Tack Board, no man required

I have made several tack boards in the past, all of which involved a nail gun or heavy duty stapler.  But if you want to keep it simple than the easiest way to slap together a tack board for that stack of photos, magazine clippings and letters that I myself like to hoard, is by using a spray adhesive.  This DIY will not go awry. 

Supplies: 

spray adhesive

a piece of 1/4 inch plywood cut to size

batting or poly-fil cut to size

choice of fabric cut to size

insulation foam cut to size

(you can find this at home depot by the insulation supplies)

I made two tack boards.  The first one was 2' by 2'.  The plywood was purchased precut to this size.  Then I cut the foam to exactly 2' by 2'.  The batting and fabric where both cut 2.5' by 2.5', so that there would be excess material and batting on all four edges of the tack board.

Step 1: Iron the material if needed

Step 2: On a flat surface, lay down newspaper to protect the surface from overspray of the adhesive. Place the batting, then insulation foam, then plywood. The edges of the insulation foam and plywood should match and the batting should be in excess, about 3 inches on all four sides.

Step 3: Spray the adhesive on the side of the insulation foam and the back of the plywood.  You don't need to spray the entire back of the plywood, just around the edges where the batting and fabric will wrap around. Work on one side at a time and move to the opposite side of the board next.  The adhesive can dry fast and you want to give yourself time to make sure the batting is smooth and straight. 

Step 4: Repeat step 3 with your selected material.  (I used a heavy durable fabric, but any fabric will do)

Step 5: Cut a extra piece of fabric to cover the back of the board if desired.  This side will be facing the wall so it's not necessary.  I gave the smaller board away as a gift and the extra piece of fabric on the back added a more finished look.

Step 6:  Add upholstery tacks is desired

The second board I made was 6' by 4' and was mounted to the wall with a few screws.  I did not use plywood for the larger tack board, just the insulation foam covered with batting and fabric.  The additional weight of the plywood would have made the board more complicated to hang.  But if you prefer the board to be more solid and permanent, go with the wood backing.  The lightweight, foam covered board was perfect for a hallway collage of special finds, inspiring quotes, to-do lists and planned events. 

This can be a great inexpensive gift.  The insulation foam was $16 for a 4' by 6' piece.  The batting was $15 for both tack boards and the fabric was 40% of at HobLob bringing the project to a grand total of around $50 for one 4' by 6' board, one  2' by 2' board and extra materials left over for another smallish board.  Also the plywood and upholstery tacks were a few extra bucks.  I love making my surroundings functional and saving money at the same time!

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Shabby Creek Cottage

Common Ground
At the Picket Fence
Imparting Grace
The 36th Avenue