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Cabinet Door Message Board and Organizer

I’ve got a fun upcycle project to share with you today.  I used cabinet doors to make two message centers.

Not only am I sharing a project today, my friends from my favorite Facebook group, Creative Vintage Darlings, are also sharing projects.  Creative Vintage Darlings is a group for anyone who loves vintage.  If you’d love vintage, you’ll most certainly enjoy this group.  Click here to join!  We also invite you to follow along on our Creative Darlings Pinterest Board and also with #creativevintagedarlings on Instagram.  Be sure to read to the end of this post to find links to all of the projects shared today.

My mom’s friend passed along a stack of cabinet door samples to me a few years ago knowing that I would enjoy using them for an upcycle project.  From the stack that he gave me, for this project I selected doors in Greige Maple and a Mocha Maple Glazed.  I used the back side of the doors because the shaker style was perfect for this project.

Cabinet Doors Before Makeover - These doors become a DIY Message Board and Organizer.

 

Cabinet Door Message Board and Organizer

I added a chalkboard, hooks, and a chalk holder to each cabinet door to turn it into a message board and organizer.

Greige Maple

DIY Message Board and Organizer - A cabinet door is upcycled into a message board. Hooks organize keys, sunglasses, hats, dog leashes and anything else you need to keep handy.

 

Mocha Maple Glazed

DIY Cabinet Door Message Board and Organizer - A kitchen cabinet door is transformed into a message center with hooks for organization.

This was a simple DIY that is so useful.  My cabinet doors are a small size since they are samples but I think this project would be even better using a full sized cabinet door.  Cabinet doors can be found inexpensively at your local Habitat Restore.

How to Make a Cabinet Door Message Board and Organizer

This post contains affiliate links. For full disclosure go here.

Supplies

Cabinet Door

Hooks – I purchased this type at Lowe’s.

Cup Pull – I used a 2 1/2″ center cup pull from Lowe’s.

Chalkboard Paint 

Painter’s Tape

3/8″ Keyhole Router Bit

Router

Drill

Dremel – To grind off hook screws that were too long.

Step One

Tape off the cabinet door and paint with chalkboard paint.  I used four coats for good coverage.

How to make a message center and organizer using a cabinet door. Step-by-step instructions are included in this tutorial.

When I painted the door with the chalkboard paint, I alternated the direction of brush strokes with each coat.  I did this to make sure that the door was thoroughly covered with paint.

How to make a message center and organizer using a cabinet door. Step-by-step instructions are included in this tutorial.

 

Step Two

Use a router with a keyhole bit to make keyholes on the back of the doors for hanging.  Using keyholes to attach the message board to the wall keeps it firmly in place.

How to make a message center and organizer using a cabinet door. Step-by-step instructions are included in this tutorial.

My husband set up a jig on his router table to get the keyholes in the same spot on both doors.  I have a stack of these doors and he added keyholes to all of them, so when I use them for future projects, that step will be complete.

Jig on Router Table with Keyhole Bit to Make Keyholes on a Cabinet Door Used to Make a Message Center

Step Three

Add the cup pull to the cabinet door followed by the hooks.  The hook screws were too long, so my husband ground them down with a Dremel tool.

Use a Dremel Tool to Grind Down Screws that are too long.

 

Step Four

To attach the message board to the wall, measure the distance between the two keyholes on the back of the message board and then screw two screws into the wall where you want the message board to hang.  (For demonstration purposes, these screws were inserted into the folding wall that I made to use for selling at vintage markets.

How to Use Keyholes to Hang a Message Board

Step Five

Fresh chalkboard paint looks so pretty but the paint must be “seasoned” before you write on the board.  If you don’t “season” the paint before you write on the board, the chalk will permanently etch the paint.

Doesn’t this unseasoned paint look pretty?

How to make a message center and organizer using a cabinet door. Step-by-step instructions are included in this tutorial.

To “season” the paint, rub chalk all over the board in all directions.

