How to Upcycle an Old Globe into a Chalkboard Globe

cover the globe with chalkboard paintAfter the primer has dried for the time recommended by the manufacturer, you can paint your globe with chalkboard paint according to that manufacturer’s recommendations.

With my particular chalkboard paint, I painted on three coats, letting the paint dry for an hour between each coat. I let the finished globe dry for 24 hours, then rubbed chalk over the entire surface to season it.

So far my girls and I have doodled and drawn on our new chalkboard globe, and used it to learn longitudes and latitudes and the long-ago location of Pangea. In other words–we love it!

5 thoughts on “How to Upcycle an Old Globe into a Chalkboard Globe”

  1. I just said, ‘Are you kidding me?’ WAY out loud! This is the coolest thing ever. I’m totes going to draw in Middle Earth…

  2. This is a very cool project! I actually just wrote a blog last week about upcycling. There is no need to throw away that old globe- we can make it something new!

  3. you could also probably use a little sand paper to smooth out some rough spots, as long as you finished with a fine grit, like 220. i once used chalkboard paint on a less than smooth surface, and it just doesn’t work so well for writing or drawing.

    I love your globe, and will be looking for one once garage sale season gets into full swing.

    1. Next time I will use a finer grit sandpaper–I’m happy with the texture of my globe, although it’s a smidge on the rough side, but I did find it harder to sand with a rougher grit sandpaper without completely shredding the cardboard.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top