Are whiteboards magnetic?
The question of whether our whiteboards are magnetic is one we get asked quite frequently. For the quick answer, scroll to the bottom…
What do we mean by magnetic?
When talking about magnetic whiteboards, what we really mean is magnetic receptive. This means that magnets will stick to the surface as there is a layer of metal somewhere in the board’s makeup. It doesn’t mean that the whiteboard itself acts as a magnet, so you couldn’t stick a steel can to it for example.
ThinkingWall whiteboards
We make whiteboards with different specifications that are suitable for use in various locations. Our original ThinkingWall range is a heavyweight, high quality, frameless board that incorporates a magnetic receptive layer. This means you can use it with shaped, printed or pin magnets; Magnotes; document holders; magnetic overlays and pen trays. ThinkingWall is available as a wall mounted solution or a choice of freestanding mobile units. All of them feature a glossy, dry wipe magnetic writing surface.
Magnetic printed whiteboards
We also make printed whiteboards using your own artwork or our design service. These dry wipe boards are lighter weight, and as well as standard wall mounted or hand held options we can cut them to shape. With any of these boards we can also incorporate a layer so that they are magnetic. They are also frameless, with no sharp edges, although we can apply an edge binding to smaller portable sizes to protect them in use. This means you can have a movable whiteboard in a bespoke shape with custom print, and still use it with any magnetic accessories you choose!
Magnetic leaderboards and maps
These lighter boards include the leaderboard style, great at events or for fundraising. We supply leaderboards with magnetic strips to record and re-order names and scores. One of our most popular products is a printed magnetic map for the office or classroom. These are ideal to use with magnetic shapes to mark out areas of the map, or with markers to track sales activity for example.
Steel and glass whiteboards
Other types of magnetic whiteboard are made from steel. You can buy this type of whiteboard off the shelf at office supply stores or online retailers. They work well with all kinds of magnetic accessories. However as they need a frame to cover the sharp edges they don’t offer the same sleek, contemporary look as our frameless range. The writing surface can also be variable in quality – a case of getting what you pay for!
Some glass dry erase boards are also available with a magnetic receptive specification. These are only suitable for use with stronger magnets such as pin magnets, as the glass layer reduces the magnetic pull. This means they don’t work so well with magnetic overlays or document holders, as the flexible magnetic material we use in these products isn’t strong enough to stick securely. They are also not so suitable for creating a large dry erase wall, as it’s not possible to mount panels tightly enough together to create the almost seamless finish we can achieve with our ThinkingWall solution.
We don’t supply glass or steel boards, but we’re always happy to offer advice about our range and talk through the benefits of different options.
So the short answer to are whiteboards magnetic is simple.
Yes they can be – if you like!
