DIY Busy Board

I found a really cool project while browsing Pinterest:  a busy board  (the busy board by Millionayres in particular)! I have never seen such a thing, but the moment I saw it I knew I had to make it.   I made use of some scrap 1×12 boards, spray painted it black and yellow, and purchased a variety of items to attach to the board.   In this post, I’ll share the steps I took for creating a busy board for our busy little boy!

Disclosure:  This post contains some affiliate links.

Tools and Supplies

The following items are some of the tools and supplies I gathered to make the busy board:

• 2 – 1×12 boards 36 inches long
• Kreg Jig (for joining the two boards)
• Silhouette (for creating the caution stencil)
• Yellow spray paint
• Black spray paint
• Painters tape
• Contact paper (material used to creating the Silhouette stencil)
• Daddy Van’s Beeswax (for sealing the project)
• Cotton Terry Cloth Applicators
• OOK ReadyNail Large Sawtooth Hanger
• OOK Picture Hangers

Busy Items

• Door Chain
• Locking Hasp
• Spring Door stop
• Bells
• Caster wheel

Creating the Busy Board

Step 1:  Join the 1×12 boards.

I wanted to make use of lumber I had on hand, so for my board I used my Kreg Jig to join two 36″ long 1×12 boards.

Step 2:  Spray paint the with base color.

Next, I spray painted the board with yellow spray paint.

Step 3:  Create caution stencil.

I created a caution stencil with the message, “CAUTION:  CHILD AT PLAY” from my Silhouette and Contact paper.   I followed the Shanty sister’s tutorial on creating a stencil with Contact paper to get the perfect cut setting on my Silhouette.  You can download my Silhouette cut file here.

Step 4:  Apply caution stencil and painters tape.

I applied the caution stencil to the board and used painters tape to tape off diagonal stripes.

Step 5:  Spray paint with secondary color.

Next, I spray painted the entire board with black spray paint.  Once I removed the stickers I was a little disappointed to notice a few areas where the stencil and tape were not completely stuck to the board.  This resulted in a few fuzzy spots.  Fortunately, if you stand from a distance the flaw is not noticeable.

Step 6:  Seal the board.

I used Daddy Van’s Beeswax to apply a protective coat on the board.  This is my first project using beeswax.  Daddy Van’s was really easy to apply and I am quite pleased with the results.   It gets bonus points for no smelly fumes and easy clean up!

Step 7:  Install the busy hardware.

Now, here’s the fun part:  installing the hardware!  I made a trip to the hardware store and I purchased the following busy little items:

• Door Chain
• Locking Hasp
• Spring Door stop
• Bells
• Caster wheel

I also made a trip to Michael’s to purchase some bells.  I strung the bells on cord and attached it to the board as well.

If you use a door stop, secure the tip with glue.

Step 8:  Hang the board!

In hindsight, I should have installed the picture framing hardware prior to installing the busy hardware.  It would have made this step a little easier.   I installed two large OOK Sawtooth hangers on the back of the board.  I then installed two 20 pound OOK Picture hangers on my drywall.

If you have never used this picture hanging system, I recommend you check it out.  It made this step a breeze!

The Finished Busy Board

The Busy Board was an instant hit for my little guy.  He is most attracted to the spring door stop and caster wheels.  I am pretty happy with how the project turned out as well!  I do have a few more spots that I’d like to fill in, perhaps with a mirror and a push light.