Has anyone used “Speak Easy” dry erase wallcoverings before? I like that they are matte finish in colors. But, don’t know anything about them.
We have sometimes used them, and also Wall Talkers. But we find they aren’t as cost-effective as we initally thought, because you have to have a very flat substrate such as Level 5 drywall in order not to see imperfections. They can be a clean-looking alternative to a cheap factory-framed whiteboard, though, and we do use them regularly in rooms where the light conditions aren’t too likely to point up the imperfections.
Where cost is less of a concern, we use ceramic-coated steel laminated to MDF, with a backer sheet of steel to balance the panel. PolyVision’s product is available in “skins” and comes in a few colors and a low-sheen finish.
As a manufacture, we would recommend porcelain steel laminated to 1/2 particleboard with .015 aluminum backer. This give a high resistance to impact, and less imperfections seen on the face sheet. Additional benefits with porcelain:
- Lower installation costs
- Use of any marker, pen or crayon w/o damage
to surface - Magnetic aids hold and reposition easily
- Lifetime warranty
If you are using the product to “recover” existing boards, porcelain over 1/4" hardboard with .015 backing is typical. Manufactures should be able to keep 1/16" dimension tolerance.
While we have not used Speak Easy or similar dry erase wallcoverings on any of our projects yet, I have tested a piece of Wall Talkers by Koroseal for 2 years in my office. The writing that I made 2 years ago still removes easily with no ghosting. Personally, I think this product may be most suitable for resurfacing an old chalkboard if it is still very smooth. If you have a number of potential projects, maybe a manufacturer might install one board/area now for you to test. I do not know costs, and that may be your determining factor. I would imagine a porcelain over steel board would last considerably longer than even the best wallcovering, but the porcelain may cost more. Another factor may be if the area is exposed to sunlight. I doubt vinyls would be as durable as porcelain.
A related question: Does anyone have experience with plastic laminate products designed for dry-erase markers? Abet Laminati’s product Magnetico and Panelyte’s product Dry Wipe are being proposed as substitutions for porcelain enameled steel boards for a full-wall installation. I’m wary; we’ve always recommended against melamine whiteboards, but these products are HPL between 1.2 and 2 mm thick, more like what we use on countertops. Any opinions? Any experience?
Not to leave anyone out… turns out Formica has one, too! Can anyone vouch for these products?
Omnova Solutions Inc. also has a product that is called “memerase”. As I recall, it’s a thin film that can be applied to large wall surfaces and is suitable for use with dry erase markers.
Speaking of alternative products, we are specifying “Walltalkers” products at an Owner’s request. The basic product is a white-board-like wallcovering, but it is available in a variety of related boards products. Its unique feature is apparently a Teflon film overlay for erasability, and it is available with a lenticular embossed surface under the clear film, for enhanced projection.
Update on dry-erase laminate products: we decided to go for the laminate, on the following grounds: we wanted large wall panels of whiteboard, and we already had a good-sized millwork package in the project, so it made sense to use a product that the woodworker can work with.
However, as you can see by the lack of response to my questions, we made the decision in a bit of a vacuum, relying entirely on the company’s own representation of the products. I’d really appreciate any comments on using dry-erase laminate in particular. Detailing the joints, experience of stain resistance, abrasion resistance, other relevant experience. Any takers?