I absolutely LOVE my magnet board! I've had it up for several years now and I still use it daily! I get SO many compliments on it that I thought I'd share how we put it together (I envisioned it and the hubby built it - I love when it works out like that!)...
My magnet board accomplished 3 goals:
- To clear the clutter off my refrigerator: it drove me crazy to have my kids playing with the magnetic letters while I was trying to cook! I couldn't open the fridge without prying a toddler out of my way!
- A large, contained area to showcase my kids' plethora of artwork: the fridge just wasn't cuttin' it!
- Something cheap: I couldn't find a magnet board big enough for my wall space that didn't break the bank! We hardly spent anything (I think less than $50.00!).
We built this without a step-by-step photo instruction but it's SO simple, you really won't need it!
Materials:
2 4'x3' Plain Aluminum Sheets in silver (Home Depot has the 3'x3' online HERE - the store has what you need!)
2 2.5" x .5" primed trim that are each 6 feet long (12 feet total)
2 2.5" x .5" primed trim that are each 4 feet long (8 feet total)
2 2.5" x .5" primed trim that are each 4 feet long (8 feet total)
8 Small nails
20 screws
8 Silver Upholstery Nails (Home Depot has some brass ones online HERE - the store has what you need!)
Start by hanging the aluminum sheets on the wall vertically (or portrait) right next to each other. Nail in the small nails in each corner of both pieces. Make sure the sheets are as flush to the wall and as close together as possible. You don't want bowing in the middle!
Once those are hung, cut the corners of the trim at 45ยบ angels in order to make a frame around the metal sheets. When your corners are angled, the longer side of the trim needs to be at least 6 feet along the top and bottom pieces and at least 4 feet along the side pieces (you don't want metal poking outside of your trim!). Pre-drill screw holes in the trim to make it easier to screw into the wall also allowing the screw head to lie beneath the wood making it easier to cover up. We screwed 4 screws along each side piece and 6 screws along the top and bottom pieces - avoiding the corners where the nails holding up the metal sheets already were. Then putty, sand and paint to cover up the screws!
To keep the exposed middle edges of the sheets from eventually sagging outward, use upholstery nails along each side of the middle seam. I used 4 upholstery nails on each side of the seam, (8 total) and spaced them about 1 inch outward from the seam.
Then comes in the real fun! Fill your board with anything you like! I use mine for our magnetic alphabet letters, invitations, reminders, kids' artwork, quotes, chore charts and the like! My favorite thing to do when it's too full and artwork needs to be swapped out, I snap a picture of the board before tossing items - thus preserving those creations in picture form!
Eventually, I'd like to find some colorful hooks to screw into the top of the trim (I've yet to find hooks I want/like). Sometimes the kids bring home artwork that's better hung on a hook than with magnets but I like it all contained on the board. For now, I have 5 clear Command Hooks which suffice.
My favorite magnets have been the Heavy Duty Magnets from Amazon HERE. Well, and all the magnet souvenirs we collect when we travel!
I hope you enjoy your new magnet board as much as I have! The beauty about this is you can adjust the size according to your space/needs. Purchase only 1 sheet and create a smaller board! We purchased the supplies for my good friend as a Christmas present and her wall could only accommodate one sheet - it worked like charm! I don't know if I'd go any bigger than the 2 but if you do, let me know how it turns out!!
Start by hanging the aluminum sheets on the wall vertically (or portrait) right next to each other. Nail in the small nails in each corner of both pieces. Make sure the sheets are as flush to the wall and as close together as possible. You don't want bowing in the middle!
Once those are hung, cut the corners of the trim at 45ยบ angels in order to make a frame around the metal sheets. When your corners are angled, the longer side of the trim needs to be at least 6 feet along the top and bottom pieces and at least 4 feet along the side pieces (you don't want metal poking outside of your trim!). Pre-drill screw holes in the trim to make it easier to screw into the wall also allowing the screw head to lie beneath the wood making it easier to cover up. We screwed 4 screws along each side piece and 6 screws along the top and bottom pieces - avoiding the corners where the nails holding up the metal sheets already were. Then putty, sand and paint to cover up the screws!
To keep the exposed middle edges of the sheets from eventually sagging outward, use upholstery nails along each side of the middle seam. I used 4 upholstery nails on each side of the seam, (8 total) and spaced them about 1 inch outward from the seam.
Then comes in the real fun! Fill your board with anything you like! I use mine for our magnetic alphabet letters, invitations, reminders, kids' artwork, quotes, chore charts and the like! My favorite thing to do when it's too full and artwork needs to be swapped out, I snap a picture of the board before tossing items - thus preserving those creations in picture form!
Eventually, I'd like to find some colorful hooks to screw into the top of the trim (I've yet to find hooks I want/like). Sometimes the kids bring home artwork that's better hung on a hook than with magnets but I like it all contained on the board. For now, I have 5 clear Command Hooks which suffice.
My favorite magnets have been the Heavy Duty Magnets from Amazon HERE. Well, and all the magnet souvenirs we collect when we travel!
I hope you enjoy your new magnet board as much as I have! The beauty about this is you can adjust the size according to your space/needs. Purchase only 1 sheet and create a smaller board! We purchased the supplies for my good friend as a Christmas present and her wall could only accommodate one sheet - it worked like charm! I don't know if I'd go any bigger than the 2 but if you do, let me know how it turns out!!
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