Whether for your business, for learning, or for getting your art on, there are many ways to use a chalkboard. Here are some favorites:

Decoration: A chalkboard adds a fun touch to any room in the house. Add a greeting or message to welcome guests in your front entrance or create a vibe for any space in your home with a chalkboard sign. Showcase drawings and sketches for a unique art style. Motivate yourself with quotes or slogans that set the tone for the day. Display your weekly meal plan in the kitchen and never hear, “what’s for dinner?” again.

Promotion: Chalkboard signs add flair to your business’s messaging. Promote daily specials on a chalkboard menu or get people’s attention with a witty message. When you’re ready to change things up, chalkboard signs are easy to erase, creating space to write something new.

Organization: Chalkboards are great ways to stay on track. A kitchen chalkboard allows the whole family to add to the grocery list. Make it a magnetic chalkboard for quick and easy access to important papers. Chalkboard calendars offer a fun and colorful way of scheduling your week.

Kids: There’s a reason schools have used classroom chalkboards for so many years. They’re tactile and efficient ways for children to practice writing letters, numbers, and first words. A young learner’s mistakes are never permanent with a chalkboard. Bring out the colors for drawing time and highlight your little one’s artwork until it’s time to erase and start again.

Just as there are many uses for chalkboards, there are also a variety of types to choose from. Think of how you’re planning on using it and explore your options:

• Magnetic chalkboards: Convenient displaying and moving makes these chalkboards a great option if you have a metallic surface nearby. The kitchen is a wonderful place for a magnetic chalkboard where you can keep your grocery list and meal plan all in one spot.
• Framed chalkboards: The added sophistication of a frame is ideal for businesses or artwork displayed at home, giving whatever you scribble, scrawl, or sketch an artsy effect.
• Hanging chalkboards: Looking to showcase your chalkboard on a wall or from a door? A hanging chalkboard is up for the job and eliminates the need for a stand.
• First day of school chalkboards: These signs are great for teachers who want an engaging way to get children to introduce themselves. Students can fill the board with information like their name, age, and what they want to be when they grow up. These also make ideal accessories for first-day photoshoots before kids head to school—simply erase and start fresh each year.
• Mini chalkboards: For small decorative touches or for little kids who want to express their artistic side, consider small chalkboards.

What is priming a chalkboard? It’s preparing your chalkboard by closing the pores on its surface. This makes it both easier to clean and to write on. If you skip this initial step, the things you write will remain slightly visible even after you erase. Priming your chalkboard takes just a few simple steps:

1. Take a piece of white chalk.
2. Turn the chalk sideways and use it to cover the whole board with chalk.
3. With your chalkboard eraser, wipe the chalk off. This wipes some of it into the surface, leaving a light coating.
4. Your board is primed and ready to go!

Chalk markers, despite the name, don’t actually contain chalk. Instead, their pigment-based ink dries into a powdery finish. These chalk alternatives don’t smudge, which makes them ideal for chalkboards that may get bumped. For fast, easy erasing on a chalkboard that requires constant updates, consider traditional chalk.

Use your chalkboard eraser regularly to avoid chalk build-up and extend the life of your board. Too much water can leave streaks and stains, so just a damp cloth is all you need for deeper cleaning jobs. Have some extra buildup? A few drops of dishwashing liquid in a bucket of water can go a long way when combined with your cloth. If you use any liquid on your chalkboard, make sure to let it fully dry before taking your chalk to it again.