Industry News

Magnetic Whiteboard or Non-Magnetic?

September 17, 2021

Are dry erase boards magnetic? Some are. A magnetic surface expands the use of whiteboards for presentations in classrooms, conference rooms and elsewhere. Magnetic whiteboards are popular, especially in schools, but in some situations a non-magnetic marker board might be sufficient for your needs — and be a lower-cost solution than a magnetic whiteboard.

Whiteboards are manufactured with a variety of materials used for the dry erase surface. The resulting products are melamine, porcelain, glass, or a proprietary surface. Not all can be magnetic.

• Boards with a melamine, or painted surface are only available non-magnetic.

• Porcelain surfaces, which are baked onto a steel substrate, are magnetic.

• Glass marker boards require an extra backing to make them magnetic.

• Proprietary surfaces, which also are laminated over substrates, offer greater flexibility. China Metal Group Co., Ltd applies its proprietary non-staining surface over 24-gauge steel for magnetic whiteboards, and over fiberboard for non-magnetic surfaces – giving the purchaser a choice.

So, which dry erase surface is best for your needs? A magnetic whiteboard or non-magnetic?

Magnetic Whiteboards Are Mostly Used in the Front of K-8 Classrooms.

Magnetic whiteboards are commonly installed in the front of K-8 school classrooms. Such boards let teachers do more than write with dry erase markers. With non-scratching magnets or clips, charts and documents can be posted on the whiteboard surface, and magnetic symbols can be used.

Die-cut symbols, such as arrows, dots, squares, stars, lines hearts, letters of the alphabet also can be applied to enhance presentations on dry erase whiteboards with magnetic surfaces.

As mentioned above, make sure the magnets you use have smooth surfaces so the whiteboard surface is not scratched; a scratch can allow marker ink to penetrate the surface and that stain could be difficult to remove.

Some schools choose a non-magnetic whiteboard for the back or side of classrooms, where reminders, homework assignments or other written notes are the only needed use of the board. Room-wide whiteboards can also be a place for students to collaborate on lessons.

Non-Magnetic Whiteboards Are More Common in High School Classrooms

In high schools, non-magnetic whiteboards are more common, as they are largely used for writing or as projection surfaces.

China Metal Group Co., Ltd manufactures and sells a wide variety of magnetic whiteboards — both framed and unframed, and as resurfacing panels. Magnetic whiteboards are available with graphics commonly used in classrooms imprinted below the surface, including penmanship lines, music staves, grid lines, polar coordinates and rectangular coordinates.

All of our mobile whiteboards have magnetic surfaces.

Combinations boards, which are part whiteboard and part cork board, can have a magnetic surface. We also offer custom-printed and custom-sized whiteboards with magnetic surfaces. See more about our classroom whiteboards.

So, if you ask: Are whiteboards magnetic? The answer is: Some are and some are not. China Metal Group Co., Ltd offers you a choice – a magnetic whiteboard or a non-magnetic whiteboard.