apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Head on down to the hardware store and buy a thin piece of plywood or masonite, and lay on a coat of chalkboard paint.

damn, antimatt you beat me to it.
yep, this is the most obvious DIY project ever.

Nick -- if you're willing to pay big bucks for this, i'd be happy to make one for you!! :)

We had a huge blackboard made for us somewhere in Brooklyn...it was a place that makes them for schools and we cannot remember the name of it (it was 13 years ago).
Damn frustrating.
It was cheap too - around $40.

I'm still googling to find it...

Benjamin Moore makes a nice chalkboard paint in Black. I agree, paint a flat, smooth surface, be it wood or whatever

try:
Aywon Chalkboard
22 Caton Place
Brooklyn NY
(718) 853-2300

WHY NOT JUST USE CHALKBOARD PAINT??

chalkboard paint and a sheet of lining... :S easy

DIY = easy

But it also equals stinky. Chalkboard paint REEKS. No one warned us about this before we made our own board for the kitchen (which, coincidentally, looks a lot like the board in the photo). Make sure you have an EXTREMELY well-ventilated work area. Also, it took more like three or four coats, not just one, which necessitated a couple of days worth of work. FYI.

I've been using the Wall Candy Arts "chalkboard stickers" and they're okay. Not great but okay.

There's a recipe for homemade chalkboard paint on Martha Stewart's website: http://www.marthastewart.com/article/make-custom-color-chalkboard-paint
I haven't tried it, but the idea is deeply appealing.