Looking for the perfect DIY gift for teachers, family, or friends? This tutorial for DIY chalkboard coasters is easy, affordable, and from the heart!

Can you tell we have been feeling a little crafty around here lately? The girls and I have been working on so many projects that I hardly know where to start, but I figured I better get going on sharing some of our gift ideas so that y’all can get started on them too!

These fun chalkboard coasters might be one of my most favorite projects ever–I just love how cute they turned out! We have already started making more so that we can keep a set for ourselves. They are a great project for the kids to help with because they are so easy, but they are one of those projects that require a few minutes at a time, followed by lots of drying time. Be sure to give yourself at least 3 or 4 days to get them done!

I used some Martha Stewart chalkboard paint that I already had on hand from when I did this rotating artwork display gallery wall. It works on all surfaces so it is a good choice. A small bottle goes a LONG way! The buttons I used were leftover from the cute as a button baby shower I threw for my goddaughter in May. JoAnn’s has a 1 pound bulk pack of assorted buttons for around $6–use a coupon to get it for half off! For this project you could also skip the buttons or just buy a small pack of the color you wanted to use.

DIY Chalkboard Coaster Set

DIY Chalkboard Coaster Set | Supplies needed: chalkboard spray paint, paint brushes, some cheap plain white tiles, buttons (use any color you'd like!) and some felt squares.

Here is what you will need:

plain 4×4″ tiles
chalkboard paint
paint brushes
buttons
felt
tacky glue (or hot glue)
chalk
ribbon & gift tag for packaging
   

DIY Chalkboard Coaster Set | This project is perfect for kids! Have your kiddos paint the tile squares with a layer of black chalkboard paint.Start by painting the front and sides of tiles with a thin layer of chalkboard paint. I let the girls paint them, then I smoothed out the paint and touched up any spots they had missed.

DIY Chalkboard Coaster Set | The kids can help by painting the tile squares. Don't worry, it doesn't have to look perfect on the first try.

Don’t worry if it doesn’t cover on the first coat. You will need at least 3 coats of paint. Let dry at least 3 hours or so between coats.

DIY Chalkboard Coaster Set | Three coats of chalkboard paint will cover the tile completely.

After your final coat of paint, let tiles dry completely so that paint can cure–at least 24 hours.

DIY Chalkboard Coaster Set | Kids can help "season" the coasters by coloring them with chalk.

Next you will need to season your little chalkboards by using the long side of a piece of chalk to cover them completely.

DIY Chalkboard Coaster Set | Season the chalkboard coasters by running chalk over the whole surface. Use the long side of the chalk to make it easy.  DIY Chalkboard Coaster Set | Wipe the chalkboard coasters clean with a paper towel after seasoning them.

Wipe the chalkboards clean with a dry paper towel; if they seem too dusty you can wet it just a little.

DIY Chalkboard Coaster Set | Have the kids pick out medium sized buttons for the corners of the coasters. Keep an eye on them for safety!

Select your buttons. The girls had a blast with this step–mommy’s buttons are usually off limits. We decided to put one button on each corner, and to do each tile with just one color. I instructed them to look for flat buttons that were small-to-medium in size.

DIY Chalkboard Coaster Set | Your kids will love helping out on this DIY chalkboard coaster project. They can help pick and apply buttons for decoration!

Lay out the buttons how you want them to look on the tiles, then glue in place. We used tacky glue so that the girls could do it themselves, but hot glue would probably work too and dries a LOT faster. The tacky glue takes forever to dry!

Let the glue on the buttons dry completely (at least 24 hours for the tacky glue.)

Use tacky glue to coat the back of the coaster and glue on a square piece of felt.

Using a tile as a size guide, cut out squares of felt then glue to the backs of the tile. Let dry completely–be sure to keep the chalkboard side down and the felt side up while they are drying or it will take a lot longer. You know they are dry when no condensation forms on the tiles when you stack them.

Wrap your coasters in decorative ribbon and add a gift tag to make a perfect teachers gift! | DIY Chalkboard Coaster Set | How to Make Chalkboard Coasters

Once the coasters are completely dry, stack 4 together then tie with a pretty ribbon, gift tag, and piece of chalk. You’ve now got the perfect gift for just about anyone.

You can write or draw on these DIY chalkboard coasters, which make perfect gifts! Remember to include some chalk pieces when you gift!

But be sure to make extras…..you’ll probably want to keep a set for yourself!

Other DIY Projects You’ll Love:

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Ruth Soukup

Ruth Soukup

Founder at Living Well Spending Less
Ruth Soukup is dedicated to helping people everywhere create a life they love by follwing their dreams and achieving their biggest goals. She is the host of the wildly popular Do It Scared podcast, as well as the founder of Living Well Spending Less® and Elite Blog Academy®. She is also the New York Times bestselling author of six books, including Do It Scared®: Finding the Courage to Face Your Fears, Overcome Obstacles, and Create a Life You Love, which was the inspiration for this book. She lives in Florida with her husband Chuck, and 2 daughters Maggie & Annie.
Ruth Soukup

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