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Really Cheap Whiteboard


Ginger
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I just thought I'd share one of my find's of the year. I heard Leigh Borgis, of Classical Conversations, talk of this at a conference, and I had to go out and buy one.

 

At Home Depot you can get 4' X 8' pieces of white tile backerboard(I think that is what it is called) for $12. It is basically just one big whiteboard. I thought it'd be way too big...but I've already got it filled up, and I'm thinking I'd like to have another one.

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Yes, you can :) Build a frame from wood so that you can hang it and be able to turn it around (have to be able to access both sides).

 

You'll need to use sandpaper to roughen up the side you want to paint (to make the paint stick) and then prime it. Next comes the magnetic paint.

 

Works like a charm.

 

The other option would be to use a piece of plywood (or other wood - don't want it too heavy though) and do the same thing on one side. TO make a white board, prime it, and then paint it with high gloss spray paint. You have to use WET erase markers, though, because dry erase stains.

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Yes, you can :) Build a frame from wood so that you can hang it and be able to turn it around (have to be able to access both sides).

 

You'll need to use sandpaper to roughen up the side you want to paint (to make the paint stick) and then prime it. Next comes the magnetic paint.

 

Works like a charm.

 

The other option would be to use a piece of plywood (or other wood - don't want it too heavy though) and do the same thing on one side. TO make a white board, prime it, and then paint it with high gloss spray paint. You have to use WET erase markers, though, because dry erase stains.

 

How many coats did you have to use?

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We use a large piece of shower board for a white board, and we love it. They will cut it down to whatever size you need. I do use regular dry erase markers, but they only come off with water or Windex. A wet erase marker would be a Vis-a vis. I will have to contimplate making another one only magnetic, that sounds neat. I also painted a chalkboard on the wall in my old house. My kids were young and loved it, but the chalk made a huge mess on the floor when it was erased.

Dorothy

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I have a tile board in our basement playroom (our ex school room!) and I always HATED that dry erase markers were so hard to clean off the board. I never heard of "wet" ease markers...so I just looked them up. I guess they are the same thing as those Vis-a-Vis markers (overhead/transparency markers)??

 

I'll have to try it out! I have a bunch of them, but never use them.

 

Thanks for the idea!

 

Liz in NC

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I did buy a seriously big chalkboard at Home Depot ($7) and put it up downstairs next to the tile board.

 

Please don't get me started on the MESS!!! Dorothy is so right with that! I refuse to use it now and I'm thinking of taking it down and replacing it with another tile board or a magnetic board.

 

A tip on using magnetic paint...make sure that they shake it for you when you buy it. I tried to magnetize a board and I hated the process. The magnetic metal part of it settles at the bottom and it is nearly impossible to stir.

 

So if you get that paint, make sure you get it shaken...not stirred. Sorry, couldn't resist!:D

 

Liz in NC

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We plan on doing this in a couple of weeks when DH has vacation and time to get it done. We're going to buy a type of flat framing (dont' know what yet) to go around it that I'll paint with magnetic paint first so that I can just hang stuff around the whiteboard.

 

I did see whiteboard paint at Lowes though. It was with the chalkboard spray paint thought I don't think it is a spray paint.

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Rachel,

I had horrible luck with the magnetic paint, mabye you will have better luck.

I did use picture frame molding to go around it and I painted it kinda a slate grey. Then my husband bought magnet tape, 2" inches wide, and he ran it on top of the frame all the way around the frame. It looks like a deep grey stripe throught the middle of the frame. I can use those magnetic clips on the top and clip maps, pictures, and all kinds of stuff to it .

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That is what we used at Best Buy when i worked there - so we got a piece for here too!

 

LOVE IT!

 

I also had so-so luck with the metallic paint - i agree with the get it shook part. UGH. I don't htink it would be strong enough (magnetic wise) to be put on the back of the shower board though, i'd consider a piece of metal behind it.

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I was wondering about making it magnetic, too. If you actually try it and it works, I'd like to know. I've also heard that the board is better if you use liquid nails to adhere the whiteboard to cheap "plywood" or something like this(let dry with heavy objects on top to get it really secure) and then screw in the whole thing to the wall. I'm jealous that you got to hear Leigh speak. Are you in Colorado??

