As I was pricing magnetic whiteboards to use for tasks, it became apparent I could not get the size I wanted. Larger ones are also very expensive. Making one myself, I was able to get the best size and it was cheap! I’m not tall so, with the opportunity to make it any size, I went for short and wide—about 2.25’ x 7.5’. Best of all, I got to incorporate pallets and rusty metal!
Parts
- I used an 84” x 28” sheet of oxidized, perforated metal—I like to call it holey metal. I’d suggest verifying it’s ferrous enough to hold your magnets.
- A pallet. They’re generally available for free and scream, “rustic!”.
Steps
First, I disassembled the pallet. If you haven’t done this before, this can be harder than you might imagine. They are commonly held together with those stubborn twisted nails and have had a few other things nailed to them. Protect your eyes. I may add a whole entry on taking these apart.
Second, I cut and cleaned up the metal sheet. Cleaning the back is a good idea to eliminate any discoloration of your wall once hung. Wear eye protection.
Third, I measured and marked where the frame pieces needed to be cut. When cutting, make sure you don’t hit any of those nails! And, for goodness sake, wear eye protection.
Assembly went well as I found staples that happened to fit through the holes in the holey metal. Otherwise, I was planning on using wood screws. I added self adhesive sponge tape strips to protect the wall.
I hung it using two heavy duty picture hangers on deck screws each in a stud. I figure it weighs 30lbs (but feels like 80 when leaning over a loaded desk to hang it).
Lastly, to further the rusticness, I use bottle caps over magnets.
Please let me know if you do a project like this. I’d love to see what you did!
