How to Build a Tin-Tile Chalkboard

The application is easy: Choose a tile with a large, unadorned center area, such as the 24-inch Art Deco design here, then rough up the metal with fine-grit sandpaper, prime it, and brush on the paint. To finish the board, hot-glue the tile onto a piece of plywood, then frame it. We used ¼-by-2-inch hardwood strips around the sides and top, and a piece of backband molding at the bottom for holding chalk, and painted them black.