One of the most common questions we get about ThinkPaint pertains to how it works. For those who have never before seen whiteboard paint in action, it's an astounding product – but how exactly are we able to coat any surface in a paint that near-instantly turns it into a smooth, dry erase surface?
The Basics of How Whiteboard Paint Works
Whiteboards work because of the combination of the smooth, nonporous surface of the white board and the chemistry of the dry erase marker. If you take either one out of the equation, then it will no longer work. If you use a dry erase marker on a porous surface, it won't erase. If you use another type of marker on the white board it won't erase. Even the dry erase markers tend to stain white boards if the marks aren't erased in a timely manner. The smoother the board is, the longer the user has to erase the markings. How then does the actual dry erase marker work? Every brand is a bit different, but they work with a combination of resins, inks, and solvents to achieve their temporary, erasable property.
Customizing Whiteboard Paint for Specific Applications
Dry erase paint uses the same basic concepts to convert an existing surface into one that is able to hold and be erased of dry erase marker in the same manner. Furthermore, we are able to customize the paint in a number of ways. Because it is being applied as a paint, whiteboard applications can be colored instead of being applied as a clear substance. These colorants have NO VOCs, retain gloss and color when exposed to sunlight, and will yellow much less than a clear coat since the pigments protect the film from UV degradation. The other advantage is that when you paint, you can see where you are painting and how much paint to apply since you want full coverage of the surface underneath to get the correct wet film build. With a clear coating, this is difficult to do. All clear coatings yellow over time, but pigmented coatings yellow less. Additional customization allows us to change the solvent composition so that the coatings have zero VOCs. We can also customize by making a spray version of this paint to be applied by HVLP spray equipment which gives you a “wet look” appearance and no orange peel, but this does not substantially change the dry erase surface for use. One final option available depending on the application for which it is being used is a lower gloss version of the whiteboard paint, which can substantially eliminate the glare from a projector. This makes it slightly harder to remove the dry erase marks, but improves utility for the space. If you are interested in learning more about whiteboard paint and the number of options that are available when ordering from ThinkPaint, contact us today. We can supply a standard sample or we can discuss your custom whiteboard paint needs.