By Brenda Hyde

Bulletin boards of any size can be expensive, as well as cork boards tiles. A helpful person at our Home Depot suggested I look at the ceiling tiles to use in place of cork board, and my husband and I came up with this very inexpensive bulletin board project. I installed mine on a small wall in my kitchen to use as a center for the kid's artwork, school calendar, A+ papers and other things they bring home from school. It would also make a perfect kitchen center; holding a menu for the week,coupons, recipes and reminders.

You'll need:
1 ceiling tile
Interior latex paint-two colors plus glaze if sponging
4 brass screws-longer than the width of the tile
4 brass nuts
2 or 3 inch paint brush
sea sponge(household sponge or a rag will work too)
ruler
level
drill with bit to match size of screws

SUPPLIES
Ceiling tiles come in a couple of different sizes. I used one that was approximately 2x4 foot. They are very inexpensive. I bought mine at Home Depot for about $2.00. All of the paint was leftover from other projects. Use what you have on hand! The tiles are fairly fragile-a lot like corkboard-so be careful not to drop it or get too rough after you buy it. Once it's on the wall it's fine, but be cautious while transporting it and working on it There was a smaller ceiling tile that was about half the size that work well for smaller spaces.

We used brass screws that were an inch and 1/2 long with matching brass nuts. The head of the screw was about 3/4 inch round. You want a chunky screw to hold the board in place and it looks decorative using brass. Over time the tile will become worn-at this point you can paint a new tile-remove the screws and the old tile, then install a new one.

A note on the sponges. I had always used cheap household sponges for crafts, but I broke down and bought a small bag of three sea sponges. They work much better and if you wash them out immediately with soap and water, then rinse them well they last for many projects. It was a good investment of about $5.00 for three small sponges.

PREPERATION AND PAINTING

Lay your board out on a good work surface on newspapers or plastic. Paint the tile front and the sides, going fairly heavy on the paint. Allow the first coat to dry, and apply a second coat. The tile is porous and you may notice tiny white spots. I let these go and once sponge painted it all blended together. I think a muted or lighter color works well in choosing paint for this project. When the second coat is completely dry you can rag or sponge paint. I used a slightly darker shade of purple mixed with a glaze made just for decorative painting. (all my paint products were made by Behr) I have sponge painted without a glaze, but it does go on nicer using it. Lightly sponge or rag roll over the entire board. I use a brush to put paint on my sponge and then I use a clean rag and press the sponge on that before applying it to the tile. It makes for a nice even look and you won't have any globs of paint. Allow this to dry completely.

HANGING THE BULLETIN BOARD

You will need two people to install the board. One person should hold the tile in place, while the other uses a ruler to make sure it's centered by measuring on both sides from the edges of the wall. Once it's in place put in the first screw and nut in one corner while the other person holds it in place. After this is in place take a level and one person adjusts the tile while the other reads the level to make sure it's straight. Hold tightly and install the second screw. Don't forget to put the nuts on too! At this point it's pretty secure and you can install the last two screws easily. Place all four screws in the corners by the way, but an inch or two away from the edges.

FINAL NOTES

I was very happy with the end result on this project and like it so much more than the standard bulletin board I have in another room. You could use these, or the smaller tiles, in a sewing/craft room, kid's room, entry ways or garages. The possibilities are endless as far as colors and uses and I made this one for less than $5.00!

BIO : Brenda Hyde is a freelance writer, wife and mom to three. For more craft ideas visit her at http://oldfashionedliving.com/attic.html where you'll find crafts for home decor, holidays, the kids and more.