5 ms·

IdeaPaint Coming to 1,700 Lowe's Stores

56 points by nh 15y ago

puzzler314 15y ago
I love the idea of IdeaPaint. However, in practice, things aren't that simple: IdeaPaint just doesn't compare to a quality white board. A quality standard white board does better in almost every important aspect; a smoother surface, better erasing, no "burn in" (if we left something up on the wall for too long, it would become nigh impossible to erase). Sure, IdeaPaint is cheaper, but I find I'm never disappointed with quality, even if it costs a little more.
- jimmyjazz14 15y ago
  The fumes from it are seriously intense (when it is wet), they used some in my office and I had to leave for the day because they where to strong. Otherwise, it seems to work pretty well,
- gbelote 15y ago
  I work in a coworking space that has IdeaPaint everywhere. It's awesome. But you're right: it's lower quality than a typical whiteboard. The surface is bumpy and doesn't erase as well. I personally don't mind the negatives and enjoy the extra real estate, but it's certainly not for everyone.
- janesvilleseo 15y ago
  I agree. I have it at our office. Actually i was the one who found it and painted it on the wall. The packaging hat it came in was really cool with a lot of thought put into it. The instructions turned into a "wet paint" sign. The surface is bumpy, but it works. It it currently being used as a giant project calendar.
  - chopsueyar 15y ago
    Did you pay out-of-pocket for the paint?
    - janesvilleseo 15y ago
      I got the owner to reimburse me for it.
  - deepGem 15y ago
    I am now thinking of getting one room painted with ideapaint. Any specific reasons for the bumpy surface - I mean does some extra sanding/smoothening of the surface before painting ideapaint help in removing any bumps ? OR is the bumpy surface because of the paint quality.
- lucasjung 15y ago
  I've covered every suitable vertical surface within easy reach of my chair with whiteyboard[1]. They also make big ones (3.3x6) that you can slap on a wall. It's cheaper than IdeaPaint, way easier to apply, and it looks like it's smoother (although still not as smooth as a regular whiteboard). My whiteyboards do suffer from "burn-in," but that's easy to fix: just scribble over the "burnt-in" writing with another dry-erase marker, then erase immediately. The solvent in the fresh marker picks up the old "burnt-in" pigment so that you can erase it. This trick also works for getting permanent marker off of a whiteboard. [1]http://www.whiteyboard.com/ http://www.whiteyboard.com/
pitdesi 15y ago
Cool product and I love the marketing story, but not as good as a whiteboard (too hard to get smooth) and VERY expensive: http://www.amazon.com/IdeaPaint-Sq-Ft-Kit-Whiteboard/dp/B002OJ7EAE http://www.amazon.com/IdeaPaint-Sq-Ft-Kit-Whiteboard/dp/B002... $175 for a 50 sqft area - $3.5/sqft... a lot more expensive than the cheap tileboard that many startups on the cheap use: http://www.lowes.com/pd_61082-46498-31023248_0__?productId=3042205&Ntt=tileboard&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Dtileboard&facetInfo= http://www.lowes.com/pd_61082-46498-31023248_0__?productId=3... $10 for 10 sqft - $1/sqft Another cool idea (that I've never seen/tried) is Whiteyboard http://www.whiteyboard.com/ http://www.whiteyboard.com/ $35 for 20sqft - $1.75/sqft Incidentally, we decided to hell with all of these things and that it was worth it to spend $400 on a kickass whiteboard and ended up with this http://www.amazon.com/Quick-Ship-Deluxe-Reversible-Markerboard/dp/B001GIAY7E http://www.amazon.com/Quick-Ship-Deluxe-Reversible-Markerboa... (but paid closer to $400). It is awesome - rolls around and flips Does anyone know why whiteboards are so damn expensive?
- chopsueyar 15y ago
  I've been using shower tile boards for almost a decade. I've always found 4' x 8' sheets for about $10 at Home Depot. If you are going to spend the money on paint, get the black chalkboard paint. $15/qt for 100sqft... http://www.lowes.com/pd_203261-4-007.0203261.005_0__?storeId=10151&Ntt=chalkboard+paint&UserSearch=chalkboard+paint&productId=3080751&N=0&catalogId=10051&langId=-1 http://www.lowes.com/pd_203261-4-007.0203261.005_0__?storeId... With the black chalkboard, you can use many colors of chalk and pastels. How many colors can you use on a whiteboard?
  - foob 15y ago
    I once had an office with chalkboard paint on all of the walls and it was terrible. The rough surface tears apart chalk much more quickly than a real chalkboard and the result is chalk dust absolutely everywhere. It would cover desks and laptops and we eventually decided that it wasn't worth using at all. Even if you love using chalk I highly recommend avoiding using chalkboard paint in a work environment at all costs.
jrussbowman 15y ago
can you paint over it with normal paint? Or at least sand it down easily enough to prime/paint? I'd consider doing my daughters room with this as long as I wouldn't have to gut it to resell as we plan to move when we're no longer upside down.
- chopsueyar 15y ago
  Just reduce the width of her bedroom by 1/2" when you attach new drywall over the existing, painted drywall.
  - jrussbowman 15y ago
    Not sure if that was a serious suggestion or not? The logistics of that get more difficult when you take into account door frames and window ledges, the over all product would not be very appealing. Over all be easier to gut the room. If that's the case, I'll wait until we can get a new home we want to live in for years. The current one is on the wrong coast, my wife from Vancouver wants off the east coast :)
hop 15y ago
Glass is a pretty cool looking surface to make a whiteboard (clearboard?) with too and can be cheaper than this stuff, even with the hanging hardware. I wonder how well ideapaint works with textured walls? Have to tip my hat to these guys for selling a quart of paint for $170 bucks with their marketing effort.
- dochtman 15y ago
  You have to sandpaper textured walls first, works fine after that.
marknutter 15y ago
I'd much prefer the paint on chalkboard stuff (http://www.rustoleum.com/cbgproduct.asp?pid=103 http://www.rustoleum.com/cbgproduct.asp?pid=103) you can get. I HATE dry erase markers.
- r00fus 15y ago
  After about 10 minutes of diagramming, I'm a bit high on the fumes (not in a good way). Chalk feels better.
squirrel 15y ago
This stuff works great for us. We've put it up all over the walls in our London and Boston offices. http://www.tektura.com/pages/display_pattern.asp?Type=Range&PID=5&PAT=7 http://www.tektura.com/pages/display_pattern.asp?Type=Range&...
nolanw 15y ago
I was looking into turns-into-whiteboard paints/stickers recently and turned up a handy comparison of various surfaces and their whiteboard-ability. Turns out washing machines and dryers often work great, though are likely impractical. http://rumkin.com/reference/whiteboard/surfaces.php http://rumkin.com/reference/whiteboard/surfaces.php