How to make a message center and organizer using a cabinet door. Step-by-step instructions are included in this tutorial. #diymessageboard #cabinetdoorupcycle #cabinetdoorchalkboard #upcycle

Then wipe off the excess chalk with a cloth or chalkboard eraser and your chalkboard is ready to be used.

How to make a message center and organizer using a cabinet door. Step-by-step instructions are included in this tutorial. #diymessageboard #cabinetdoorupcycle #cabinetdoorchalkboard #upcycle

 

Enjoy

The cup pull makes a perfect spot to keep chalk.

A cabinet door cup pull makes a great chalk holder for a DIY message board and organizer.

Thanks to hanging the message board with keyholes, the board can be written on without moving around.  It also is strong and the hooks can handle holding a good bit of weight.

How to make a message center and organizer using a cabinet door. Step-by-step instructions are included in this tutorial. #diymessageboard #cabinetdoorupcycle #cabinetdoorchalkboard #upcycle

 

 

DIY Message Board and Organizer - A cabinet door is upcycled into a message board. Hooks organize keys, sunglasses, hats, dog leashes and anything else you need to keep handy.

Check out my Vintage Darlings Friends!

Now please go check out the Creative Vintage Darling’s team and see the very inspiring ways they use their vintage goodies!

Creative Vintage Darlings Blog Hop - Vintage and Repurpose Ideas!

ArtisBeauty.net

Sweet Pea

Itsy Bits and Pieces

Life Is A Party

 

Lora B. Create and Ponduer

Vinyet Etc.

HomeToHeather.com

 

44 Comments

  1. Paula, the bin pull upside down for the chalk-wow! Why didn’t I think of that? So smart. And those keyholes for hanging your hubs did-over the top! Think he’s a perfectionist like my hubs, I’m thinkin…;)

  2. I love the idea of the bin pull as the chalk holder. What an A-HA moment!!!
    love that you can use the sample doors too that would probably normally be thrown out!
    Great job!
    Karin

    1. Thank you! I have a whole stack of those doors, now I need to think of other ways to use them.

      Paula

    1. Thank you! It’s going to be great to have a spot to keep a grocery list or to write a quick reminder.

      Paula

    1. Thank you! My father-in-law says that I should have designed a spot for an eraser. I’m still thinking on that!

      Paula

    1. Thank you! It’s nice to have a spot for keys. They are one thing that can easily go missing!

      Paula

  3. Loving your message centers, they look awesome. You are god at seasoning, I am terrible at it, don’t do enuf with the chalk first I guess. Next time will try harder. Cupboard doors are wonderful for so many decorative uses.
    Lately the habitat in Grand Junction hasn’t had many of them. Hope too many people haven’t learned about using them for art.
    We have to go quite a ways to get to our Habitat as is on south east side of GJ and we’re on north west side of Gj on outskirts of another town west. . We don’t get to go to habitat as often as I would like but sure enjoy it when we do, take hours looking around..Happy weekend

    1. It is amazing what can be found at a Habitat store. I don’t go frequently because I always find too much that I want to buy!

      Paula

  4. Thanks for all the little details that make this really work – the keyholes, the jig, etc. When I had two cabinets removed in my kitchen to make room for a new stove I saved the doors, thinking something good could be made. Now I have a great idea.

  5. I love this project! What a great way to upcycle cabinet doors! We have a ReStore nearby and I’m going to go over this week and see if they have any doors.

    1. Thank you, Kristi! It’s fun to think of a use for something that’s likely to wind up in the landfill.

      Paula

    1. I like to think that a project like this one will keep a cabinet door out of the landfill.

      Paula

    1. Thank you, Katie! It’s nice to think of a way to use something that’s likely to end up in a landfill.

      Paula

  6. Paula, I have several cabinet doors that I removed from an old hutch that I’m now using to display paint in my antique booth. I put them aside thinking I’d find a way to use them, and here it is! Thanks for the great idea! The cup to hold the chalk is so clever too!

  7. Hi Paula, This is just what I need out at our cabin. We are meeting new friends and discovering local businesses that we can call on for renovations, so I need a spot to save info. I love the rustic look and this message board will fit right in with the rest of the cabin decor.

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