Hospital Patient Room Dry Erase Boards

Flex-A-Chart makes the highest quality and most durable custom printed dry erase boards in the industry. Custom printed patient room dry erase boards have became extremely popular in the recent years. They are used to display patient information and also easy to find hospital related contact information to make it more accessible for them or their loved ones. The "pain scale" is a familiar design used on dry erase patient boards. These are the happy or sad smiley faces used to determine the pain that the patient is experiencing during their stay. Other clip art like hospital beds, phones and more are also used to convey room numbers, important contact information, nurse and physician on duty and other necessary information.

What is a Whiteboard

A marker board is a name for a glossy surface (usually white in color but is sometimes found in black) for use of dry erase or wet erase non-permanent markings. Whiteboards became popular in the mid-1990s and are now commonly found in schools, hospitals, conference rooms, business offices, and even homes. There are four commonly used materials for the surface: Melamine which is a resin-infused paper used over a substrate like hardboard, particle board or MDF. Melamine board is the least expensive and lowest quality dry erase surface available. Hardcoat laminate is another resin like dry erase surface that is often less porous and highly resistant to staining unlike a typical melamine surface. Painted steel or aluminum surfaces are generally a multiple layer of coatings made up of a base coat in color and a clear coating that is the dry erase component. The paint varies from electron beam cured, UV, or other types of coating systems. These boards generally have good quality dry erase properties and the steel type are magnetic and allow the use of magnets. The best quality surface is porcelain enamel-on-steel. This is a ceramic (glass) fired coating on steel. These are the most durable, longest lasting, least likely to stain or ghost, and highly scratch resistant. Porcelain dry erase boards do not absorb marker ink and are magnetic. Since it is glass, the porcelain surface can be cleaned with any non-abrasive cleaner like Expo whiteboard cleaner, Windex® (or generic glass cleaner), or even isopropyl alcohol for stubborn markings.

Trophy Cases

A trophy case is a cabinet with transparent glass (or plastic) front and sometimes sides used to display objects for viewing. Display cases are often found in universities and schools, hospitals, museums, and other places of industry. Cases are used to showcase awards, display artwork or collections, show goods for sale and many other purposes. Display cases are typically manufactured from wood or aluminum structural members and tempered glass or similar front and sides for viewing. Many manufacturers offer available options for cases including different options and materials for the back panel of the case, diffused lighting to accentuate exhibits, adjustable shelves, lock & key, and more. Showcases can be freestanding, wall mounted, or recessed into an opening in a wall depending on your needs.

Bulletin Board Cabinets

Bulletin board cabinets provide an avenue for information - give directions, display photos or artwork, update announcements or details as often as needed. Corkboard cabinets are available as glass enclosed, open face, wall-hung, or freestanding. Most of these cabinets are offered in wood or aluminum framing and have available options such as fluorescent lights, lock and key, and in some cases weather-proofing for outdoor use. Typically corkboard cabinets have a back panel made of cork or fabric over cork, velcro fabric, or directory letter panels. Bulletin board cabinets are frequently found in schools and universities, businesses, hospitals, hotels, and the like.

Dry Erase Board Calendars - Magnetic vs. Non-Magnetic

Whiteboard calendars are a great product for planning, scheduling, and organizing purposes. They are most frequently used in schools, hospitals, government agencies, business offices, and even homes. It is often asked why buy a magnetic dry erase calendar versus a non-magnetic one. Well, here are a few reasons why magnetic is considered the better choice. Most recognized would be that the magnetic dry erase calendar is more versatile because of it's ability to accept magnets which can be used for planning and organizing. A magnetic markerboard is generally manufactured using a steel face sheet that is treated with a porcelain or similar enamel coating which is baked on to harden and cure allowing one to use dry erase or even wet erase markers. A non-magnetic dry erase board is made of a hardboard type product that is painted or coated and then dried to cure and harden. Another pro for the magnetic dry erase calendar is that it is more durable and longer lasting, primarily because of the steel and the enamel coating. And finally, another key reason a magnetic dry erase board calendar is better than a non-magnetic one is that it is resistant to what is called in the industry as "ghosting". This is when writing on the board is erased but is still faintly visible on the face of the board. Some non-magnetic dry erase boards are very difficult to clean and maintain because of problems like this. So all in all, better quality, longer lasting, and easier to use.

Rolling Dry Erase Board Easels and What they are used for

A mobile whiteboard is generally a whiteboard on a stand with legs and casters that can be transported from one location to another. mobile dry erase boards are commonly found in schools and universities, business offices, hospitals, and churches. Often a facility using a mobile whiteboard can share the board with others at the facility decreasing the need for multiple boards. These mobile whiteboards are often made of a typical dry erase board surface that is either porcelain on steel, painted steel, melamine, or similar that is framed in wood or aluminum and have legs with casters to give the ability to roll and move from place to place. These mobile boards provide twice the functional writing surface of a traditional wall mounted board and rotates on a pivot hinge and locks into place with the turn of a knob to easily access either side of the board. Mobile dry erase boards offer more writing surface area and the plus of mobility making them a key product for training and teaching purposes.

