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Turn Any Flat Surface into a Dry Erase Board

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Oops! Have you ever said something you wish you could take back? It happens to me regularly. You’d think I’d be used to it by now. Well, here I am again. I wrote this great post, but then the next day, realized it was wrong! My dry erase board doesn’t erase, if you leave the marker on it to dry more than a day. I didn’t realize this until after it was out there all over the internet. However, I found that it does work great if you use regular markers on it, then erase them with a damp paper towel. The process described below still applies, and you get to use regular markers without all the chemicals of dry erase markers. So I decided to let the post stand, with a few corrections throughout (in red). I hope it’s still helpful to you, even though it’s really just a marker board, not an actual dry erase board. Read on to see what you think and feel free to leave me feedback in the comments!

I have more dry erase boards, message boards, chalkboards, and magnetic list pads strewn around my house than I care to admit. I keep thinking the next one will be just the thing to get me organized. Turns out, it helps if you actually use them.

Well, for me to use something consistently, it also helps if it’s cute. Enter my new find from Target. I found this piece of wall art with a cute yellow chevron pattern, that’s just tailor-made for my office. Now, what to do with it? Turn it into a dry erase marker board of course!How to turn any flat surface into an erasable marker board

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I was inspired by Rustoleum Dry Erase paint. But then when I went to buy some, I sadly discovered that a small quart sized bottle costs about $20. Hard to justify that expense to embellish my $3 clearance find. But by now I was determined to find a way. Next I tried Mod Podge. Y’all know I love my Mod Podge. I figured since it dries to a nice gloss finish, it just might do the trick. Well, in a way it sort of worked, but I couldn’t get it painted on smoothly enough. I could mark on it with no problem, and it erased fine, but the ink got stuck in all the brush marks. There had to be another way.

Finally I remembered using contact paper on another project, and how smooth it felt to the touch. I wondered if that would work? And it did! Like a charm. (For a while.) So for an extra $5, I was able to finally get my cute dry erase marker board. I just know this will be the one that keeps me organized!

Here’s how to turn any flat surface into a dry erase marker board, for less than the cost of the markers you’ll use on it…Marker Board SuppliesWhat you’ll need to make your own marker board:

  • Something with a flat surface. This would be really cute to do with a photo, or even scrapbook paper glued to a piece of wood or foam board
  • One roll (or much less) of Contact paper, the glossiest finish you can find
  • Scissors
  • Pen or pencil
  • Squeegee or something similar with a flat edge, like a ruler or a credit card

Marker Board Process:

  1. Make sure your flat surface is clean and dry.
  2. Measure and mark the contact paper with the dimensions of your project.Measure & Mark
  3. Cut the contact paper and carefully remove the backing paper.Remove Backing
  4. Affix it gently to your project. You can re-position it if it’s not quite right.Positioning Contact Paper
  5. Working from the center toward the edges, use your squeeqee or flat edge to smooth out all the bubbles and wrinkles.Smooth out the wrinkles and bubbles
  6. Write yourself a fun, congratulatory note on your new board, using regular markers, such as Crayola. Then simply wipe off with a damp cloth or paper towel.Written Note

Quick tip: Do you ever get residue on your boards from dry erase markers that won’t quite erase? A quick swab of rubbing alcohol will make that board as good as new. It also works on walls that have been, um, “decorated” with errant dry erase markers in the hands of an enthusiastic toddler. This part is still true!

See how organized I am now?

See how organized I am now?

Anyone need some contact paper? I now have a 24 foot roll, with about 1 foot of it missing. Oh well, I’m sure there will be another project some day….

Update: I’ve since found actual dry erase sheets that look like they’d be a better fit for this project, if you want to use dry erase markers. You would follow the same process as this one to apply them to your surface. So there you have it, two ways to make a marker board or dry erase board!

Comments

    • Thanks! And check the post again for revisions before you do! I just discovered it’s really not great at all for dry erase markers, but works for regular markers. So sorry!

      Reply

      • Thank you. This was extremely helpful. I have students who benefit from gross motor activity, plus they just love writing with markers. If they go to the overhead and write, it’s really no different than writing on their own paper. Anyway, wanting to turn these ugly tables and concrete walls into dryerase boards. Suggestions?

