Secrets to Make a Great Whiteboard Wall

Would you love to have a gigantic whiteboard wall? This wall can hold writing to-dos for larger projects and get detailed.  If this sounds like you, you will love this DIY project I did recently in my office.  I believe that if you can get a clear picture of what you want your project to look like, it will be easier for you to implement it and be successful with it.

How to make a DIY Whiteboard Wall

Below is the before picture. It was a mess. I had already started spackling in this picture. We haven't painted in over 12 years, and it needed some TLC.  I spent some time getting the wall as smooth as possible because I didn't want to see too many bumps through the markerboard paper since it was self-adhesive and would stick to the wall.

Tip: If you don't have a paint liner, you can use Glad Press'n Seal Wrap to the line and protect your paint tray. It works great. I overlapped the Press n' Seal several times. I started from the top and worked my way down the tray.  And I overlapped the middle twice.  This helped prevent the paint from getting stuck under the Press n' Seal wrap and then seeping under the wrap and messing with the paint tray.

Back to the project, then we painted yellow on the wall.  I decided to go with Classic Yellow from Sherwin Williams to brighten the office area.

Time Saver Tip:

Be sure to prime your walls if you have a darker color and go with a lighter color.  I forgot this step, so I had to paint three coats on the walls. But if I had primed first, I would have only had to do two coats. Oh well.

Here's the wall painted.  It is bright but not too bright yellow.  I only have one window in my office, which helped brighten up the space.

Supplies used to make this markerboard wall.

This is the product I used: Two - Wall26® - Removable Dry Erase Message Board Peel and Stick Decal Sheet w/ Black Marker Pen - 24" x 36" <<< This one is out of stock right now.

I found another one from Amazon.com(affiliate). Everase Re-Stic Dry Erase Self-Adhesive Peel & Stick Sheet, (24 x 36 in.) Free Marker & Cloth

While the wall was drying, I unrolled the markerboard paper flat on the floor. Since it was larger and thicker than regular self-stick paper, I wanted to make sure I could work with it without it rolling up on me and creating many creases and, possibly worse, ripping the paper.  To do this, I used heavy books to hold down the corners and let it sit on the floor for two(2) days to be sure it wouldn't roll up.  In the meantime, I let the wall dry completely.

Then, my husband and I leveled it as best as possible, and with a smooth side of a plastic trim guide, we started separating the paperback and laying the sheet on the wall.  Little by little, we pressed and removed all the air pockets from the top down, and with gravity's help, we were able to smooth out the markerboard.

We then added the other piece and lined it up at the bottom of the first piece. We did not overlap it because we read in the reviews not to do this. After all, it would start peeling back.  Then little by little, we removed the paper backing and smoothed out all the air bubbles from the second markerboard paper.  It took some time but did work.  We noticed that we couldn't stretch the paper because it created creases on the paper, which was challenging to get out. I was a little nervous because I didn't want it to rip or crease anywhere. But, lucky for me, it only, it did not.

Tip:

Do not stretch the paper because it creates creases paper, which is challenging to get out. I have a few creases at the bottom, but it's so far at the bottom, I am probably not going to be writing down there.

Here is the after picture: What do you think? The first few days, I was intimidated about writing anything on it. I kept saying to myself, what should I write? Being able to write down all the steps made this process more real to me, and I needed to step up and do the tasks I listed. But, after a few days, I took the plunge and started.  I listed things like ebooks steps I needed to finish. Client step by step tasks I needed to complete. And backend blog tasks I still need to finish.

I love it. And, hopefully, it will stay on the wall. It's been about two weeks, and it is still sticking nicely.  It definitely is my special place to write down everything.

Other Tips on keeping your whiteboard wall lasting a long time.

• Use an Expo Marker instead of the marker that came with it.
• It wipes off pretty well, but it may leave a little gray area. I am still figuring out how to remove the markers altogether.  I will update when I figure it out.
• Use an actual dry erase eraser and spray. It works best to erase the markers. I didn't try color yet; that will be my next step.

Other Places to add a whiteboard wall.

If you don't have room in your office, you can use them in other home areas. Here are some other places I would add to this whiteboard wall.

• A Kid's playroom
• A Homeschool classroom
• A Garage
• A Kid's study area
• A conference room in a small office

How much does it cost to make this wall markerboard?

We repainted the walls, so that was about $50.00. The markerboard rolls were approximately $75.00 when we made it.

I hope you enjoyed my DIY Project. What areas of your home would you add a markerboard like this? Please share your comments below.

Updated 2020: Updated modifications I did on this post.

These whiteboard walls held up well over the years, though I found that because of the heat in my office, they shrunk a little bit, resulting in a separation between the sheets. So, to repair this, I added Scotch Dry Erase Tape and layered it over the two pieces to cover the gap.

I also hung Command looks on them to hold my calendar and other papers I wanted to have displayed. I even taped some pictures of family members.

Update 2022:

We added an area to our idea wall. It is called our DIY INSPIRATION BOARD. We used washi tape to divide the markerboard into sections for Stuff needed and notes. Check it out here. Below is what it looks like. The area is super easy to set up and very similar to this one.

Please note these are affiliate links through Amazon, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn affiliate fees if you decide to make a purchase.

Visit some of our other DIY projects below.