Blackboards are very popular as part of interior decorating, as well as in the classroom. These functional and practical pieces can be a great addition to any room and they come in all shapes and sizes. You can even get framed chalkboards to fit your current decor. Although these elements already seem quite adaptable to any style you already have in your home, there is another element that makes them even more malleable to adapt to any space. This is the chalk that is commonly used for writing on blackboards.
Chalk has been used from very early on and natural chalk rock was used to create some of the first cave drawings that we know of. However, today we don’t use as much natural chalk for writing, but rather sticks of chalk that are made from calcium sulfate in its dehydrated form, gypsum. Chalk sticks come in different sizes, but the standard size is approximately 3.15 inches long and 0.35 inches in diameter. This cylinder shape has proven to be the easiest type of chalk to write on a blackboard. This shape was first created to make chalk easier for artists to handle, however today it is a convenient shape as it is similar to a pen or pencil that your hand is more familiar with handling. When you are using the chalk, press it against the surface of the blackboard and the chalk particles will crumble and stick to the surface you are writing on.
Although chalk and drawings have been used to convey messages since the beginning of time, the use of blackboards was not introduced into the classroom until the 19th century, when classes grew to significant size. In these classrooms, many of the children had their own blackboards, as it was cheaper than writing paper, and the reuse element was vital, especially for those students who could barely afford to be in school in the first place. .
If you have a blackboard in your home, you may want to use different colored chalk for writing or drawing. This chalk is made by mixing calcium carbonate with pigments (these are dry, natural-colored materials). These are mixed together while still dry. Manufacturers then add water to the mix, and then it is shaped into cylinders and put in an oven for four days at 85 ° C. The chalk is then packaged and often can be in packages that include a wide range of different colors. Then you can start writing colorful messages for your family. When you want to change the message on the board or if you have made a minor mistake, it is easy to wipe the chalk with a damp cloth, a damp sponge or a special eraser. This will easily remove the chalk, and once the board is dry you can start writing and drawing on it again.