        Reply

        • Hi Dan, I’m glad it’s helpful! I know my kids love markers too. You can also buy large sheets of dry erase plastic, that you could cut down to fit the desks, or apply to the walls. Or simply wrap the desks in contact paper too. The added bonus of contact paper is that it’s pretty good about being removable. (I would test it out on the wall first, to make sure it doesn’t affect the paint!) Good luck, and my best to your students!

          Reply

  2. Wow! Your discovery is so clever! I love your dry erase board. It looks awesome! You know, that extra contact paper could be used on children’s table tops and other similar projects. I have a dry erase board that needs to be redone and wasn’t sure what to do with it. Thank you so much!

    Reply

    • Thanks Robin! I love the idea of putting it on kids table tops! Also, check my revisions if you’re going to use it for dry erase. I can’t get mine to erase, once it’s really dry! So sorry! But it works great for regular markers – and bonus – you can use washable markers which are great for kids.

      Reply

      • Thank you for the alert. I haven’t done this yet (need to buy the contact paper). Hey, we all have a project learning experience ( I do quite often!) 🙂 I like the idea of using the washable markers because of all of the colors available. Not to mention my son has a box full. That error you had actually gave us a more exciting project than dry erase! Kudos!

        Reply

    • Thanks Rachel, but I just discovered that once the ink is really dry, it doesn’t erase without rubbing alcohol. OOOPS! So sorry to mislead you. But it works great if you use regular markers and just erase them afterward with a damp cloth. I still love mine, but didn’t want to mislead you.

      Reply

  4. Ha! I only wish that all the things I said and wanted to take back were as benign as this Meredith! It’s still a really coll idea and fun and actually motivating because you can customize it to fit a meeting theme, or something that is just sheer personality! Regular markers are great anyway:) Thanks for coming back to tell us:)

    Reply

    • Ha! Susan, you’re so right. This one isn’t half as bad as some of the other things I shouldn’t have said in my life. 🙂

      Reply

  7. I have a three day rule for stupid stuff I say or do. If, after three days i am still feeling like a complete idiot then I will do what I can to correct the situation. If that feeling of being a ridiculous moron has passed, then I leave it be. I don’t think you have anything to worry about Meredith; ever.

    Reply

  8. Hi Meredith; I think you handled his perfectly. Instead of worrying about the mistake trying to delete the post and put up a new one you just edited it and threw in some humor. also its great to know yourself so well. and i believe that this time you will in deed finally get organized. 🙂 take care, Max

    Reply

    • Thanks Max, I think a little humor always goes a long way in fixing problems, whatever they may be. And thanks for your faith in my organizing! 🙂

      Reply

    • Ha! Ken, maybe covering his walls in contact paper isn’t such a bad idea! It would be sort of like a mess-proof room. 🙂

      Reply

  10. This is awesome! I always love stopping by and seeing your great ideas. You could really turn a house into a living memo pad with this.

    Don’t worry about your retraction. It’s cool that you still did that. I think more people would applaud you for that than anything else.

    Reply

    • Thanks! You really could. I’m thinking of doing something for my kids next, so they can use their markers whenever they want…

      Reply

  11. Hi Meredith – I love the way you turned this around. I think I might try this on a piece of plywood so when the grandkids come I can set it on the table or floor (kids love sitting on floors, don’t they?) and they can mark it up whatever way they want – washable markers noted.
    Lenie

    Reply

    • Thanks Lenie! I bet the grandkids would love it. Those washable markers are one of the best inventions ever for kids.

      Reply

  12. Hi Meredith, you are awesome!
    That is a great idea to make a dry erase board. Write on it with crayola is more interesting and fun. I want to do this project. I sure want that contact paper.

    Reply

  14. What a great idea and much better than needing to spend $50 on the special dry erase paint. I used to have a set of 25 small dry erase boards for my classroom which I bought with some rare extra funds. The more frugal science teacher would go to Home Depot and get pieces of show stall fiber glass cut into squares to serve the same purpose. As you can imagine, students are very hard on the markers, but the boards last well.

    Reply

    • Interesting! I wouldn’t have thought of the fiberglass. Teachers are the most creative people on earth, I think. They have to make their money go farther than most average people. And kids love marker boards!

