Dry Erase, Magnetic Message Board

I wanted to combine a dry erase board, mirror and bulletin board into one for my kitchen. A modern take on the cork board to hang bills and grocery lists, etc. I searched high and low to find something at stores and online before deciding to try to make one and thinking it'd be a great instructable!

What You'll Need...

It's rather simple. All items can be sourced rather cheaply at home improvement stores. The mirror is the biggest cost and you can usually get a decent sized mirror for around $30 or under most places with home decor.

Mirror

Steel Sheet
22 gauge is what I used and works perfectly. Get a sheet or sheets that will fit the dimensions of the mirror.

Epoxy
I used Gorilla epoxy because it was light, strong and the first I found at the hardware store.

Neodymium Magnets
‎You'll need pretty strong magnets. the floppy fridge magnets won't cut it.

Dry Erase Markers & Eraser

 

Step 1: Strip the Back of the Mirror

So depending on the mirror you're using, you might have paper or tape on the back of the mirror. Cheaper long 'closet door' mirrors are much thinner and don't usually have anything on the back and that makes them a pretty good choice. Just think about how you're going to hang the mirror when choosing one. 

I got this one because I liked the silver frame. Which reminds me, if you have a nice frame, you'll want to lay on a towel or blanket to keep from scratching it. I ended up with a few scratched on mine, but rather like the distressed look it created in the silver paint. Just a heads up so you don't ruin one you might actually like!

So take off the paper, cardboard and tape, if any. You'll want to get the steel as flat against the glass/back of the mirror as possible. If you've got a fancier type mirror, you might have corner braces as shown above. I left them on mine for two reasons. 1) not sure how much it would compromise the integrity of the frame, and; 2) to keep it from scratching the wall once hung.

Step 2: Glue the Steel to the Mirror

The main point here is you want the steel as flat against the mirror as possible. To help facilitate this, I bent the sheet ever so slightly so it curved to one side. Putting the sheet of steel on the mirror with the curve bowing out (or up, as it were), I put the epoxy down on the mirror then the sheet bowing up. Added a few books to push it all down and flat against the mirror.

I actually used the cardboard backer of the mirror to make sure everything was getting a relatively equal pressing against the mirror. and making sure my books didn't end up glued to the mirror! 

I let the mirror and steel sit over night with the books on to make sure the epoxy was fully cured before removing.

Step 3: Mount on the Wall and You're Set

then to mount the mirror on the wall. Since the type of mirror you choose to purchase is completely up to you and different mirrors mount differently, this is up to you. Some common ways are mollies in the sheet rock and hooks on the mirror. Wire it not unlike a framed photo or painting and hang by one or two picture hanger hooks... the possibilities are almost as numerous as the type of mirror you choose to purchase!