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A 2-pack of generously sized boards from an artist-favorite brand.
4 pre-cut magnets, 16 fine point markers, magnetic pen holders, and double-sided tape for wall mounting. Silver frame gives firm support for lap drawing. Great for homework and presentations.
Some buyers dock points for weak magnets.
A great affordable option that is sizeable for magnetic accessories.
Easy to clean and rarely leaves marks. Detachable marker tray for non-magnetic markers and erasers. Lightweight build for mounting. Compact design perfect for small workspaces.
While it is big enough for personal use, it is not suitable for larger workspaces.
A great model with lots of surface area and magnets for mounting.
2 x 1.5 foot. Frameless design means every inch of board is used. Large enough for multiple people at an office. Glass surface makes it easy to clean and erase notes left on for a long time.
The drywall anchors are not ideal and in rare cases can cause the board to fall.
An easy-to-clean option with a large surface area, created with great materials.
6 x 4 foot with frame made of aluminum. Comes with mounting kit to set up board. Easy to write on and clean off. Sturdy and lightweight. Boasts a great price.
Without good lighting, there are a lot of glares that can make it hard to see the board.
A typical model featuring a magnetic backing.
This product's 3 x 2-foot surface offers plenty of extra space. We also love how it comes with an easy hanging kit with extra mounts to simplify the installation process. Can easily stick papers and notes onto it.
The magnetic backing might feel weak depending on the quality of magnets you use.
We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.
Imagine you’re in a classroom or conference room with a captive audience. Students or colleagues are engaged, and you need to get your point across before the end of the session. A whiteboard is a trusted way to quickly get your point across and allow for easy note-taking.
With a whiteboard, you can translate your ideas into words, diagrams, and charts. While the tabula rasa element of whiteboards is their signature feature, some whiteboards are more advanced to suit a variety of needs. Boards with integrated cork sections or magnetic backing allow you to hang papers. Calendar boards are ideal for meticulous planners, and personal whiteboards are ideal for kids doing homework.
If you’re an educator, professional, or student, then you know whiteboards are essential to the exchange of information.
The most common whiteboards are traditional ones, hung in classrooms landscape-style. They typically have aluminum frames and come with mounting brackets. Sizes vary quite a bit with these, so you’ll find options as small as 24 x 36 inches or as large as 40 x 60 inches. Some of them are magnetized, and occasionally they come with accessory shelves to hold markers and erasers.
Calendar whiteboards are popular for home and office use. They’re printed with a blank calendar that you can personalize monthly. Smaller ones measure around 17 x 23 inches and are often used for household organization. If you work in an office and have to balance schedules or responsibilities for multiple colleagues, look at larger calendar whiteboards closer to 24 x 36 inches.
Whiteboards with a cork section are ideal if you need a spot to hang announcements or flyers. The cork section could be half the size of the board, or it could be in the form of a small strip or column along one side. Cork is most commonly seen in medium-size whiteboards, such as those around 24 x 36 inches.
Personal whiteboards are as versatile as it gets, and they are usually about 8 1/2 x 11 inches in size. Use them at home or in the office in lieu of notepads or turn them into a daily affirmations board. Children also enjoy using whiteboards, especially when there’s a lot of trial and error in handwriting, math, and spelling practice. They’re essential learning tools for tutors, especially those who work onsite in your home and want to mimic the classroom atmosphere on a smaller scale.
Portable whiteboards are often used in education and office settings when more space is needed but the installation of another whiteboard isn’t in the cards. These whiteboards are mounted in frames attached to wheels for easy transport. Some whiteboards can alternate between landscape and portrait orientations.
You’ll be writing on whiteboards with dry erase markers, the ink of which has a special formula that lets you write and wipe in seconds. Not all dry erase markers are made to the same quality, though, so it’s worth investing in a set that works with your needs. Smaller whiteboards do well with fine-tip markers since they cover a small area, but you need chisel or round-tip markers to create thicker, well-defined lines on larger boards.
Regardless of the marker you choose, you’ll also need a dry eraser for basic maintenance, which is specially designed to smoothly wipe away the ink and dust from the board. Its soft velour fibers absorb the ink, but be careful when you’re wiping down the board — if you drop it on clothing, you’ll end up with an unpleasant stain.
Whiteboards also require occasional deep cleanings to minimize wear and tear, especially the phenomenon known as ghosting. On some porous whiteboards, like melamine, ghosting occurs when ink bleeds into the surface. To keep it to a minimum, wipe the board with an alcohol-dampened cloth. While it’s not a permanent solution, this can extend the lifespan of the whiteboard.
Installing a white board is relatively simple and can be done by one person, though larger whiteboards will probably require an extra pair of hands. Some whiteboards have magnetic backs and just stick to refrigerators, whereas most other boards come with full mounting sets. For these, there’s hardware that goes at the top and bottom corners of the whiteboard to secure it to a wall. Accurate measurements and the use of a level are necessary if you want a straight whiteboard — and having an extra pair of hands make the task much easier.
Whiteboards are made up of a layer of plywood or particle board, sometimes a magnetic sheet, and then the surface material. The surface materials vary the most, and they affect writing on and cleaning the board.
Laminate
Melamine
Porcelain
Glass
Your whiteboard is only as useful as its tools. Here are a few items to get you started and help you organize your thoughts.
Dry erase marker set: Expo Original Dry Erase 6-Piece Set
A quality dry erase marker set will carry you through dozens of presentations. We like this set by Expo, which includes the eraser, four bold markers, and whiteboard cleaner. The chisel tips of the markers offer more than one line thickness, and the spray cleaner is ideal to minimize ink buildup.
Whiteboard tape: Cridoz 15 Rolls 1/8-inch Whiteboard Thin Tape
If you’re highly organized, you may want to subdivide your whiteboard. We like these tape rolls by Cridoz, which come in nine colors to create colorful, creative designs on your whiteboard. When you need to change the location of the tape, simply peel it off and enjoy a clean, residue-free surface again.
Whiteboards cost between $10 and $250, depending on their construction and size.
Q. Is there any way to repair a chipped whiteboard?
A. Not really, and the surface will continue to chip. You can continue using your board, however, if you’re willing to get creative. Use some whiteboard tape to cover the chip and create new divisions to categorize notes or information. If the chip is toward an edge or corner and won’t get in the way, cover it with a sticker or banner.
Q. I don’t like the aluminum frame on my whiteboard. Can I change it?
A. It’s unlikely that you’ll find a replacement in other colors, so consider decorating it instead. Cover the aluminum with printed duct tape, or spray paint it in a more attractive color. You could also minimize the appearance of the aluminum by creating an eye-catching border around its edges. In some whiteboards, these frames are removable, in which case you can simply take them off to achieve a minimalist look.
Q. What color markers should I use on my whiteboard so my notes are visible to everyone in the room?
A. Black and dark blue are popular choices, and other dark colors like green or red can work as well. That said, if the markers aren’t highly pigmented to achieve dark colors, the ink falls flat and will be difficult to see by those in the farthest corners of the room. If you don’t have highly pigmented markers, use the newest ones you can find, as older, faded markers often result in streaky, hard-to-see lines.
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