Board guide
Felt board vs cork board: which notice surface fits the room
Two notice surfaces, two rhythms
Felt and cork are both listed as notice surface lines. The comparison in this guide is about rhythm: how often the display changes, and how long notices stay up. A buyer who starts from rhythm asks better questions than a buyer who starts from appearance alone.
The choice is therefore about rhythm first and appearance second. A room that changes its display weekly and a room that changes it termly ask different questions, whatever either surface looks like.
Felt: questions to ask
For a felt board, ask how the proposed board holds pins under frequent change, how its face reads under the room's light, and how it shows repeated pinning in one place. Ask what happens when the display is kept light and what happens when it is crowded with heavy cards and layers of paper.
Those answers, given for a proposed board, decide whether felt fits the room. No general answer can settle them, because they depend on the board proposed and the display it will carry.
Cork: questions to ask
For a cork board, ask how the proposed board holds notices over a long stay, how its face shows daily change, and how it shows repinning in the same place many times. Ask what happens when notices stay put for a term and what happens when they change daily.
Those answers, given for a proposed board, decide whether cork fits the room. The same questions asked of both surfaces give the comparison a fair basis.
Choosing between them
A room whose displays change often should put the frequent-change questions first in its inquiry. A room whose notices stay put should put the long-stay questions first. A room that needs both rhythms can ask about both surfaces: one for the display wall, one for the working wall.
The inquiry should name the room, the displays or notices it will hold, how often they will change, and whether the room needs one surface or both. That description lets each surface be judged on the room's own rhythm.
What to put in your inquiry
A useful felt-versus-cork inquiry names the room, the displays or notices it will hold, how often they will change, and whether the room needs one surface or both.
Confirm the minimum order quantity and lead time for your order in your inquiry, and describe the rhythm so the reply can be specific.
Related reading
Whiteboards for shared writing — compare the line, then confirm
Whiteboard category page: the whiteboard line presented at category level for classrooms, offices and workspaces.
Bulletin boards for notices that stay put — compare the line, then confirm
Bulletin board category page: the bulletin board line presented at category level for classrooms, offices and shared spaces.
Felt boards: compare the line, then confirm
Felt board category page: the felt board line presented at category level for classrooms, offices and display spaces.
Start a board inquiry
Tell the Sales Team about the rooms you are fitting out, the lines you need, and how the surfaces will be used. Confirm the minimum order quantity and lead time for your order in your inquiry.