T h e – C e d a r – W o r k s h o pWood, DIY Projects and More!

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This project evolved from a request from a subscriber. A person comment they liked the Chalkboard Sidewalk Sign YouTube video, but also asked about how to make a chalkboard photo booth.

A photo booth will be a hoot at a wedding, birthday or special event. The party goers can stand in front and have their pictures taken with props or just smile for the camera. If the actual backdrop was made from chalkboard material, the host can write thoughtful quotes and praise.
Hint: If you want to spread the word on social media, at the bottom of the photo booth, write down the Twitter hashtag for the wedding. For example, #ryanjennwedding2015 or #smithbirthday2015. Go to this link to create a Hashtag for your event.

I mentioned the project to my spouse and she suggested we make it for a family friends wedding in a few weeks. Great!

The photo booth had to be big enough to “frame” two people standing. The wings can be adjusted to the venue (or hide something).

The chalkboard photo booth consists of 3 panels, a wooden frame and door hinges. The frame was made from Western Red Cedar. Keep in mind to use a lightweight wood like a softwood (Pine, Cedar, Fir, Larch, etc) for the framing material. It has to be easy to set up or transport from the venue.

On the front, the frame corners were cut at 45 degrees for a classic look. On the backside, a standard 1″ x 4″ were used for structure. The chalkboard panels were sandwiched between the front and back frames. Make sure to use a good wood glue on the chalkboard panel and frame. Immediately after the glue was applied use a brad nailer with short, 1″ brads. If you don’t have access to brad nailer, wood screws can be used instead. Just screw from the back to the front. This way, the ugly screw heads will not be seen.

The panels are the same dimensions as the front door on a home. The panels are 36.5″ wide by 80″ tall. Tall enough for most people to fit under and the panels don’t hit the ceiling. Each panel was connected together with door hinges with removable pins. If the panel needs to taken down, the pins in the hinge can be popped out with a nail (or car keys). As an afterthought, I should have put a hinge on one side of the photo booth and the other on the back. Then the unit could fold up like a “Z”.

Two thin coats of Varathane interior polyurethane was applied to the frame to keep the wood fresh and protect the wood from any chalk dust.

Depending the condition of the door hinges and your budget, I suggest a spray on metallic finish by Rust-oleum. It will add a vintage look to the project.

Click the link to check out for Wedding or Special Occasions Project YouTube Playlist.

 

chalkboard, chalkboard backdrop, panels, photo booth, special projects, subscriber projects, woodworking

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