DIY Crackle Finish. Celebrating back to school with a fun DIY tutorial on creating a crackle finish with school glue and a chalk type paint. Creating a crackle finish is fun, easy and economical when using school glue and chalk type paints. Follow these simple steps to achieve a nice crackle every time. Step 1 – Paint surface with your base coat and allow to dry completely. Step 2 – Apply school glue on top of base coat. Step 3 – While glue is still tacky, apply top coat. Step 4 – Dry completely. Read on for additional application techniques. The photos above detail how to create a random crackle finish. Photo 1 – Using a pouncing motion, apply glue to base coat. Photo 2 – This shot shows the board […]