Garage whiteboard

[xcgates]

Okay, seems like it should be simple, but I'm just not finding much info on whiteboards.

Is the stuff at a place like Lowes/Home Depot that looks like whiteboard (next to pegboard, tile patterned board, etc) usable as a whiteboard? It felt like it would work, but it doesn't feel like the same thing you get with "real" whiteboards. I looked in the bath and shower section, but all those panels were textured.

Bottom line, do dry erase markers write well, not shrivel, and wipe off easily enough?

Because if it is, I'd love to pick up a sheet or two, have one in my garage, and cut up the other one, and put various places in the house.

 

[1320warrior]

Yes, It works well with dry erase markers. I used to use them to schedule my crews in the landscape industry. Only problem I had was cleaning any writing that had been on there for long periods of time. Hope this helps.

 

[holdover]

you can buy one at office depot or staples, a small one is less than $10.00

 

[mikeyr]

http://www.ideapaint.com/

paint it on the wall anywhere you want and its AWESOME, not the cheapest but worth it because I was able to make lots of white boards in various areas of the garage.

I am sure there are other brands out there and they might be cheaper

 

[mdbeck1]

Yes, It works well with dry erase markers. I used to use them to schedule my crews in the landscape industry. Only problem I had was cleaning any writing that had been on there for long periods of time. Hope this helps.

X2..

I've got one that I made 18+ years ago that I still use. Make sure you buy some of the special cleaner for when it gets really dirty....

 

[xcgates]

Holdover: The idea behind the stuff I am thinking about is that it is <$15 for a 4'X8' sheet, which is much cheaper than anything I've been able to find "premade".

Cool idea, Mike, however I'd still have to mount up something smooth enough for writing, no?

 

[Hit-By-Thunder]

XC, an idea for you that I will be using and have used in my old garage.

The 4X8 sheet of malemine (spelling) on both sides. use a black permanent marker and it will not erase until you wipe it clean with lacquer thinner/gun wash. You can also use countertop laminate as it comes in a bazillion colors.

Rob/HBT

 

[6768rogues]

Some are painted and some are similar to ceramic, like a glass surface, which is better. These guys supply schools: http://www.shifflerequip.com/
They have finished boards or just the material (schools stick it on over old chalk boards).
Schools buy good boards because they use them all day every day.

 

[williaty]

Glossy white sign vinyl works perfectly with "Wet erase" markers. Basically, go on eBay, buy a roll of Oracal 641 or 651 in glossy white, and cover any and all imaginable surfaces in "white board". Use a wet erase marker, then erase with a damp paper towel.

Cheapest I've been able to find to do it.

 

[jsb025]

I teach in a low-income school district (means I spend my own money) and I bought the stuff that you're referring to from Lowes to cover up old chalk board. It works but does leave some streaking/staining when you erase. I teach math so I use mine quite frequently. Couple of things I have learned. Expo markers are the easiest to write with and tend to last the longest. You can use the Mean Green cleaner from the dollar store to clean it up, it does a very good job, and is less expensive than the "special" cleaner.

 

[williaty]

By the way, "cheapest I've been able to find" means less than 10 cents per square foot for covering something in the vinyl to make a white board.

 

[ddawg16]

I just bought a 4x8 sheet of the stuff a couple of weeks ago from Lowes...

Jsb is about right.....it's not as perfect as a standard white board, but my dry erase wipe off just fine....I don't have any long term experience with it yet....still need to install it. I'm making some doors to cover my 4x8 paint cabinet.....it should give me plenty of room to write on....you know...those lists for HD and Lowes...

 

[thdewey]

Sorry there is only the edge of it here in this pic. But I cut the 4x8 sheet down a couple of inches so that I could use stained 8'1x3 slats as a "frame". I cut a rabbit in the back edge with the table saw, mitered the edges and stapled it all to the OSB. I made a little shelf for the markers and erasers. Man the kids love it. I use it a lot for project ideas and thinking though problems.

 

[vlpronj]

As I mentioned in this thread, I like whiteboard too. And the ideapaint mikeyr mentioned seems neat - you can get it in colors. Here's a link to a search for rolls of whiteboard material - you still need a fairly flat surface to put it on, but itgoes on kind of like a static cling decal.

