Looking at the hundreds of different whiteboard offerings available on the UK market, this short article is designed to help customers narrow down their search and choose a dry-wipe whiteboard suitable for their needs. The article considers, size, surface type, mobility and price.
Size:
Whether it is an office whiteboard, school whiteboard or one for simply writing your shopping list on in the kitchen, the most obvious question to begin with is how large do you want the whiteboard to be? In considering this you will also need to take into account how quickly you would like it to be delivered. Products which can simply be taken off the shelf and consequently delivered on a next day basis, are loosely based around the older imperial measurements:
3’ x 2’ or 900 x 600mm
4’ x 3’ or 1200 x 900mm
6 x 4’ or 1800 x 1200mm
Some suppliers will hold stock on a few sizes outside of these sizes, but these are the most commonly stocked whiteboards available with nationwide next day delivery.
If time is not so pressing and you want a whiteboard made exactly to your size, then having a bespoke sized whiteboard can also be arranged. These typically can be supplied within a couple of weeks.
Writing Surface / Board construction:
There are three main types of whiteboard and in price ascending order these are; non magnetic melamine whiteboards, magnetic steel whiteboards and porcelain (ceramicsteel) whiteboards.
Melamine Whiteboards – These are the most commonly sold board owing to the cheaper cost prices.
Magnetic Whiteboards – The title type of these boards is a little misleading, as the boards themselves are not magnetic, but simply made from steel meaning they will accept magnets and magnetic planning accessories.
Porcelain Whiteboards – These are the top end type of board, but typically have a long manufacturers warranty. Owing to the longevity of these boards they are frequently used as school whiteboards or business whiteboards where they will receive regular usage.
In considering the surface of the board, at the time of purchase is worth deciding whether you think the board is likely to be projected onto for presentations, lessons etc. If the answer to that is yes, then one multi-use option is a matt whiteboard. The standard whiteboards will have a gloss finish, meaning throwing an LCD image up onto the board can result in a lot of glare back to the audience. A matt whiteboard removes this problem, allowing it be used as a normal dry-wipe whiteboard, but also as a projection screen.
Mobility:
The vast majority of whiteboards sold are wall mounted boards, but if you are needing a whiteboard to be used in different rooms you can purchase mobile whiteboards mounted on a steel frame with either a horizontal or vertical pivot. Owing to the weight of the board these are normally only available up to 8’ in width. These are a pivoting two sided board, so can have multipurpose applications (e.g. fabric notice board on the other side)
Value for Money and Branded Whiteboards:
Nobo are the UK brand leader for buying whiteboards online and through office supplies companies, but if a cheap whiteboard is sought then it is well worth considering the private label products and in particular, 5 star whiteboards. This private label range has whiteboards under £10 and still under £40 for a large 6’ x 4’ board.
If you need more information or would like to purchase one of the above whiteboards that we carry please feel free to visit our web site or contact us with your questions on 0845 2263313.
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