Home / Magnetic vs non-magnetic writing board: which one do you need?

Magnetic vs non-magnetic writing board: which one do you need?

ArtzFolio makes four writing boards: magnetic, magnetic with glass, non-magnetic, and non-magnetic with glass. The magnetic ones have an iron sheet inside, so magnets stick; the non-magnetic ones do not. If you will never use magnets, the non-magnetic board costs roughly 7 to 9% less at the same size on our rate card.

The four writing boards at a glance

Every writing board is printed from the design you make in our studio, with a polystyrene frame in your choice of six finishes: Black, White, Dark Brown, Natural Brown, Golden and Antique Gold. The glass is regular 2-3 mm glass.

Board	Layers, back to front	Magnets stick?	Glass on top?	Rate-card price
1. Magnetic writing board	Engineered wood, GI (steel-core) iron sheet, printed vinyl you can write on	Yes	No	From ₹767 at 12 x 12 inches, with GST
2. Magnetic writing glass board	Engineered wood, iron sheet, printed vinyl, regular 2-3 mm glass	Yes	Yes	Shown live in the studio for your size
3. Non-magnetic writing board	Engineered wood, printed vinyl you can write on (no steel, no glass)	No	No	From ₹708 at 12 x 12 inches, with GST
4. Non-magnetic glass writing board	Engineered wood, printed vinyl, regular 2-3 mm glass	No	Yes	Shown live in the studio for your size

The two glass boards add a glass sheet over the printed design, so they are heavier than the same size without glass. Prices for the glass versions are not on the rate card, so the studio shows the live price when you enter your size.

The one real difference: an iron sheet

On the surface, the boards look and behave alike. You write with whiteboard markers and wipe with a dry cloth. The magnetic boards have a GI (steel-core) iron sheet between the engineered wood and the printed vinyl. The non-magnetic boards leave it out: engineered wood with printed vinyl on top, and nothing else.

That iron sheet is what lets the board double up as a display: printouts, photos, flash cards and magnetic letters can be stuck on without pins or tape. It also adds weight and cost.

Price gap at common sizes

Rate-card prices including 18% GST, for the boards without glass. The studio shows the live price for your exact size, and custom sizes are priced by area. The studio opens in inches and also accepts centimetres and millimetres.

Size (inches)	Magnetic	Non-magnetic
12 x 18	₹1,062	₹974
18 x 24	₹1,947	₹1,770
24 x 36	₹3,894	₹3,540
36 x 48	₹9,204	₹8,496
48 x 60	₹17,700	₹16,520

In rupees the gap is small at desk sizes and grows with the board. At 4 x 5 feet it is worth deciding whether magnets are really needed.

Choose magnetic if...

You teach young children and use magnetic alphabets, number tiles or picture cards.
Your team pins up printed charts and wants to write notes beside them.
The board is in a kitchen and doubles as a place for bills and reminders.
You run a planning board with magnetic name tags that move from column to column.

Choose non-magnetic if...

The board is purely for writing: a coaching class, a tuition corner, a meeting room where everything is drawn by hand.
You are buying several large boards and the saving adds up.
You already have a pin board nearby for papers, so magnets would be redundant.

Choose a glass board if...

The board hangs in a reception, boardroom or home study where you want a glass finish over your printed design.
You want the printed design sealed under glass rather than exposed vinyl.
You are happy to pay more and carry the extra weight, and the wall can take it.

Pick the magnetic glass board if you also want magnets, and the non-magnetic glass board if you only write. A pin board is a different product: it takes pins, not markers, and is explained in our guide to soft boards and pin boards.

Things that apply to all four

Use dry-erase markers only; permanent markers can stain the surface. Wipe the board at the end of the day, since old writing is harder to remove. Avoid abrasive scrubbers. Hang the board so its centre sits roughly at the eye level of the people writing on it; for a primary classroom that is much lower than for an office.

The magnetic and non-magnetic boards come in the same 18 listed sizes, from 12 x 12 inches (₹767 magnetic, ₹708 non-magnetic, with GST) to 48 x 60 inches. Order in the studio by choosing the product, entering width and height, and paying by UPI, card or netbanking. Most orders dispatch in 4-7 business days; transit typically 3-7 working days. For bulk or branded supply, see the boards range on our private-label site.

