How to Make an Easy DIY Acrylic Dry Erase Board


From the beginning of our office project, I knew I wanted to add a large dry erase board in here. While I no longer write out my schedule for the week on a dry-erase board (I used to do that back in this post but now I use Trello!), I love having a big board for other projects. Writing down big picture goals, walking through a DIY project with Finn, or even just jotting down an inspirational quote for the week…a wipeable board is key for me!

Edit: Since this post, we’ve refined our family organization! Come see how we’re using our kitchen board to plan out fun, weekly goals (like checking out a new donut shop), as well as to track our other weekly commitments!

I ended up making my own DIY acrylic dry erase board for the office and it was a heck of a lot easier (and less expensive) than I thought it would be. With some pretty basic tools, I was able to customize it exactly for my space and now it’s a stylish addition that goes with the decor in the rest of the room (can’t wait to show you the full office reveal next week!).

DIY Acrylic Dry Erase Board – SuppliesSupplies to make a DIY acrylic dry erase board

The first thing to do is to collect your materials! Here’s what you’ll need to grab for this DIY project.

Steps to Create Your Own Dry Erase Board

Acrylic from Lowe's

First, you need to buy your acrylic sheet. I ended up getting this piece from Lowe’s Home Improvement. They had lots of sizes to choose from, but the 24×48 was perfect for my space.

You can always buy a larger piece and cut it down to size so it fits your wall exactly! Some stores may even cut the piece down for you, but I would check before with your local hardware store before buying.

Prep your Acrylic

Lay your acrylic on plywood

You’ll be drilling holes into the acrylic, so it’s important to have something underneath so you don’t drill into the floor. I used leftover plywood (we have so many scraps from our built-in project) underneath so I could drill through the acrylic and hit the plywood on the other side.

Before you start with your drill holes, don’t forget to pull off the protective film if your acrylic sheet has one.

Measure for your holes

For stability, I decided to go with eight fasteners on the DIY acrylic dry erase board – all four corners and then four more in the middle. I measured an inch in from the edge, and drew marks with my Sharpie.

Drill Your HolesDrilling into acrylic

I ended up buying this brad point drill bit set for the project because these bits are great for drilling into plastic, which doesn’t allow for the same wiggle room as dry wall.

If you use a regular bit, there is a chance the plastic can crack (which would be really bad!). If you only have a regular bit, I’ve heard you can drill in reverse and go really slow to prevent cracking. For me, I decided it was worth it to invest in the brad point drill bit set for this project.

Use the right sized brad point drill bit set to create your holes for your DIY acrylic dry erase board

I used the 3/16″ sized bit to drill my holes because that is the same thickness as my standoffs. I went slow for each hole, so I could create a clean mark all the way through.

Standoffs in acrylic board

Test to make sure the top portion of your standoff fits into your holes. You may have to use your drill bit to make it a tiny bit wider so it slides in easily.

Add Vinyl Decals or StickersDecal with logo

I ended up adding my logo to the dry erase board to brand it. This is totally optional, but it’s a great way to personalize your project, make it feel a little bit more custom, and help you use the board more purposefully!

Adding a decal to an acrylic white boardMy friend, Kate, is a genius on her Cricut and whipped this logo up for me in no time (thanks, Kate!). If you don’t have a cutting machine like a Cricut, I suggest using stickers, or finding an etsy shop that can help you with your customized designs!

With a vinyl decal, you can turn your beautiful acrylic board into a large calendar, a message board with quotes at the top, or even a family member’s chores/ to-do list. I added my logo to the back of the board so it would stay nice and wouldn’t peel or be interrupted on the front side.

Mark Your Wall & Add AnchorsAnchors to hang your DIY acrylic dry erase board

On the left are the screw and anchor that came with the standoff. I always like to upgrade the drywall anchors I use so they’re heavy-duty and I never have to worry about the piece I have falling down!

I upgraded to this anchor and screw instead (just make sure it still fits with your standoff). Having solid anchors also makes me feel like I don’t need to rely on a stud finder to get a secure hold. It will be good to go! This blog post walks you through everything you need to know about choosing the right anchors.

How to create a DIY acrylic erase board

The mounting piece of any project is always where I triple-check my work! I swear by my painter’s tape hack when it comes to hanging things up; it helps to reduce the chance of mistakes.

The first thing I did was put the acrylic up on the wall and marked the 8 holes where I wanted to add my anchors. My next step was to drill a pilot hole, screw in the anchor, and then add the base of the standoff.

Attach your AcrylicHow to make your own DIY acrylic erase board

Once the bases of the standoff pieces were up, I was able to screw in the acrylic with the top piece of the standoff. This is what holds the acrylic in place and makes it look like it’s floating.Adding my logo to my DIY acrylic erase boardhow to make a diy acrylic erase board

My New DIY Dry Erase BoardHow to make your own DIY acrylic erase board

I’m so happy I took the time to add this piece to our office. It’s the perfect size, I can write tons of information on it, and it isn’t an eyesore! This fun project turned out to be way easier than I anticipated and I saved so much money doing it myself (check out this one you can buy for $400, ouch!).

For the whole thing, my total cost was around $80. I could picture a board like this in a kitchen to plan out menus, to use as a family calendar, a to do list, or in anyone’s office. It has been such a great addition!Drawing on my dry erase board

Now, don’t mind me. I’ll just be over here doodling away with my new dry erase markers (because every new dry erase board needs new markers, right?!).

Casey

Catch Up On the Home Office Makeover


The Year of Casey

Hey there!

Iโ€™m Casey Finn, the voice behind The DIY Playbook. I’m a Chicago gal teaching you how to design, DIY, and maintain your home…by yourself! Learn more about me right here.