A sporty decoration: Find out how to make a cool chalkboard from your old tennis racket

An old tennis racket hangs on a white wall. The strings of the racket have been replaced with a blackboard. Other exercise equipment and wall bars can be seen beside it. — Write down new motivational quotes every day – on your blackboard made from a repurposed tennis racket.

Difficulty

easy
Cost

< 50 £
Duration

1-3 h

Is your old tennis racket tucked away in your basement? Are you looking for a sporty decoration to spruce up your wall at home? Then this small project is the right choice for you: We’ll show you how to make a cool chalkboard from an old tennis racket.

You need

Tools

Utilities

ear plugs
disposable gloves
safety glasses
paint roller
g-clamps
padding to protect the work surface
carpet/utility knife
ear protectors
face mask
pencil

Materials

Old tennis racket
Thin wooden panel (3 mm)
Blackboard paint

L: Length, W: Width, H: Height, D: Diameter

Step 1 6

Remove the strings

An old tennis racket lies on a work surface. Its strings are being removed using a craft knife. — Of course, if you want to upcycle your old racket, you will need to get rid of its strings.

You need: carpet/utility knife, padding to protect the work surface, tennis racket

Before you can begin this project, you will first need to get a tennis racket. If you don’t have an old one lying around in your basement or attic, you can probably find one at a flea market or through classified ads on the Internet.

Found one?

Then let’s begin by removing the strings from the old tennis racket using a craft knife. Make sure you don’t leave any bits of string on the frame.

Step 2 6

Trace out the shape of the racket

An old tennis racket without the strings lies on a wooden panel. A woman is tracing around the inside of the tennis racket using a pencil. — Trace the shape of the racket onto a wooden panel.

You need: pencil, thin wooden board, a steady hand

You will replace the removed strings with a thin wooden panel later on. In order to mark the measurements for the panel, simply place the racket on the wooden board and trace around the inside using a pencil.

Step 3 6

Saw out the shape

An oval shape is being cut out of a wooden board using a jigsaw. — Now it’s time to do some sawing.

You need: Jigsaws, Jigsaw blade T 308 BOF, g-clamps, protective gloves, safety glasses, ear plugs, alternatively: Fretsaw

Next, saw the traced oval shape out of the board. The quickest way to do this is using a jigsaw. However, you can also just use a fretsaw. This might take a little longer, but isn’t any less precise.

Step 4 6

Sanding

An oval wooden panel is attached to a work surface with G-clamps. The edge of the panel is being sanded down using a sander. — Sand down the sawn-out shape so that the blackboard paint adheres better.

You need: Multi-sander, Sanding sheet for multi-sander G120, g-clamps, face mask, ear plugs, protective gloves

All the edges of the sawn-out wooden board now need to be sanded down.

Step 5 6

Apply the blackboard paint

Blackboard paint is being applied to an oval wooden panel using a paint roller. — If you use a paint roller, you will have your oval wooden panel painted in no time at all!

You need: paint roller or paintbrush, disposable gloves, blackboard paint

Next, you will need to paint the wooden panel with blackboard paint so you can write on your new decorative tennis racket in chalk. The quickest way to do this is to use a paint roller.

Paint the piece of wood on both sides to prevent it from bowing.

Allow the board to dry fully before going any further. Refer to the packaging to find out how long the paint will take to dry.

Step 6 6

Glue the board

An oval board is being glued to the frame of an old tennis racket using a glue gun. — Take your time when gluing the board, and work precisely.

You need: Cordless glue gun, patience, precision

Next, use a glue gun to stick the oval wooden board to the racket.

Before you do so, think about which side of the racket you would like to display. Place the racket on the work surface together with the board and with the front facing down. If you place the board on a small platform (e.g. two pencils) it will be easier to position it in the centre of the tennis racket frame.

Apply the glue so that you bond the inside of the racket with the board.

Now all you need is a little bit of creativity for your daily motivational quote. Your revamped tennis racket is sure to brighten up your wall, as well as your day!