Conference Room Executive Cabinets

Whiteboard conference room cabinets are the ideal communication tool for meetings and presentations. Most feature porcelain enamel on steel dry erase board surfaces used for writing or projecting and often combine markerboard and tackboard to create an integrated presentation center. All surfaces and cabinetry are available in a variety of materials and finishes to compliment any room environment. Whiteboard cabinets are available in sizes 4' x 4' & 4' x 6' and are often approx 3-3/4" deep. These units typically come with the following accessories making it a ready to use product : interior markerboards and tackboards, hangers for easy installation, built-in full length marker tray, display rail inside the doors for hanging and tacking, assorted markers & eraser, and a sketching pad for use inside the cabinet on the door. Some manufacturers may offer optional accessories like fluorescent lights, pull-down projection screens, lock & keys, extra sketching pads, custom wood finishes, and more. This product is most commonly found in executive offices, conference and board rooms, schools and universities, and hospitals.

What is a Tackboard?

A tackboard is a surface intended for posting messages (to advertise things for sell), announce events or important dates, or provide information. Corkboards are often made of cork, foam board or particle board and can be made decorative by using a fabric or vinyl covering over the cork. A corkboard typically consists of a resilient layer of cork laminated to a substantial backing (ex: hardboard, MDF, particle board, etc) and then framed in wood or aluminum. Bulletin boards are made of a material such as cork to be able to easily add or remove messages and postings with the use of a push-pin or thumb tack. Bulletin boards are often found in schools and universities, business offices, manufacturing facilities, and churches. Over the years, online bulletin boards or internet forums are becoming a global replacement for traditional bulletin boards. Also, magnetic dry erase whiteboards or magnet boards have become a popular substitute for tackboards because they lack the problem of board deterioration with the use of push pins over time.

How Cork is Made

Cork is composed of suberin, a hydrophobic substance, and because of its impermeability, buoyancy, elasticity and fire resistance, it is used in a variety of products (most common is wine stoppers). Cork consists largely of empty space because of its honeycomb-like structure. Its density is one-fourth that of water. Uses of cork consist of flooring material, shoe insoles, roofing panels, gaskets, safety helmet liners, bottle and wine stoppers, dartboards, bulletin boards, and cores for golf balls and baseballs. Cork is harvested from the cork oak tree, most commonly found in southwest Europe and northwest Africa. Cork is extracted only in summer months when the cork can be separated from the tree without causing permanent damage. When the tree reaches 25-30 years of age and about 24 inches in circumference, the cork can be removed for the first time (the first harvest almost always produces poor quality cork). Subsequent extractions usually occur at intervals of 10 years, though it can take up to 13 years for the cork tree to reach an acceptable size. Harvesters use a sharp axe to make two types of cuts : one horizontal cut around the plant (called a crown) at a height of about 2-3 times the circumference of the tree, and several vertical cuts called rulers or openings. To remove the cork from the tree, harvesters push the handle of the axe into the rulers. The sections of cork that is removed from the tree are called planks. The planks are then dried, washed, and cured over weeks or months to make the cork softer and more flexible. The best quality material is used to make natural cork products like wine stoppers. The poorer quality material may be ground and used to make composition or agglomerated cork often used to make floor tiles or corkboards.

How to Clean your Whiteboard

Many porcelain dry erase boards may be delivered with a protective film on the surface to protect it during transit. This film must be removed prior to use. We recommend using a utility knife and carefully tracing around the inside edge of the trim around the entire perimeter of the board. Once this is complete, carefully peel the film back and away from the board. In order to ensure that your surface will function properly, it is extremely important to properly clean the board prior to its initial use. Using a clean, dry cloth and a non-abrasive liquid cleanser (Window or generic glass cleaner), gently clean the entire board to loosen any residue from the board. Then use a dry cloth to wipe clean the entire surface to remove all dirt and residue from the previous step. Next, using clean water, rinse the entire board and then with a dry towel wipe the entire board dry. The rinsing and drying steps are extremely important and if ignored may cause underperformance of the product.

Porcelain whiteboards are much like glass and can be maintained in a similar fashion. markerboards can be cleaned as often as required and will not be damaged as long as the proper cleaning methods are used. Here are a few tips to keep your board in optimal condition. We recommend only cleaners that have been tested to work on our dry erase products such as our #683 board cleaner, Expo whiteboard cleaner, or Windex (or generic glass cleaner). TEMP or isopropyl alcohol may be used to remove stubborn build-up caused by repeated use (recommended to use moderately).Please note that cleaners that are not recommended may leave a residual film that may cause the whiteboard not to function properly and result in customer dissatisfaction and may also void the warranty of the product. All dry erase markers will write legibly on our board but may not erase properly due to their composition. We recommend the use of our markers, Expo brand markers, or a similar solvent-based marker. If you use your board daily, we recommend that you clean the surface at least twice per week. In addition, it is important to know that leaving ink on the board for an extended period of time can lead to "ghosting". We recommend that you erase your markerboard on a regular basis. If this is not possible, it may be necessary to clean your board following the steps outlined above to return the surface to its original condition.

Custom Printed Dry Erase Boards

Using the latest printing technology, dry erase board manufacturers are now able to print full pieces of steel up to a 4' x 8' size in full color. The custom printed boards are especially useful as custom healthcare white boards. This allows hospitals to outfit their entire facility with all-new custom printed products throughout their hospital. In addition, a lot of businesses are in need of white board calendars. These are used to plan out future events, and are vital to the success of a company.