Pinboards Vs Whiteboards - Which One Should You Choose?

Pinboards vs Whiteboards…

Which one’s the better alternative?

If you’ve decided that you need to put something on your wall in your office to visualise thoughts

or to write down or post ideas

or to plan, create or collaborate in a group

or to have a community noticeboard

then a pinboard and a whiteboard are both viable options.

As with any decision that involves a choice and the outlaying of money, it pays to stop and consider the pros and cons of each before making a purchase.

Let’s have a look at some applicable criteria that can help you decide…

Price

Most people would agree that when it comes to buying something, cost is the number one factor in the decision-making process. Pinboards come in two basic styles – cork board and felt board. If you look at the minimum size for these boards – 900 x 600 – cork boards will set you back around $75 and felt boards $100.

The same size in a premium quality porcelain whiteboard is around $170. So, if you’re on a tight budget, and people often are when they’re running a business, buying a pinboard offers you a significant saving. But if you have the funds available, then the other criteria might come into play.

Durability

Cork boards and felt boards last – but porcelain whiteboards last longer. Cork boards can eventually have so many pinholes in them that the surface becomes compromised. Felt boards can have their fabric ripped if someone is careless. Over time, both can start to look old and tired.

Pinboards just can’t compete with the gold standard warranty of a porcelain whiteboard. Most sellers offer a 25-year surface warranty, which just goes to show how durable a porcelain whiteboard is. So, if longevity is your key factor, porcelain whiteboards win hands down.

Versatility

Consumers generally differentiate between whiteboards and pinboards by looking at the function they were originally designed for. Whiteboards are for writing stuff on and pinboards are for attaching stuff to.

With the advent of the magnetic whiteboard, this shifted the goal posts and changed the game. Steel has strong magnetic properties, and by putting a steel sheet beneath a whiteboard surface, you expand it’s use.

By using a non-scratching magnet or clip, you can post all kinds of things in your office whiteboard like charts, maps, documents and magnetic symbols like arrows and letters of the alphabet.

Design

The materials and technology originally used to make pinboards and whiteboards have evolved considerably, but recently, neither have undergone any major improvements. This suggests both have reached or are close to reaching their apex in quality. So, in this regard, it’s a tie.

Felt pinboards clearly have the advantage when it comes to colour and surface possibilities. They can be covered in any kind of material, making it easy to match your felt pinboard with any room colour scheme or décor.

Style

This is quite a subjective area – your idea of style could be quite different to someone else’s. There’s a school of thought that pinboards look a little bit old fashioned. They might not be conducive to the ‘statement’ you want your office to make if you have heads of business or industry coming to visit.

If you’re looking for a modern, clean, sleek looking choice, the visual appeal of a porcelain whiteboard trumps a pinboard – but there’s an important proviso here. This is only true if you keep your whiteboard in excellent condition.

Weight

You might not initially think weight is a big factor – but it is if you need to attach a large board to a partition wall. A partition wall is a non-load bearing wall that separates spaces in buildings. Sometimes, these walls are not designed to have a heavy weight attached to them.

In these circumstances, you may have no choice but to go with a pinboard. Pinboards can weigh as little as 10 grams. If you go with a small porcelain whiteboard, you probably won’t have any trouble – but if you’re looking for a very large board, a whiteboard might be too heavy.

Eco-friendliness

Many businesses, in order to do their bit for the environment, have decided to be eco-friendly in the office, encouraging staff to follow agreed upon green tips. One of the most popular of these is to go paperless, or at least make a major effort to lower the amount of paper being used.

The most commonly posted material on a pinboard is paper, making them obsolete in an environmentally friendly business setting. Whiteboards negate the need to buy paper to print out information to attach to a pinboard. This definitely makes them the greener option.

Why choose a JustBoards Whiteboard or Pinboard?

JustBoards will help you find the best solutions. We offer Australia wide delivery to your door. Contact us today on 1800 654 917 or at info@justboards.com.au.