Board guide

Whiteboard surfaces compared: a general guide

Surfaces in general terms

Whiteboard surfaces are compared in this guide by the questions a buyer should ask: how a proposed surface feels to write on, how it wipes, and how it ages under daily use. Those three questions are the honest basis for comparing surfaces, and their answers can only be given for a proposed surface.

This guide frames surface kinds in those terms. It does not present any surface as a finished product, and it does not attach figures to any of them.

Everyday surfaces and daily use

For a room where the board is written on and wiped daily — classrooms, meeting rooms and team spaces — ask how the proposed surface wipes when wiped often, and what it shows when writing is left for a long time. A room with a daily wiping habit should ask about that habit explicitly.

Ask also what the surface shows when it is wiped rarely. The answers to those two questions, given for a proposed surface, matter more than any surface name.

Surfaces for heavier use

For a room where the board is the working surface all day — workshops, planning walls and rooms where the board is rarely empty — ask how the proposed surface handles longer writing, firmer writing and less frequent wiping. Ask how it ages under the room's real rhythm.

The trade-off is rarely visible at first. It shows over time, and the inquiry is where a room's real rhythm should be described, so the surface can be matched to it.

Choosing by habit, not by name

The honest way to choose a surface is by habit: how often the board will be written on, how often it will be wiped, and how long writing will sit on it between wipes. Those three habits pick the surface better than any name does.

A buyer who describes the room's habits will get a better match than a buyer who names a surface. The inquiry pages on this site are built around that idea.

What to put in your inquiry

A useful surface inquiry describes the room, how often the board will be written on and wiped, and how long writing will sit on it.

Confirm the minimum order quantity and lead time for your order in your inquiry, and describe the habits 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.

Read this guide

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.

Read this guide

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.

Read this guide

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.

Ask about board supply