Writing on Walls - Paints That Encourage Creativity!

by Sabina Mendez
(Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA)

If you are a doodler, free thinker, engineer, child or just an out & out vandal wannabe, perhaps you've always wished for a medium that allowed you to write on your walls, without punishment?.

Or maybe you just want to surround yourself with words, without the commitment of stenciling with paint or buying one of those expensive cutting machines that create vinyl letters. The following specialty paints allow you to play with words and images on your walls in exciting ways, making your home or office your life's palette.

Chalkboard Paint

Did you ever play school as a kid just to give yourself an excuse to write on the chalkboard? There's just something about a chalkboard that makes you want to doodle, scribe lines, write in cursive, erase, and start all over again. Now you can satisfy those itchy fingers with chalkboard paint at home, for practical or fun purposes. Paint a whole wall with chalkboard paint, or a small section. Use it for:

Ready-made chalkboard paint can be purchased at any hardware or home improvement store, and comes in green, black or white.

Dry-erase Paint

Like the chalkboard paint, dry-erase paint allows you to write on the walls, except with a dry-erase marker instead of chalk. The surface is shiny, like a white board, and can be used on most indoor surfaces, provided it is a smooth one. One brand of dry-erase paint rolls on clear, allowing the original wall color to remain. Dry-erase paint is more expensive, but markers allow for another dimension of creativity.

Magnetic Paint

Magnetic paint contains tiny iron particles. It is not magnetized to hold metal objects, but will hold lightweight or very strong magnets Pre p the walls according to the manufacturer's recommendations, and roll on several coats for the best magnetic adherence. An advantage of magnetic paint is that it still works under a coat of regular latex paint, or under a coat of chalkboard paint, which makes it an even more diverse surface for fun and practical applications

Glow in the Dark Paint

Projects with glow in the dark paint can be comforting, cool, or deliciously spooky. Stencil a border in your child's room, and when she turns out the light, a loving message from you suddenly appears Even kids who aren't reading yet will feel comforted by the words when the lights go out.

Writing on Walls - Paints That Encourage Creativity!

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