Boards for offices and schools: sizes, types and how to order

ArtzFolio makes six board types: framed pinboards, frameless pinboards, cork boards, magnetic boards, white boards and glass boards. Pinboards and cork boards take notices, and pin holes can close up over time. Magnetic and white boards are writing surfaces. Glass boards use printed vinyl under thin glass for a cleaner look.

Magnetic, white and glass boards are always framed. Pinboards and cork boards come framed or frameless.

Ask what the board must do day to day. A notice board in a corridor is read from a few steps away, so size and position matter more than surface. A writing board in a classroom is used up close and often, so the surface and frame need to stand up to wiping and handling. A glass board in an executive area is chosen for how it looks as much as how it works.

ArtzFolio lists sixteen standard pinboard sizes, in inches, width by height. Starting from this list keeps a range tidy and can make matching across rooms easier.

As a rough guide, small boards suit desks and staff rooms, mid-size boards suit offices and meeting rooms, and the largest standard sizes suit corridors, reception areas and classrooms. Always check against the real wall, allowing for doors, switches and furniture. The larger landscape sizes need a firm fixing, so ask what hanging fittings the board comes with.

• Landscape: 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 24x12, 30x15, 36x18.
• Portrait: 12x18, 16x24, 20x30, 24x36.
• Square: 12x12, 16x16, 20x20, 24x24, 28x28.

Corridor niches and classroom walls are rarely a neat standard width, so custom sizes matter. Boards are made to measure up to 6 feet, and the largest size depends on the category. Give the board type and the exact size you need in the enquiry.

Measure the clear wall space, not the board you hope will fit, and say whether you are quoting the board size or the size including the frame. Ask the team to confirm the size list for your board type in the quote.

A size that does not appear on the standard list is not a problem, but it needs a written brief. State the board type, the width and height in inches or feet, the orientation and the quantity for each size. For a printed board, add the artwork and where it should sit. This is the information the quote works from.

A frame gives a finished look and protects the edges, which suits busy corridors. Framed pinboards have a solid wood frame, and framed boards share six standard colours (Black, White, Dark Brown, Natural Brown, Golden and Antique Gold), so a pinboard, a writing board and a glass board can match on one wall. Any other colour is made on request, which helps when a fit-out has a fixed scheme.

Frameless pinboards (notice, soft, vision and bulletin boards) use fabric in five colours and suit a lighter, more modern look. Remember that magnetic, white and glass boards cannot be frameless.

For print, remember that a map, a floor plan or a school crest can go on any board type. Decide whether the design sits on the board surface itself, such as a printed magnetic or glass board, and keep the artwork file at the largest size you have so it prints sharply.

For a school or office project, group boards by room type and size. Say how many floors or rooms the set is for, the quantity per size, the finish and whether you want your own packaging. A school may list pin boards, writing boards and A4 certificate frames together, since they come from the same factory and one enquiry can bring one quote.

Samples are paid; by agreement the cost can be reimbursed or adjusted in your final order. A first order and sampling take longer than a repeat, so approve the sample early. Minimum order, lead time and price are confirmed in your quote. This page covers manufacturing and supply. Installation is not described in our catalogue, so ask in the enquiry if you need it.