Help! Oil-base chalkboard paint discontinued

[yvette rutledge]

Sign Painters,
We need your advice! For years we have used an exterior oil-base black chalkboard slating on exterior sidewalk signs, but the company (BLP Mobile Paints) tells us they have stopped making it. All other chalkboard paints like Rustoleum are water-base, and in our opinion, they are junk by comparison. They don't cover in one coat, smearing instead of rolling; they don't leave a smooth surface; they don't dry quickly and predictably; they don't stand up in our miserable New Orleans climate, where the BLP paint lasted for YEARS without repainting!
Any suggestions for a replacement product will be deeply appreciated, especially if you know one that is oil-base.
Eve
Mystic Blue Signs

[Lee Littlewood]

In some old book there was a mention of making blackboard paint by adding pumice to regular oil-based paint. I don't know how much would give you a good tooth, and I think you would want to get the powder wet with thinner before mixing it into the paint.

We've had good results with Benjamin Moore chalkboard paint, using two coats, but that has been only inside.

[Cal Trauter]

Here's a Canadian Co. that still makes great oil based chalk board paint. Dynamic Paints.
/www.getpainting.com/english/index.htm
It appears that they have US dealers, although you may have to contact them to find out where.
Good Luck

[Kent Smith]

You can add powdered pumice to any enamel color to make a suitable chalkboard coating. The heavier pigment load in the enamel, the more pumice will be needed. For example, more is needed in lettering enamel than bulletin and much less is needed in industrial enamel. Typical addition is between 10% and 20% by volume but do some testing since enamel resins have changed. This trick was popularized by E.C. Matthews and dates to the late 1940's.

[Robare M. Novou]

I did see this...http://www.rolcolabs.com/products/Kemp/ ... kboard.pdf...and it's oil based.

[Bill Masters]

Ronan makes a flat black bulletin enamel in gallons and quarts.