check back soon for the updated results. Also, have a look at my can you use blackboard paint on MDF if that’s something you are also thinking about.
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