DIY Photo Board for Food Photography...

 

A few months ago, I decided to make my own photo board to use for all of my food photography. Honestly, it was sooo much easier than I thought it would be!

I wanted a simple DIY project that did not include me building anything. This photo board was completed in only a few simple steps......

...... SCORE!

Mama loves an easy project! I still need to get in gear and finish three other boards. I'm planning on making a white board, a teal blue board, and an espresso stained board.

Let's start off with what you will need!

Supplies:

• One, 2ft. x 4ft. piece of plywood, cut in half to make two, 2ft. x 2ft. square boards. 

Home Depot will cut the wood for FREE! I bought two pieces of plywood and had them cut, to total four boards.

• Sandpaper and/or a sanding block. 

The roughness of the plywood will determine what sandpaper you use. I used 120 (medium) grit and 220 (finishing) grit.

• Tack cloth.
•  Non-toxic acrylic paint, one base coat color and one accent color.

I used Delta Creative Ceramcoat Acrylic Paint in Pearl Finish for my base and Martha Stewart Multi-Surface Satin Acrylic Paint in Wet Cement for my accent.

• Paint brush or a large foam brush.
• An old (clean) rag or old (clean) t-shirt.
• Safety glasses and a sanding respirator. 

You certainly don't want any of the sanding particles getting in your eyes or lungs!

Instructions:

1.) Sand the best side of the board and the sides of the board down, starting with the lowest grit of sandpaper. Sand until smooth and there aren't any more splinters. Finish sanding with the higher grit of sandpaper.

2.) Wipe the surface of the sanded board with a tack cloth, or other clean cloth, to get any fine sanding particles off before painting.

3.) Using a paint brush, paint the board using the base coat, in long strokes. Painting with the grain of the board. If applying a second coat, allow the paint to dry completely.

4.) Either on the first coat or second coat (depending on how many coats you apply) of the base coat, when it is still a bit tacky, apply the accent color using the rag or t-shirt. Squeeze small amounts of the accent color in different areas of the board and wipe along the grain of the board. Apply the accent color in as many areas as you like.

5.) Allow the board to dry completely before using.

Now how easy is that!?!

I don't have an exact total on the cost... since I can't find my receipts. I already had the paint brush, tack cloth, and respirator, so those were of no cost. With the cost of the other items, I'm pretty sure I spent around $28 for this project. That includes the other half of the unfinished plywood. So with the cost of some other paint, you have potentially two finished boards!

This project is so worth it if you do a ton of food photography! Now, to get to those other boards.....