As an instructor, a techie, and a lover of practical things, I really like having a whiteboard surface around. So I bought a couple of 10'x30" rolls of whiteboard material that I plan on using at about the height of your white area. However, if I wanted a really BOLD whiteboard surface that would (in my mind) look KILLER in a garage, I'd love to spend the $ for this stuff in ORANGE...
http://www.ideapaint.com/school/shop/
With black dry erase marker, your project sketches and notes would be like art on the walls.

EDITED TO ADD:
Your pic shows how if the upper surface is white and clean, it helps the whole place look less messy - you've got stuff around the walls at the base, but it's not really noticeable with the color scheme.

 

[bluesman2a]

I have whiteboards in my shop.
The problem is that they tend to have stuff on them for a LONG time, and "burn in". I've tried everything to clean them, up to and including brake cleaner. Which only means that they burn in all that much faster next time.

I saw an idea on TV, where people were using GLASS boards, so I started looking around. I found this:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10114874

About the cheapest so far, but all you really need is glass with a consistent background behind it.

I like my glass boards, they work well and ALWAYS come clean easily.

 

[BBQ&Love]

My company uses 3 of those sheets from Lowe's to schedule stuff on. A few observations.

1. For stuff that is erased once a week (like our usage) it works almost as well as the real deal.

2. For stuff that is left up long term, it gets harder and harder to change.

3. If making grids, use a roll of pinstriping instead of permanent marker, etc. It can be changed if needed.

4. Keep a good cleaner on hand. You will need it oftener.

5. They are relatively cheap. Put it up, use the snot out of it. Then replace it when it gets too nasty. It's not like you have $75 invested in the sheet.

 

[nehog]

Though I would not use that HD stuff for a commercial (school) application (it'd be destroyed quickly by the cleaning crew!) it works great for home use. I put up a 4x8 piece in my office about 14 years ago, and it still work and looks just fine.

BTW, it is important to clean them properly, and no soap or anything that will leave a residue. I use clear water and an old shirt, both at work and on my home board.

Oh, and regular 'professional' white boards are usually made of metal that is covered with porcelain, for durability and water/moisture resistance.

 

[larry_g]

I salvaged a sidepanel off of an old cloths washer. Works fine, free.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[vlpronj]

all you really need is glass with a consistent background behind it.

And if you have an "artistic" flair, you could use semi-opaque glass (or frost it with spray paint), then put posters or artwork behind it. Making the glass frosted means there's less contrast in the background, making it easier to read what you write.
Or, you can use a solid color on the surface behind it, and put permanent gridlines, etc - for production calendars, common tasks, etc. If you ever want to change it, remove the glass, paint the background solid white, and start over.
I've put way too much thought into this, and have nothing to show for it except a couple of whiteboards cable-tied to the front of some shelves in my grage; I lift them up at the bottom to access the shelves, and have both covered with "to-do" lists and project ideas.

 

[vlpronj]

I salvaged a sidepanel off of an old cloths washer. Works fine, free.

Cool - I would think that the porcelainized panels like that could be MORE durable than actual whiteboards.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'm going to add one to the garage one day, just as soon as I find a good deal on one. Need to check out city and school auctions.

 

[redneckprofessor]

Hey, take it from a professor who uses whiteboard every weekday, just about:

Make sure the markers you use have the words "Dry Erase" on them. Don't just grab any old marker! ONLY "Dry Erase." I never have made the mistake, but others have.

Also, keep the boards clean. The gunk can build up on erasers and make it impossible to erase after a while. It starts to look like you are erasing the board with a piece of lunchmeat.

 

[xcgates]

Lots of people mentioning the cleaning aspect, I go through a lot of Simple Green, from top to bottom all over the house and garage, I would think that would do pretty good for cleaning a whiteboard as well?

 

[mdbeck1]

Lots of people mentioning the cleaning aspect, I go through a lot of Simple Green, from top to bottom all over the house and garage, I would think that would do pretty good for cleaning a whiteboard as well?

Didn't I see something about this on post 10?

 

[xcgates]

Didn't I see something about this on post 10?

Sure helps to read, don't it?

 

[Keep]

I made my cabinet doors out of the stuff. Works great and hides all my stuff. I picked mine up at Lowes.

Oh yeah, plain rubbing alcohol will clean off any residue when it gets really nasty.

 

[Bevis]

I have a piece of frosted glass, and use a black, blue, or red grease pencil on it. I also cary a grease pencil with me in my truck, in case I need to jot down a quick note or #, easy to clean off later.

