Farmhouse Headboard with DIY Chalk Paint

Happy Tuesday Ya'll!

Today I wanted to show you a cheap and easy way to make chalk paint. We will be making a Farmhouse Headboard using this mixture. The end result is below!

The materials below like paste wax and Plaster of Paris last for a LONG time, so they are a great investment!

Materials Needed:

Several-Sponge Brushes

Stain

Latex Paint

Paste Wax

Plaster of Paris

Measuring Cup

42-2 in. Screws

7-1 in. x 6 in. x 12 in. boards or 14- 1 in. x 6 in. x 8 in. boards

If you can find the 12 inch boards, it's cheaper!

Q-tips/Cotton Swabs

This particular headboard is for a queen size bed. It is 7 feet tall and 5 feet wide.

The first step to making the headboard is to get the wood. If you buy it from Home Depot, they will cut it for you. The boards are 1 in. x 6 in x 12 feet. If you can't find this size, then buy a 1 in x 6 in x 8 feet. Ask the employees to cut the boards down to five feet. ***Make sure to check to see if your wood is warped. It is VERY difficult to get a warped piece of wood to screw into the wall. 

The next step is staining the wood. Lightly sand the boards before staining. Choose whichever stain you would like to show through when you sand the white paint. If you already have wood furniture in the room, try to match the stain you currently have. Use the 

Next we make the chalk paint! This is the easiest chalk paint, and you will never have to buy it again! Mix 1/3 of a cup of water with 1/3 of a cup of Plaster of Paris, make sure there are not any chunks! Add 1 cup of latex paint, and mix completely. 

Before painting the boards, make sure the stain has had 24 hours to dry. Next, use the sponge brush to paint one coat of chalk paint onto one side of the boards. You do not have to paint both sides! Just make sure to paint the edges. Hint: the more coats you paint, the less distressed your look will be. 

Chalk paint dries quickly! Wait about 2 hours, and then begin to sand until desired distressed look on the boards. Then wipe down any excess debris off of the boards.

Use an old cloth to apply Paste Wax to finish the boards. I love to use the Miniwax brand for this! The Paste Wax I currently have has lasted for 3 large pieces of furniture, and I still have more to spare!

Let the Paste Wax settle, and you are ready to hang the boards! We prefer to drill holes into the boards, so that they are easier to hang. You will need to drill 6 holes into each board if you do this (2 on the left, 2 in the middle, and 2 on the right---one on top of the other). 

Once the holes are all drilled, use the 2 inch screws to hang the boards. Be sure to check after each board to see if they are level. 

Design hack with the Q-tips! I use Q-tips to coat the screw heads after they are in! This way, you don't see bright and shiny screws from your headboard, unless you want to! If you paint them before, the drill may strip the paint!

Hopefully you enjoyed this new rustic design hack!

Hannah

Elegant Ranch Decor

Hello everyone! Welcome to my new blog about How to decorate using a rustic style at an affordable price. 

I am a fifth grade teacher, so I know what it is like to decorate on a budget. Most of us do not have the time or the dollar to decorate our homes. So, how do we make them look nice and appealing? Over the last year, I have found and learned some amazing things while decorating my house.

I am just a simple, southern girl that wanted her house to look nice. I hope these ideas can help you budget and feel cozy in your home!

My first hack for you to view is the mason jar flower decor. It's time to brighten up your home for spring!

The easiest way to make this on a budget is to either visit Hobby Lobby or At Home (Garden Ridge). I looked on Pinterest and found a bouquet that I loved. Hobby Lobby typically has sales every week. They can include glass jars and flowers. Otherwise you can print their 40 percent off coupons to save a few bucks!

After finding the bouquet you like, see if the link provides the type of flowers. The ones included in my picture are sunflowers, baby breath, and royal blue carnations. You can include any type you like! 

Place the taller flowers in the middle. I used 3 sunflowers. Then I used the blue flowers to the right and left of the sunflowers. Be sure to bend these down slightly. You want the jar to look full and poofy. If you leave them as is, the flowers will bunch together too much and stick straight up. 

Then the baby's breath was added to the front and back of the bouquet. You have to play with the baby's breath and bend it a bit to make it look more natural. 

I have attached a wire hook around my mason jar so that I may hang it. Hobby Lobby sells these as well!

That's your design hack for the day! Let me know if you have any questions!