6 ms·

The big problem with this is your walls have to be really, really flat for it to work like a real whiteboard. What we found that works even better -- and cheap

by philipn 16y ago

The big problem with this is your walls have to be really, really flat for it to work like a real whiteboard. What we found that works even better -- and cheaper! -- is to go to your local hardware store and pick up some tileboard (used for doing shower interiors, etc). It's like $5 a sheet and is the same material used in whiteboards! And if you're cheap you can just glue it directly to the wall.

Lost_BiomedE 16y ago
Thanks! I find that I save a ton of money buying and using items that are marketed for other purposes than I intend. Usually you get the same or better quality without the mark-up. This sounds like no exception.
tnorthcutt 16y ago
I did this, and made frames for them, so they just lean against the wall, and actually look pretty decent. Very cheap project.
enoren 16y ago
Did you paint them at all or just throw them up there in their raw state?
reemrevnivek 16y ago
Yup, I actually did this same thing this weekend! It was a little over $10 a sheet (not $5 as you say), but that's nothing compared to OfficeMax quoting me $163 for a 4x6 foot (framed) whiteboard. $13.04 for a 4x8 sheet at Lowes: <a href="http://www.lowes.com/pd_16605-46498-300_0__?productId=3015239&Ntt=dpi&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Ddpi>DPI http://www.lowes.com/pd_16605-46498-300_0__?productId=301523... 1/8"D x 4'W x 8'H Trifty White Hardboard Wall Panel, Item #: 16605</a> Or, they also stock a 32"x48" piece ( <a href="http://www.lowes.com/pd_61082-46498-31023248_0__?productId=3042205&Ntt=tileboard&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Dtileboard>Item http://www.lowes.com/pd_61082-46498-31023248_0__?productId=3... #: 61082</a> ) if you just want one for a cube wall. Note that this won't be magnetic. The OfficeMax representative said that the magnetic variety was around 3x as expensive as the non-magnetic. Comparing $13.04 to $489, I think I can make that sacrifice. I'm cheap, but I secured mine to every other stud (32") with some polebarn screws I had on hand (nice white hex head, rubber washer to avoid crushing the hardboard). That way, I just have to spackle and repaint 8 little holes, instead of re-doing the drywall. Cheaper in the long run! Oh, and it works great as a whiteboard.
- reemrevnivek 16y ago
  Curses. How do I get URLs to work? I've tried `[markdown](http:\\example.com)` and <a href="http:\\example.com">HTML</a>. Those URLs are ugly; I don't want to use the URL->link facility recommended in the formatting help: http://news.ycombinator.com/formatdoc http://news.ycombinator.com/formatdoc

by philipn 16y ago

Lost_BiomedE 16y ago

Thanks! I find that I save a ton of money buying and using items that are marketed for other purposes than I intend. Usually you get the same or better quality without the mark-up. This sounds like no exception.

tnorthcutt 16y ago

I did this, and made frames for them, so they just lean against the wall, and actually look pretty decent. Very cheap project.

enoren 16y ago

Did you paint them at all or just throw them up there in their raw state?

reemrevnivek 16y ago

Yup, I actually did this same thing this weekend! It was a little over $10 a sheet (not $5 as you say), but that's nothing compared to OfficeMax quoting me $163 for a 4x6 foot (framed) whiteboard. $13.04 for a 4x8 sheet at Lowes: <a href="http://www.lowes.com/pd_16605-46498-300_0__?productId=3015239&Ntt=dpi&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Ddpi>DPI http://www.lowes.com/pd_16605-46498-300_0__?productId=301523... 1/8"D x 4'W x 8'H Trifty White Hardboard Wall Panel, Item #: 16605</a> Or, they also stock a 32"x48" piece ( <a href="http://www.lowes.com/pd_61082-46498-31023248_0__?productId=3042205&Ntt=tileboard&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Dtileboard>Item http://www.lowes.com/pd_61082-46498-31023248_0__?productId=3... #: 61082</a> ) if you just want one for a cube wall. Note that this won't be magnetic. The OfficeMax representative said that the magnetic variety was around 3x as expensive as the non-magnetic. Comparing $13.04 to $489, I think I can make that sacrifice. I'm cheap, but I secured mine to every other stud (32") with some polebarn screws I had on hand (nice white hex head, rubber washer to avoid crushing the hardboard). That way, I just have to spackle and repaint 8 little holes, instead of re-doing the drywall. Cheaper in the long run! Oh, and it works great as a whiteboard.

reemrevnivek 16y ago
Curses. How do I get URLs to work? I've tried `[markdown](http:\\example.com)` and <a href="http:\\example.com">HTML</a>. Those URLs are ugly; I don't want to use the URL->link facility recommended in the formatting help: http://news.ycombinator.com/formatdoc http://news.ycombinator.com/formatdoc