How to Make a DIY Chalkboard Globe

Erica spotted this Soapstone Globe on Anthroplogie, and she sent me the link right away. I love anything globe or map related, and already have a small globe collection in our living room.

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However, the price tag on Anthro’s version comes in at $368 – yikes. If I was going to own this globe, it would have to be a Knock-Off.

I picked this vintage globe up at a yard sale back in the summer. It’s actually a toy, the globe is metal and the stand is plastic. I think Mike thought it was a little odd that I was adding a toy to my globe collection, but it was $2 and seemed silly to pass up.

Since it was such a steal, I figured it would be good for this project.

Apparently, I was so anxious to try out this project that I didn’t think to prime the globe first. Don’t make the same mistake. When I tried to put the globe back on the stand, paint was peeling off at the mere contact with the stand, let alone rubbing a piece of chalk across it. So, after a few coats of chalkboard paint, I ended up sanding it down a bit and applying a coat of spray primer. Once the primer was applied, I added 3 more coats of chalkboard paint.

Based on that experience, I decided to apply a little bit of matte mod podge to protect the paint at the top and bottom of the globe before I put it back on the stand.

Always remember to prep your chalkboard (i.e. rub a bunch of chalk all over it) before writing on the surface!

The stand got a couple coats of silver spray paint. It was a little too shiny for me, so I went back over the spray paint with some gold Rub’n Buff to give it a more natural patina.

I’m really liking how it turned out!

Right now we’ve got this verse from 1 Corinthians displayed on it.

Supplies

• Globe – thrifted
• Chalkboard Spray Paint
• Spray Primer
• Silver Spray Paint
• Gold Rub n Buff