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We have one of these in our school/rec room. Dh had to cut a foot off of one end for it to fit into a nook I wanted it in, but it is still *huge*. He liquid nails-ed it to a piece of plywood and then found nice screws with white covers that pop over them to hang it. You can't really see how it's mounted to the wall; it just looks like a big piece of white board. He is going to put some trim sideways under it for a rail to set markers on, too.

 

The only bad thing is that you lose that wall space for furniture.

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We put ours up just after Christmas last year - it cost about $25 total, we got special white heavy duty plastic screws and thin white plastic framing to give it a finished look. It takes up most of a wall because it is landscape direction. I love it! i haven't had any problem with dry erase markers (ocassionally certain colors won't erase well, though). I do use wipe board cleaner every night or so, since I hate the ghosting look. Since my youngest was not quite three when we got it, if it ever comes down (maybe sooner) the wall will definately need to be painted.:D

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I guess I'm the oddball. I had a piece of shower board and the ghosting drove me nuts. I also couldn't find any markers that didn't give me a headache, even the "no" or "low" odor ones didn't work.

 

I bought a 3" x 5 " chalkboard, granted it did cost me $130 but I love it and won't go whiteboard again. I guess I love the old fashioned feel of a chalkboard. I really don't have a problem with the dust, sure there's some, but it's not that bad.

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Last year we used the tile board, this year my husband got true white board

( at a hundred dollars a sheet) and framed it. While it looks good I preferred the cheap tile board it was easier to clean and it was much more durable, the white board scratches easily.We use the spray cleaner and paper towels to clean it, but wipes work well too. I also have the short basement walls painted with chalk board paint, it was hard to find it in green. The kids love it we use low dust chalk a huge difference.

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I just thought I'd share one of my find's of the year. I heard Leigh Borgis, of Classical Conversations, talk of this at a conference, and I had to go out and buy one.

 

At Home Depot you can get 4' X 8' pieces of white tile backerboard(I think that is what it is called) for $12. It is basically just one big whiteboard. I thought it'd be way too big...but I've already got it filled up, and I'm thinking I'd like to have another one.

 

You can also get dry erase chair rail panels at Lowes for under 10$. Located in the special lumber section.

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I guess I'm the oddball. I had a piece of shower board and the ghosting drove me nuts. I also couldn't find any markers that didn't give me a headache, even the "no" or "low" odor ones didn't work.

 

I bought a 3" x 5 " chalkboard, granted it did cost me $130 but I love it and won't go whiteboard again. I guess I love the old fashioned feel of a chalkboard. I really don't have a problem with the dust, sure there's some, but it's not that bad.

 

I hope you meant feet, not inches for $130.. :lol:

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I guess I'm the oddball. I had a piece of shower board and the ghosting drove me nuts. I also couldn't find any markers that didn't give me a headache, even the "no" or "low" odor ones didn't work.

 

I bought a 3" x 5 " chalkboard, granted it did cost me $130 but I love it and won't go whiteboard again. I guess I love the old fashioned feel of a chalkboard. I really don't have a problem with the dust, sure there's some, but it's not that bad.

I'm with you, Kel. I HATE whiteboards, and that's putting it mildly. The pens give me a headache and stir up mine and P's asthma. The dry-erase ones leave colored dust everywhere. Blech.

 

I have a 4'X6' chalkboard in our basement classroom/playroom. I love love love it. I, too, love the old-fashioned feel of a chalkboard.

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For those wanting a magnetic whiteboard, here's what we use. I got two large pieces of sheet metal and hung them side by side with small screws. They are magnetic or course, but you can also write on them with wet erase markers and it comes right off (with water of course). We use it at our karate studio to post announcements, but I'm going to hang some in our apartment as well. They are thin, lightweight, and inexpensive.

 

Smiles,

Shalynn

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For those wanting a magnetic whiteboard, here's what we use. I got two large pieces of sheet metal and hung them side by side with small screws. They are magnetic or course, but you can also write on them with wet erase markers and it comes right off (with water of course). We use it at our karate studio to post announcements, but I'm going to hang some in our apartment as well. They are thin, lightweight, and inexpensive.

 

Smiles,

Shalynn

 

Where did you buy the sheet metal? This is what I was thinking of doing. I am just unsure where to go to buy the metal.

 

Thanks

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