Upcycled vintage shutter Memo board tutorial

Repurposed Shutter Memo Board

By Joan
November 13, 2019
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I told you I was inspired by watching Flea Market Flip last week when I constructed my bar cart. Well the same goes for this weeks project, a memo board made from an old shutter. Last week, when I saw the contestants pick up a vintage shutter my ears perked right up. What are they going to make? Have I previously made one? Turns out the contestants made a super sized memo board. I’ve made a few small ones but not a memo board on such a grand, use the whole shutter, scale.

I just happened to have the perfect shutter just waiting to be repurposed.

Make sure you head to the end of this post for 32 more shutter projects!

Gather your supplies…a shutter (or a louvered door will do), enough trim wood (1×4) to surround the shutter plus a little extra for a few shelves, 1/4″ plywood backer board. and something to hold magazines. I’m using a wooden dish drain, found at the thrift store for $1.50.

The contestants on Flea Market Flip did not use a dish drain, they used some kind of metal piece. Look around the thrift store or flea market, you never know what you’ll find that’ll work.

Cut your 1×4 trim the exact width and length of the shutter.

I wanted the trim to go behind the shutter not around the shutter.

Cut out the shutter slats you won’t be needing. If you cut one end of the slat it will pull right out.

Save your extra slats, you never know what you can make out of them. Again, check out my shutter projects at the end of this post. The American Flag, birdhouse and Thrift Store Tray all used discarded shutter slats.

That light piece of wood in the first couple of pictures is actually the back of this “Trust Me You Can Dance” chalkboard sign. You may remember this sign from the pile of chalkboard signs I created for #2 son’s wedding. It’s a 1/4 inch piece of plywood that is ready for it’s second life.

Pretty darn sure I won’t need a “Trust me You Can Dance” sign any time soon. Cut the backing board the width of your frame.

It’s not quite tall enough to cover the entire back, but that will be OK. That area will be covered by shutter slats.

Lay out the entire memo board. Nothing is attached just yet, I’m just seeing where I would need a few shelves.

I cut 4 more shelves the exact length and width of the shorter pieces on the outer frame.

The dismantled dish drain fits easily inside the shutter. The middle horizontal piece on the dish drain was trimmed down to fit within the shutter frame.

Paint the backing board with chalkboard paint. If needed, lightly sand, and give the chalkboard a second coat.

If you’re reusing an old chalkboard, either wash off the old chalk or chalk pen, or lightly sand the old chalkboard if you used paint or a paint pen.

Normally I would attach all my pieces and then paint but since son #2 borrowed my nail gun and I had no desire to hammer all those nails, I just started painting.

This is a white chalk paint, (chalk, not chalkboard paint) finished with clear wax.

Construct your Shutter Memo Board

A couple days later, I did manage to retrieve my nail gun and I’m back in business. Use finish nails and wood glue to attach the corners of the frame.