Project Central: Magnetic Paint

I'm a person that likes a project.  I like seeing ideas in magazines and giving them a try.  And this one, that I saw in Better Homes and Gardens, seemed like a good one: magnetic paint.

In my kitchen I have had a magnet board for the last several years to display our "stuff" because our stainless fridge isn't magnetic.  But it was a small little thing and was usually so overcrowded that you couldn't read anything on it.

I started by taping off the majority of the wall, careful to make sure my lines were straight.

After that I prepared the paint.  Not surprisingly, I bought a paint try that could be recycled.

Then I got busy painting.

This was after the first coat.  According the the can, it should only take 2-3 light coats.  Yeah, not so much.  It took me 5 coats and could probably have used a few more.  But considering that you have to wait 30 minutes between coats, after 5 I was ready to stop my lovely project and watch the Emmys.

It turned out...okay.  Not the greatest project because some of my little magnets just don't have enough power to stick to the paint and hold up Kindergarten artwork.  Also, I wanted to paint a border around the board, but unfortunately my blue painter's tape would not stick on the magnetic paint and I did not leave enough space around the edge.  Also know that you don't have to leave it black.  You can paint over the magnetic paint to make it disappear--or so the paint can claims.

Now I just need more magnets. Powerful magnets. Magnets that say funny things with dirty words and hold pictures of my kids.  Just not at the same time.