      Reply

  15. Fabulous! I bet my two granddaughters would love a handmade gift like this. Who would have thunk it. Thanks for the instructions and final product pictures.

    Reply

    • Thanks Pat! Kid’s love to use markers, and what better way to let them than with something they can use over and over again? Glad you liked it…

      Reply

  16. I love this and it looks so easy! What a great idea! This is definitely going to be used as a gift for someone. I’m sure I could put a dry erase board to good use as well. I need a little help with organization. 🙂

    Reply

    • Thanks! Yes, I was thinking of college students too. I wish I’d known about this when I went off to college.

      Reply

    • Jeannette, I envy you! I’m one of those “piles of paper” people. If it’s not out in plain sight somewhere, it doesn’t exist. I keep trying to train myself to use online notes, but so far no luck…

      Reply

  21. Is your desk really that neat all the time? hahahaha – I love this idea. I must admit I do have a big dry erase board in my office on an easel and I use it all the time. The markers are nasty though, smelly. The one you did is cute and who cares if it is just a marker board and not dry erase. Thanks for correcting. Maybe I will try this project….. maybe 🙂

    Reply

    • Hahahaha Laurie, that’s really funny. Right now, I’ve got barely enough space on my desk to type, between all the piles that have built up since I tidied up for that picture. Oh well, do as I say, and not as I do… 🙂

      Reply

    • Thanks Erlene! Yes, you can use regular waterbased markers. You can also use dry erase, but they will only erase with rubbing alcohol, so at that point, it’s not really a “dry” erase board. But it would work, if you don’t mind keeping dry erase board spray or rubbing alcohol handy. And I’m heading over now to share on Merry Monday… 🙂

      Reply

  27. Even with regular markers it’s a great message board. Thank you for linking up to the Bloggers Brags Pinterest Party. I have pinned your post to the Bloggers Brags Pinterest board.

    Reply

  29. I did a similar thing at work, just laminated a nice bit of clip art border so we can pop up on the notice board when the next team meeting is. 2 months in it’s got a lot of smeary marks – those pens really shouldn’t have the word “erase” in their title! I think glass works well, but I don’t want glass pinned to a notice board!
    If you do get pen stuck where you don’t want it , esp permanent marker on a dry wipe board you can get it off my scribbling with a dry erase marker then wiping both off really quickly. It gets most off then alcohol will bring the rest off – but don’t take vodka into work for this purpose you may be tempted to take a swig mid morning – I speak from experience!
    I might start trying just regular felt pens on our laminated paper and see how we get on. Loving your tidy desk btw, all the little splashes of yellow, sigh, my desk needs a makeover.

    Reply

    • Haha! Vodka and work don’t mix, I guess. Unless you work from home, like me! And don’t worry, my desk only looks tidy like that for pictures. 🙂

      Reply

    • If you give the washable markers just a second or two to dry, then they won’t smudge. Maybe if you’re lefthanded they would smudge a little if you touch them as you’re writing. But in general, they dry quickly and won’t move until you erase them.

      Reply

  31. I just googled “dry erase contact paper” and the brands that came up got mixed reviews. Is that what you used, or was it regular contact paper? Have you used any of the dry-erase contact paper? Just looking for other people’s experiences with that material before I cover a large area of my wall. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Hi Karen, this was just regular clear contact paper. I’ve heard mixed reviews about the dry erase paper too, and there’s nothing worse than a dry erase board that won’t erase! Sorry I don’t have a better answer for you…

      Reply

  32. Hi. So just to confirm, it works with regular markers and some dry erase markers? What type of markers do you use?

    An idea I had a while ago… I wanted a large board to draw on, I taught kids drawing classes. You can purchase large pads of paper that are like an easel but I didn’t like the waste. I wanted a dry erase board that wasn’t really expensive. I remebered a yoga studio I went to that laminated their new client info form, scared it then wiped it clean for the next person.

    I asked a printing company about the cost for a large page, maybe 3 x 4 feet and I think it was thirty dollars. I think that’s about half the price of a board, and I old roll it up and take it with me in a poster tube. More portable and cheaper. Thought this idea could help for the woman who said she wanted to do a wall.

    I think the smoother the surface, the easier to erase? Have you tried with glossy contact paper? I may try a roll from the dollar store and see if it works.

    Thanks for your post!

    Reply

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