 

[vlpronj]

I made my cabinet doors out of the stuff. Works great and hides all my stuff. I picked mine up at Lowes. <SNIP> Oh yeah, plain rubbing alcohol will clean off any residue when it gets really nasty.

I like the cabinets, thinking about the same.
Forgot to mention - when I worked at a school, I always refilled the whiteboard pump spray with rubbing alcohol. It seemed to be about 95% as effective for me, but our boards may have been older?

 

[kwb]

I found one at a relocation sale - think it was 75 bucks for ~4x8 board

Love having it, had one in my apartment in college as well - better board wish I had never let it go.

To do cheaply and guarantee no burn in over time - find a old window, paint the back side and hang on the wall. Finding a take out single pane on craigslist is about as easy as it gets.

 

[kartracer55]

Lots of people mentioning the cleaning aspect, I go through a lot of Simple Green, from top to bottom all over the house and garage, I would think that would do pretty good for cleaning a whiteboard as well?

Use the crystal simple green. The green stuff will actually begin to discolor white plastic if used frequently over a period of time. Might be better if its diluted and not in "spray bottle" strength. That sprayer is pretty concentrated.

 

[rvr6000]

Talk about reading my mind....just yesterday I was in the garage thinking it would be kinda nice to have one out there for keeping track of oil changes and stuff like that.

 

[Mattlt]

I made mine from an old piece of window glass, painted the back of the glass with gloss white paint. I suppose Plexiglass would work as well, but have you priced Plexiglass lately?!?!

 

[Kevin54]

Hey, take it from a professor who uses whiteboard every weekday, just about:

Make sure the markers you use have the words "Dry Erase" on them. Don't just grab any old marker! ONLY "Dry Erase." I never have made the mistake, but others have.

Also, keep the boards clean. The gunk can build up on erasers and make it impossible to erase after a while. It starts to look like you are erasing the board with a piece of lunchmeat.

Lots of people mentioning the cleaning aspect, I go through a lot of Simple Green, from top to bottom all over the house and garage, I would think that would do pretty good for cleaning a whiteboard as well?

If you leave a note on a dry erase board for an extended period of time, depending on the brand of the marker, it can be very hard to remove. A bottle of dry erase cleaner does work very well for removing the stains. What I found that works great is give it a coat of wax every now and then. It makes taking the marker of a lot easier.

 

[JC23]

I clean mine with mineral spirits every now and then. Always takes off the leftovers.

 

[MartyO]

Just bought one at Sam's ;ast week for less than Staples charges.

 

[incurablescrounge]

What about an old slate chalkboard? They worked for a century at least before dry erase boards came around. They always cleaned up well after school. (I do know this!) I have one that I scored at the public library for free!

 

[Falcon67]

I use a real dry erase board - got one an an office supply scratch sale cheap. No mater what it's made of, it is a must for any shop I think. Mine is labeled as the STD Board ( **** To Do. )

 

[xcgates]

Okay, so I was chatting at work today, and while not about a garage whiteboard exactly, I was talking about my Suzuki, and what I have to do with it still. I have two gas tanks for it, one with factory paint, one with some type of flat black paint, which I take as a sign for me to mess around with and do whatever.

So... whiteboard paint on the tank, and a dry erase marker mounted somewhere for quick and easy maps, notes, etc.

I do like the idea of glass, however right now I think it would be simpler to do the plain board material. I know I can cut it, I don't care if there is ghosting, and it is easy to get hold of. Heck, I'll grab a couple of the pegboard sheets that are right next to them for eventual use on/in the cabinet.

 

[BLUBAYOU]

I scored a 4x8 sheet of dry-erase board from work when we were redoing some of our conference rooms. I think they have a few more I'll grab, if I can.

As of now, the single sheet I have will go on the inside of my garage door (9'x9' slider on barn door tracks). It's right next to where my welding table will sit, so it will see a lot of use.

If I pickup more, I'll spread them around to the other walls, so I always have one nearby wherever I'm working in the garage.

 

[Ray-CA]

I don't have a dry erase board, but I did paint one of my upper cabinet doors with some chalkboard paint. Attached a length of cove trim along the bottom for the chalk and it's working well. I did have a dry erase board but it wouldn't erase well after a year or so so I went with the chalk board instead.

Ray