| Author |
Message |
Anonymous
| | Posted on Friday, December 03, 2004 - 01:02 pm: |    |
Has anyone used "Speak Easy" dry erase wallcoverings before? I like that they are matte finish in colors. But, don't know anything about them. |
Vivian Volz
Senior Member
Username: vivianvolz
Post Number: 12
Registered: 06-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 07, 2004 - 03:21 pm: | |
We have sometimes used them, and also Wall Talkers. But we find they aren't as cost-effective as we initally thought, because you have to have a very flat substrate such as Level 5 drywall in order not to see imperfections. They can be a clean-looking alternative to a cheap factory-framed whiteboard, though, and we do use them regularly in rooms where the light conditions aren't too likely to point up the imperfections.
Where cost is less of a concern, we use ceramic-coated steel laminated to MDF, with a backer sheet of steel to balance the panel. PolyVision's product is available in "skins" and comes in a few colors and a low-sheen finish. |
Kathy Greenway (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 15, 2004 - 12:56 pm: | |
As a manufacture, we would recommend porcelain steel laminated to 1/2 particleboard with .015 aluminum backer. This give a high resistance to impact, and less imperfections seen on the face sheet. Additional benefits with porcelain:
- Lower installation costs
- Use of any marker, pen or crayon w/o damage
to surface
- Magnetic aids hold and reposition easily
- Lifetime warranty |
kathy Greenway (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 15, 2004 - 06:32 pm: | |
If you are using the product to "recover" existing boards, porcelain over 1/4" hardboard with .015 backing is typical. Manufactures should be able to keep 1/16" dimension tolerance. |
Craig Mount, AIA, CSI (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Thursday, December 16, 2004 - 03:02 pm: | |
While we have not used Speak Easy or similar dry erase wallcoverings on any of our projects yet, I have tested a piece of Wall Talkers by Koroseal for 2 years in my office. The writing that I made 2 years ago still removes easily with no ghosting. Personally, I think this product may be most suitable for resurfacing an old chalkboard if it is still very smooth. If you have a number of potential projects, maybe a manufacturer might install one board/area now for you to test. I do not know costs, and that may be your determining factor. I would imagine a porcelain over steel board would last considerably longer than even the best wallcovering, but the porcelain may cost more. Another factor may be if the area is exposed to sunlight. I doubt vinyls would be as durable as porcelain. |
Vivian Volz
Senior Member
Username: vivianvolz
Post Number: 40
Registered: 06-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 04, 2005 - 05:37 pm: | |
A related question: Does anyone have experience with plastic laminate products designed for dry-erase markers? Abet Laminati's product Magnetico and Panelyte's product Dry Wipe are being proposed as substitutions for porcelain enameled steel boards for a full-wall installation. I'm wary; we've always recommended against melamine whiteboards, but these products are HPL between 1.2 and 2 mm thick, more like what we use on countertops. Any opinions? Any experience? |
Vivian Volz
Senior Member
Username: vivianvolz
Post Number: 41
Registered: 06-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 04, 2005 - 08:30 pm: | |
Not to leave anyone out... turns out Formica has one, too! Can anyone vouch for these products? |
Jerry Vuich
New member
Username: jvuich
Post Number: 1
Registered: 09-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 05, 2005 - 06:58 am: | |
Omnova Solutions Inc. also has a product that is called "memerase". As I recall, it's a thin film that can be applied to large wall surfaces and is suitable for use with dry erase markers. |
Robert E. Woodburn
Senior Member
Username: bwoodburn
Post Number: 80
Registered: 01-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 05, 2005 - 11:25 am: | |
Speaking of alternative products, we are specifying "Walltalkers" products at an Owner's request. The basic product is a white-board-like wallcovering, but it is available in a variety of related boards products. Its unique feature is apparently a Teflon film overlay for erasability, and it is available with a lenticular embossed surface under the clear film, for enhanced projection. |
Vivian Volz
Senior Member
Username: vivianvolz
Post Number: 42
Registered: 06-2004
| | Posted on Monday, October 10, 2005 - 07:27 pm: | |
Update on dry-erase laminate products: we decided to go for the laminate, on the following grounds: we wanted large wall panels of whiteboard, and we already had a good-sized millwork package in the project, so it made sense to use a product that the woodworker can work with.
However, as you can see by the lack of response to my questions, we made the decision in a bit of a vacuum, relying entirely on the company's own representation of the products. I'd really appreciate any comments on using dry-erase laminate in particular. Detailing the joints, experience of stain resistance, abrasion resistance, other relevant experience. Any takers? |
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