Chalkboard Message Center From Salvaged Cabinet Doors

Last year in an attempt to declutter the workshop, we dismantled a corner media cabinet that I was going to "do something with one day". One day turned into months and then into years and it was decided the likelihood of me doing anything with it was slim. As Mr. Frugalista dismantled the cabinet, I grabbed anything thought worthy of salvaging despite the eye rolls of the dismantler.

Fast-forward a year to this month's Thrifty Chicks Chalkboard challenge, a perfect example of why I don't throw anything out. The two doors from that salvaged cabinet were repurposed into a Chalkboard Message Center fit for a princess.

Chalkboard Message Center With Cabinet Doors

Before I get into the details of how I made my Chalkboard Message Center, I should tell you a little about the Thrifty Chicks. On the second Wednesday of every month, my creative junk loving friends and I come together to transform, upcycle or repurpose a junk find based on a theme.


In case you missed it, last month's challenge was to repurpose a License Plate. I turned mine into Children's License Plate Art for my grandson's room at our house.

Chalkboard Message Center Video Tutorial

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Full Tutorial

These are the cabinet doors and thankfully, I kept the knobs too.


Remember the Student Desk That Went All Glam? I decided to go girly girl glam with my chalkboard message center too and pair it with the desk. The desk and chair are at my booth at the Blue Jar Antique Mall and this will be heading there soon too.


The doors are painted using the leftover custom pink chalk paint from the desk. Pictured below is after the first coat and it only took two coats for complete coverage. The paint is protected with Best Dang Wax by Dixie Belle Paint Company.


The recessed part of one door is painted with two coats of craft chalkboard paint.

Tip 1: Did you know another option for making chalkboards is using flat latex paint or chalk paint?

Tip 2: DIY Chalkboards do have to be seasoned before being used. Simply rub the side of a stick of chalk along the board both vertically and horizontally and wipe with a clean rag.

A sheet of cork board is cut to fit into the recess of the other door.


And then embellished in pink with a Polka Dot Stencil.


It is attached to the door with E6000 glue.


The doors are joined together with metal bracket wood connectors - can't get any easier than that.


Now to add some gold bling to the message center. The original wood knobs and two silver bulldog paper clips are painted with Rustoleum Metallic Pure Gold Spray Paint. Once dry the paint is protected with two coats of Rustoleum Matte Clear Coat.


To add a little more bling mini round mirrors are attached to the circles on the top of each bulldog clip with E6000 glue.


The clips are attached to the middle of the chalkboard message center with wood screws. One to hold a stick of chalk and the other to hold a sticky note pad.


Two D-ring picture hangers are attached to the back of the frame and it is ready to hang.


I am so happy to finally put some of those salvaged cabinet pieces to good use. Cabinet doors make the perfect Chalkboard Message Center don't you think? If you enjoyed this repurpose please share it with a friend and/or save it on Pinterest.


Please join me in visiting my friend's blogs to see how they repurposed the items pictured below and turned them into a chalkboard.