DIY Space | Chalkboard Fridge That Increases Your Life

Photo by Miguel Á. Padriñán from Pexels

Can a chalkboard mini fridge really increase your lifespan? The answer is yes.

A chalkboard mini fridge can easily act as a culinary diary aka a food journal, but much more powerfully than the typical pen and paper or digital setups. Read one woman's account of how a chalkboard fridge lead her to her goals, 

Food journals have been scientifically proven to decrease weight and individuals with lower body mass index typically live longer according to medical studies. So if you can use a super powerful food journal then you really know the longevity forces are flowing!

Now you may be thinking okay that's cool, but what does a chalkboard mini fridge have to do with gyms??

Here in Texas, it has a lot. 

No gym is complete without a fridge. In fact, sometimes gyms will even have a mini-fridge yet no A/C. (Psst… I’m talking about Fringe Sport HQ.) So this DIY is relevant and also SUPER useful. You can check out all the ways to use a fridge to stick to your meal plan and fitness goals.

Back to the DIY, a lot of people don’t ever think about painting their fridge, but it is actually not a very challenging DIY project. In fact, it can completely transform the look of an old refrigerator, bringing it back to life. And of course, most obviously, it can serve as a chalkboard!!! Woohoo! We could all use more of these as we have discussed in previous blogs, whiteboards and chalkboards can seriously improve your life. 

And if you’re a color freak like me, the answer is yes. The chalkboard paint can be tinted! *squeals internally*

How to Use Chalkboard Paint to Transform a Fridge

At A Glance

Supplies/Tools

• Chalkboard paint
• A foam paint roller or painting kit
• A fine paintbrush
• Painter’s tape
• Fine grit sandpaper
• A screwdriver (for removing the door handle if necessary)
• A towel

Cost

• About $30 

The fridge doesn’t have to be mini, but I find most box and home gyms take to the smaller size for space reasons. If you have a larger fridge you are repurposing, you can still use these directions.

STEP #1 Get Painting Supplies

You can buy chalkboard paint at your local hardware store. The final look is pretty cool looking and it doesn’t take long to do! But you’re going to want to take your time to get a more polished look.

You can use a paintbrush, but using a paint roller is better. It will help you avoid brush marks etc. 

PRO-TIP: Chalkboard paint also comes in a spray can! Which is more up my alley andddd can also help you avoid brush marks, but this will cost you more.

STEP #2 (optional If you want your fridge to be magnetic) Buy Magnetic Primer

Apply the magnetic primer underneath the chalkboard paint. This is a cool touch, but it will make your project more expensive.

PRO TIP: Magnetic primer is expensive AF. It actually costs more than the chalkboard paint itself...

STEP #3 Paint It

Get your painting supplies together and get to work. It shouldn’t take you more than a few hours depending on how long the paint dries and how big your fridge is. 

Pro Tips for Painting Fridges

• Remove door handle
• Unplug it
• Sand refrigerator surface with fine-grit sandpaper, but don’t completely sand all the paint off. This will help the paint adhere to the surface. 
• With a clean, moist rag, wipe down the area and let dry.
• Tape off any exposed spaces with blue painter’s tape
• Paint the 1st coat. (The paint might look different than you expect but don’t worry. It’s all good.)
• Wait for the 1st coat to dry completely and then add the 2nd coat.

Please note, some professionals recommend applying 3 coats. While this DIY is mad simple, the one thing that CAN mess it up is not having enough paint, so make sure you’re good. Better safe than sorry. 

More of a visual type of DIY-er? No problem. Check out the video below and make your fridge today!

Guest Post: Sydney Capello