56 points by nh 15y ago

I love the idea of IdeaPaint. However, in practice, things aren't that simple: IdeaPaint just doesn't compare to a quality white board. A quality standard white board does better in almost every important aspect; a smoother surface, better erasing, no "burn in" (if we left something up on the wall for too long, it would become nigh impossible to erase). Sure, IdeaPaint is cheaper, but I find I'm never disappointed with quality, even if it costs a little more.

jimmyjazz14 15y ago
The fumes from it are seriously intense (when it is wet), they used some in my office and I had to leave for the day because they where to strong. Otherwise, it seems to work pretty well,
gbelote 15y ago
I work in a coworking space that has IdeaPaint everywhere. It's awesome. But you're right: it's lower quality than a typical whiteboard. The surface is bumpy and doesn't erase as well. I personally don't mind the negatives and enjoy the extra real estate, but it's certainly not for everyone.
janesvilleseo 15y ago
I agree. I have it at our office. Actually i was the one who found it and painted it on the wall. The packaging hat it came in was really cool with a lot of thought put into it. The instructions turned into a "wet paint" sign. The surface is bumpy, but it works. It it currently being used as a giant project calendar.
- chopsueyar 15y ago
  Did you pay out-of-pocket for the paint?
  - janesvilleseo 15y ago
    I got the owner to reimburse me for it.
- deepGem 15y ago
  I am now thinking of getting one room painted with ideapaint. Any specific reasons for the bumpy surface - I mean does some extra sanding/smoothening of the surface before painting ideapaint help in removing any bumps ? OR is the bumpy surface because of the paint quality.
lucasjung 15y ago
I've covered every suitable vertical surface within easy reach of my chair with whiteyboard[1]. They also make big ones (3.3x6) that you can slap on a wall. It's cheaper than IdeaPaint, way easier to apply, and it looks like it's smoother (although still not as smooth as a regular whiteboard). My whiteyboards do suffer from "burn-in," but that's easy to fix: just scribble over the "burnt-in" writing with another dry-erase marker, then erase immediately. The solvent in the fresh marker picks up the old "burnt-in" pigment so that you can erase it. This trick also works for getting permanent marker off of a whiteboard. [1]http://www.whiteyboard.com/ http://www.whiteyboard.com/

