The Scrap Booking Club

You may think dry erase boards are a fairly straightforward subject, but there is a tremendous array of options available. The application really dictates which is most appropriate.

A dry erase board is traditionally a tool used in busniess and education, but people are finding models and options more appropriate for the household, using them for quick notes or temporary artwork.

The dry erase board has generally replaced the chalkboard as the standard medium for writing and displaying information to a large group. started to understand the value of whiteboards}. With the low level of mess, the broad color options in the pens, and creative options that these features open up, users are finding the benefits worth the cost.

Prices have actual decreased considerable in recent years as demand has risen and manufacturers have increased production to meet that demand.

Many believe dry erase boards are made of the same stuff, but that is simply not true. Sure, it looks the same, but the materials used impact the performance considerably. Prices increase with boards that are more durable and made of better material. However, a high-quality board can be used for the life a building without being replaced, even with heavy use. Heavy-duty boards like these are usually made of stainless steel and contain a porcelain surface layered over a thick laminate. They’re every bit as heavy as old-style chalkboards and require firm, permanent mounting for safe use.

On the other extreme, less expensive dry erase boards are made from a variety of much less expensive, though less durable materials. Materials used as a bad include cardboard, wood, particleboard, Masonite, and stainless steel. Sometimes these are offered in color options from plain white to pretty much any color you in the rainbow. Some boards are done with simplicity in mind, simply providing a thin steel surface with a light coat of laminate. Smaller boards can take on these variations because the market generally calls for more personalization and variety. Also, household users don’t normally need to use these products to display information in front of large groups of people, so the optics and contrast aren’t such strong issues for these users.

Whiteboards with a steel base or frame have the added advantage of being magnetic, allowing for easy placement of additional visual aids to augment whatever’s being presented on the board.

The real height of technology with dry erase boards for presentations is the electronic dry erase board. There are a few different companies that manufacture such boards, Panasonic being on of them. There are many different types of boards that can dramatically improve usability compared to the standard dry erase boards. Electronic boards usually allow for instant digital imaging of what’s being written on the board, as well as whatever papers or other materials are stuck to it. This can eliminate or augment note-taking, allowing for the audience members to receive their own printout of what was presented on the board. This can be extremely useful for complex presentations, allowing students and audience members to fully engage in the presentation as it takes place. Many users find that PowerPoint and other such programs as being far too sterile for certain subjects. Electronic whiteboards are ideal for presentations that need to be digitally recorded, but which benefit from the kinetic energy of ideas being outlined in a visual way.

Whiteboards can also be adapted to suit a variety of applications. One available option is printed lines across the board itself. These can find application in music lessons or ruled lines for practicing writing. Dry erase presentation boards may even be made with a grid pattern on it for architecture, engineering, math applications, or geographical maps. Pre-printing options are also available for athletic applications. These lines save time and work for users in these applicaitons, with reliable straight and clean lines that are not erasable and present the material more clearly.

Weigh your needs with the available options and prices and then choose carefully. Be sure to test the products themselves. This provides an good purchase on serious functionality and visibility for groups in any setting.

 

Filed under: 01-Articles on December 3rd, 2009