How Long Does Whiteboard Paint Last?

Knowing how long your whiteboard paint might last is a good thing to know. The short answer is that it can last for years - just like a normal whiteboard. The longer answer is a bit more complicated.

How long will your paint last?

This is the better question to ask. It all depends on your specific usage scenario. Here are some things to find out about your surface to get a better idea of how long yours will last:

• Is the surface to be painted textured or smooth?
• Is there an intact base coat of paint on the surface?
• Will the surface be regularly erased?
• Will dry erase markers be replaced before they dry out?
• What will you use to erase from your painted surface?

How to make your dry erase surface last longer

Going over the questions laid out above, you can see that there are some areas that you need to take into account when trying to improve the longevity of your surface.
Having a textured surface can make it more difficult to erase, thus making you rub harder and more often in order to erase. This means that over time your surface will degrade faster than if you have painted a very smooth surface. This can take a long time to cause issues, but it does make a difference.

If you have a good base coat of paint already on your surface before putting down Thought Formula whiteboard paint you will be ensuring a solid and thick coating is put down on the surface. If you have a porous surface when painting the coating may end up thinner and not as durable.

Regularly erasing your surface helps maintain its integrity - like any whiteboard if you leave marks on it for long periods they become harder to erase and can cause you to spend more time and effort cleaning.

Using dry erase markers when they are drying out can take time off of the surface's lifetime. When the markers start to dry they become harder to write with and cause you to press down with more force. At the same time, the marker tip is getting more rigid and may actually scratch the painted surface.

Again, this takes time to cause degradation, but over time it will really shorten the lifetime of your painted wall.

Using a soft eraser (cloth or regular eraser) will help to maintain your surface. Try to stay away from items like paper towels.

Taking care of your whiteboard surface will help extend its life

If you take care over time you can make your whiteboard painted surface last for many years. The reason that no exact length of time exists as an answer is due to individual usage patterns. Follow the tips above to get the most out of your paint!

Can Whiteboard Paint Be Removed?

Something that many people ask about is whether or not Thought Formula whiteboard paint can be removed or painted over. The short answer is yes - you can restore your wall or other surface back to it's original finish quite easily.

Returning The Original Surface

Returning your wall to its original condition is as easy as painting over your whiteboard paint. This may require a primer base - this depends on the paint you want to apply as the final finish (check with the manufacturer of the paint).

If you have already applied your whiteboard paint you know how easy this is to do. All you need are the usual supplies:

• Drop cloth or old newspapers
• Low lint roller or other application method
• Paint tray
• Mixer

Most people have some paint around the home that matches their current colors, but if you don't you can take a sample in to a paint store and have them match it. Most home improvement stores also offer this service - call ahead and ask if there is a size requirement or if you can take a picture instead.

Why Remove Whiteboard Paint?

There are several reasons - the most common being that you are moving or selling your home or apartment.

The good news is that the cost of whiteboard paint and the cost of painting over it is still far less than the cost of a large traditional whiteboard. For a comparison of costs, see our previous post on the cost comparison of whiteboard paint and regular boards.

So, should you find yourself concerned about your whiteboard wall, just remember that it's an easy fix should you need to paint over it.

Whiteboard Wall Paint - Great For Students

Have you ever been working on an assignment and as you furiously work through formulas, diagrams, and thoughts, you find yourself writing on several pieces of paper? Maybe you have a whiteboard mounted on the wall, but as you get going you realize you are running out of space and start writing smaller, and smaller, and smaller, until you have no more room and have to resort to paper.

Most whiteboards are only a few square feet and our natural tendency is to write larger when using them. This adds up to not as much space as we might think - another reason to go ahead and cover an entire wall for use as a whiteboard. Of course, you might not need to cover from the carpet to the ceiling; depending on your particular layout it may be out of reach.

One of the main objections that students often have is that they are renting and don't own the house; they do not want to alter the walls. The good news is that Thought Formula whiteboard paint can be put up quickly, used for a long period of time, and when you need to move out you can primer and paint right over it. Just like that your wall is back to "normal".
Of course, you should check with your landlord or rental agency to ensure that you can make any changes, just remember that whiteboard wall paint is not a permanent change. It is quick, easy, and cheap to revert the wall back to the original look.
The next time you are running out of space and want to take the plunge into a wall of whiteboard awesomeness, come get your whiteboard paint!
If you want to know what the cost of a whiteboard wall looks like, check out our previous post on the cost breakdown.

Looking For Whiteboard Paint Ideas

Thought Formula is looking for whiteboard paint ideas. We have several projects lined up but would like to hear from you about what types of projects would be most interesting to see in more detail. 

If you are looking to start a unique project, contact us - we are interested in helping out custom projects by offering reduced pricing on Thought Formula whiteboard paint and supplies.

Applying Painters Tape For Whiteboard Paint Prep

One of the first steps in setting up your whiteboard paint project is to get the surface marked off with painters tape. This allows you to have a demarcation of the area you want to paint - even if you are painting an entire wall you will want to mask areas that might inadvertently get paint on them (outlets, floorboards, light fixtures, etc).

The process is very easy once you've done it. Watch the video below and then give it a shot yourself. 

You want to make sure you mark off the correct area with pencil (so you can erase it before painting - place the tape slightly off the marks so that you can reach them before painting. Alternatively, you can place the tape slightly over the marks and erase them after painting.

This was first posted on Thought Formula.

Does Whiteboard Paint Work?

Well, of course we are biased, but the short answer is YES! The main thing you need to keep in mind when considering Thought Formula whiteboard paint is to really think through the end application. 

The situations where whiteboard paint works really well is where you need to cover a very large area or have an unusually geometry (think corners or segmented walls). This is where traditional whiteboards will generally fail or be prohibitively costly. 

So, where might whiteboard paint not work the best for you? If you need a whiteboard that is the size of a regular whiteboard and would like to have it be "mobile" then going with a normal board is going to be your best bet. There is something to be said for being able to take down the whiteboard, although most people tend to leave them stationary for years at a time. 

Best use scenarios to make your whiteboard paint work for you is to place it in an area where it will be used regularly. Whiteboard paint reacts well to regular use and will stand up to the test of time. Like other whiteboards, erasing and using the surface without waiting weeks in between will help maintain the surface and keep "ghosting" and other surface defects from appearing.

The best question you can ask yourself before buying our paint is, "Does this whiteboard paint work for me?" - answering this question is the most important step. After knowing how and where you want to use it the answer will be pretty clear.

This article originally appeared on Thought Formula.