pitdesi 15y ago

Cool product and I love the marketing story, but not as good as a whiteboard (too hard to get smooth) and VERY expensive: http://www.amazon.com/IdeaPaint-Sq-Ft-Kit-Whiteboard/dp/B002OJ7EAE http://www.amazon.com/IdeaPaint-Sq-Ft-Kit-Whiteboard/dp/B002... $175 for a 50 sqft area - $3.5/sqft... a lot more expensive than the cheap tileboard that many startups on the cheap use: http://www.lowes.com/pd_61082-46498-31023248_0__?productId=3042205&Ntt=tileboard&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Dtileboard&facetInfo= http://www.lowes.com/pd_61082-46498-31023248_0__?productId=3... $10 for 10 sqft - $1/sqft Another cool idea (that I've never seen/tried) is Whiteyboard http://www.whiteyboard.com/ http://www.whiteyboard.com/ $35 for 20sqft - $1.75/sqft Incidentally, we decided to hell with all of these things and that it was worth it to spend $400 on a kickass whiteboard and ended up with this http://www.amazon.com/Quick-Ship-Deluxe-Reversible-Markerboard/dp/B001GIAY7E http://www.amazon.com/Quick-Ship-Deluxe-Reversible-Markerboa... (but paid closer to $400). It is awesome - rolls around and flips Does anyone know why whiteboards are so damn expensive?

chopsueyar 15y ago
I've been using shower tile boards for almost a decade. I've always found 4' x 8' sheets for about $10 at Home Depot. If you are going to spend the money on paint, get the black chalkboard paint. $15/qt for 100sqft... http://www.lowes.com/pd_203261-4-007.0203261.005_0__?storeId=10151&Ntt=chalkboard+paint&UserSearch=chalkboard+paint&productId=3080751&N=0&catalogId=10051&langId=-1 http://www.lowes.com/pd_203261-4-007.0203261.005_0__?storeId... With the black chalkboard, you can use many colors of chalk and pastels. How many colors can you use on a whiteboard?
- foob 15y ago
  I once had an office with chalkboard paint on all of the walls and it was terrible. The rough surface tears apart chalk much more quickly than a real chalkboard and the result is chalk dust absolutely everywhere. It would cover desks and laptops and we eventually decided that it wasn't worth using at all. Even if you love using chalk I highly recommend avoiding using chalkboard paint in a work environment at all costs.

jrussbowman 15y ago

can you paint over it with normal paint? Or at least sand it down easily enough to prime/paint? I'd consider doing my daughters room with this as long as I wouldn't have to gut it to resell as we plan to move when we're no longer upside down.

chopsueyar 15y ago
Just reduce the width of her bedroom by 1/2" when you attach new drywall over the existing, painted drywall.
- jrussbowman 15y ago
  Not sure if that was a serious suggestion or not? The logistics of that get more difficult when you take into account door frames and window ledges, the over all product would not be very appealing. Over all be easier to gut the room. If that's the case, I'll wait until we can get a new home we want to live in for years. The current one is on the wrong coast, my wife from Vancouver wants off the east coast :)

hop 15y ago

Glass is a pretty cool looking surface to make a whiteboard (clearboard?) with too and can be cheaper than this stuff, even with the hanging hardware. I wonder how well ideapaint works with textured walls? Have to tip my hat to these guys for selling a quart of paint for $170 bucks with their marketing effort.

dochtman 15y ago
You have to sandpaper textured walls first, works fine after that.

marknutter 15y ago

I'd much prefer the paint on chalkboard stuff (http://www.rustoleum.com/cbgproduct.asp?pid=103 http://www.rustoleum.com/cbgproduct.asp?pid=103) you can get. I HATE dry erase markers.

r00fus 15y ago
After about 10 minutes of diagramming, I'm a bit high on the fumes (not in a good way). Chalk feels better.

squirrel 15y ago

This stuff works great for us. We've put it up all over the walls in our London and Boston offices. http://www.tektura.com/pages/display_pattern.asp?Type=Range&PID=5&PAT=7 http://www.tektura.com/pages/display_pattern.asp?Type=Range&...

nolanw 15y ago

I was looking into turns-into-whiteboard paints/stickers recently and turned up a handy comparison of various surfaces and their whiteboard-ability. Turns out washing machines and dryers often work great, though are likely impractical. http://rumkin.com/reference/whiteboard/surfaces.php http://rumkin.com/reference/whiteboard/surfaces.php