A quick test before you decide

For one week, notice what you stick on your current wall or fridge. If the answer is several pieces of paper a day, a magnetic board will be used as intended. If the answer is nothing, take the non-magnetic board and spend the difference on a second board or a larger size. You design and preview your board in our studio before ordering, and we print exactly that; the studio preview is the approval step. Remember that boards are made to order: change-of-mind returns and size exchanges are not possible, though damaged, defective or wrong items reported within 3 days of delivery with photos are replaced free or refunded.

Mounting a writing board on a wall

These are general tips, not a fitting kit from us. Check the wall first, then choose the fixings.

Weight. In general, a larger board, an iron sheet or a glass top all add weight. Plan the fixings for the heaviest case, not the lightest.
Wall type. Brick and concrete usually hold plugs and screws well. Gypsum and partition walls typically need anchors made for hollow walls, or a screw into a stud or frame behind the sheet.
Anchors. Use more than one fixing point on a large board, and match the screw and plug to the wall. A carpenter can advise if you are unsure.
Level. Mark the height with a pencil, then check it with a spirit level before you drill.

What each surface is like to write on

ArtzFolio sells three surface set-ups on its writing boards. All of them start with printed vinyl over engineered wood.

Set-up	What is under or over the vinyl	Writing and wiping
Printed vinyl on engineered wood	Nothing else	You write directly on the printed vinyl and wipe with a soft dry cloth. Magnets do not stick.
Magnetic, with an iron sheet	A GI (steel-core) iron sheet between the wood and the vinyl	You write and wipe the same way. Magnets hold through the vinyl.
Glass on top (option)	Regular 2-3 mm glass over the printed design	You write on the glass. In general, glass feels smooth and is easy to wipe.

The glass option can be added to either the magnetic or the non-magnetic board. A soft cloth and light pressure suit all three.

Markers and magnets: simple habits

These habits are general. They are not a test result or a specification.

Marker type. Use dry-erase whiteboard markers. Skip permanent markers and highlighters.
Wipe soon. Typically, writing left for days or weeks is harder to remove, so do not leave ink on the board for weeks.
Magnet strength. Magnets vary a lot. In general, small magnets hold a single sheet of paper and stronger ones hold a thicker stack. Try yours on the board and see what stays put.

A worked size example: a study wall

Say your study wall is 96 inches wide. That is 8 feet, or 243.84 cm (96 x 2.54).

You want the board to take about half of the wall width, with the rest left as space around it. Half of 96 is 48 inches, or 121.92 cm. Choose a height of 36 inches, or 91.44 cm. A 48 x 36 inch board is a size you can enter in the studio.

Now check the space. The wall is 96 inches wide and the board is 48 inches wide, so 96 minus 48 leaves 48 inches. Split that into two equal gaps of 24 inches, or 60.96 cm, on each side.

The size you type in the studio is the final outer size, including the frame. So the 48 x 36 inches you type (width by height) is what you measure on the wall. You do not need to add the frame width on top.

For height, put the centre of the board at about 60 inches (152.4 cm) from the floor. That is roughly standing eye level, and you can lower it if people will write sitting down. Half of 36 is 18, so the bottom edge sits at 42 inches (106.68 cm) and the top edge at 78 inches (198.12 cm).

Questions people ask

How can I tell if a whiteboard is magnetic?

Hold an ordinary fridge magnet against the writing surface. If it sticks and stays, the board has an iron sheet and is magnetic. If it slides off, the board is non-magnetic. On our site the product name tells you directly: the magnetic writing boards have an iron sheet inside and the non-magnetic writing boards do not.

Is a magnetic white board heavier?

Yes, the iron sheet adds weight compared with the non-magnetic board of the same size, and a glass board adds more. For large boards on gypsum or partition walls, use fixings strong enough for the load, and ask your carpenter to anchor into a stud or frame. On brick and concrete walls, standard plugs and screws are usually enough.

Do all four boards wipe clean the same way?

Whiteboard markers wipe off with a soft dry cloth. Clean the board regularly rather than leaving writing on for weeks. Avoid permanent markers, highlighters and scrubbing pads, which can mark or dull the surface on any of the boards.

Which board suits a home tuition class?

If you teach with flash cards, magnetic letters or printed worksheets that you want to display, a magnetic board is worth the extra cost. If you only write and explain, a non-magnetic board does the same job for less. Sizes such as 24 x 36 or 36 x 48 inches suit a small room.

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