A clear glass whiteboard

This instructable will show how to build a transparent glass whiteboard that will never wear out and never ghost. Glass is a superior surface for writing on with dry erase markers and erases with a tip of the finger. The size I made mine was 28 inches by 54 inches and was NOT made to freestand as it would take up too much room in my sons college apartment. Total cost was a very reasonable $60-65, and took a weekend to build and finish (minus the time going to and from stores!). The glass was from a local IKEA store. It is normally used as a desktop protector and is safety glass weighing about 30 pounds . My son is a Math and Com Sci double major along with being a whiteboard nut and his rooms look a lot like the garage in A Beautiful Mind so a great project for him.
Does it work? Yes. Is it the best whiteboard my son has ever used? No. It's the contrast. A white whiteboard with a black marker is, by far, the easiest to see and use. Unless there is a dark background or a white background, the writing is harder to see on a clear whiteboard. The best is to have a white sheet of material stuck to the other side of the glass but that defeats the whole purpose for a clear whiteboard!
The other question you have to ask yourself is glass the best clear material. I went shopping in Home Depot and bought several types of plastic sheeting. Lexan was the ONLY plastic sheeting worth considering. I found a great place to buy Lexan sheets. Freckleface!:
http://freckleface.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/polycarbonatesheet.html
But in the end, I decided that glass was the best material. A large sheet of Lexan is harder to keep clean, the leading brand of markers (Expo) will ghost after sitting for a week or two, and has a much more shiny surface which makes it even harder to read what is written. But it does not break and would be much easier to build. Next clear board is going to be 3/8 inch 36 by 48 Lexan, just for mobility and safety's sake.
Why a clear whiteboard? In the show "Numb3rs", I was intrigued by the clear whiteboard that Charlie Epps is using.
Could I buy one?
http://www.clearmarkerboard.com/home.html Not at THIS price.
So let's build one!

Step 1: Building a windowframe.

So I have a large piece of glass that I want to mount to a support. That is,err, let me think, a WINDOW. So how do I build a cheap and strong frame for the glass? Looking around and I see that my windows use WOOD as a frame. Whew, tough decisions are made.
The IKEA glass sheet is 55 1/8 inches by 29 1/2 inches or 140 by 75 cm. I will use stock 1 by 3 inch pine as the frame and use 2 by 4's that I trimmed to 2 1/2 inches wide to match the frame. If you do not have access to a tablesaw, I would recommend using 1 by 4 inch pine.

Comments

[AC360CNN]

I was just inspired by this, got an idea, and signed up to make this comment...

Here's a plan for an 18" by 36" glass whiteboard for under $20!

1. Purchase piece of glass at Home Depot for $10:
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202091046/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=glass&storeId=10051

2. Purchase double sided outdoor mounting tape:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004Z4BV/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details

3. Find a white wall and mount the class to the wall. No frame required.

What do you think?

[johnpombrio]

NO! Nix, nein, negative. DO NOT USE a piece of NON SAFETY GLASS without a frame! That is just a ticking time bomb sitting on your wall. I still have scars from broken window glass. Hanging a naked sheet of glass without a frame is even worse. I also do not like picture frames with glass in the front for the same reason. Kids and dogs, elbows, and Wii remotes, and moving furniture are their nature enemies. Naked sharp glass edges are not meant to ever be exposed.
The link to Home depot is broke, but I am assuming your priced out a glass window replacement sheet. For a little more money, a cheap glass picture frame would work just as well but would be a little more protected.
My advice? Look at the priciest piece of plastic sheeting LEXAN (I think it has GE on the sticky label in Home Depot). You will have to double your budget or shrink your size but it has all the advantages of glass without all of the dangers. 2 screw holes into the top would hold it to the wall.
Sticky tape and rental walls are also made to cost you your rental damage deposit. If it sticks well enough to hold something heavy, it will also peel paint and gypsum board paper. Not worth the risk.

[reeseecup]

good call

[AC360CNN]

I finished my project. I documented it in a blog. This post inspired me to make a blog. Here's the link: www.diywhiteboard.blogspot.com/

If the link doesn't let you click it, just type it into your browser. I took pictures of the finished product. I didnt put duct tape on the back or anything, but hopefully its fairly safe.

[AC360CNN]

Thanks for the warnings about the non safety glass, but this ship has already left the dock!. I'm working on the project right now in my back yard. I spray painted the back of the glass white and I'm going to add a few more coats to even it out.

The glass will be mounted 4-5 feet above the floor, above a wide filing cabinet in an office where no children go. I would definitely not hang this above my bed.

Perhaps before mounting it, I can (neatly) put two layers of heavy duty clear packing tape around the edges, and two layers of duct tape covering the entire back of the glass. The duct tape will make it somewhat shatter resistant. Do you think that would help?


I've decided to use "mirror clips" instead of the heavy duty mounting tape. I uploaded a picture, but its my first time using this forum so hopefully its visible. The uploaded picture shows the glass in my backyard, a screenshot of the home depot glass for $10, and a screen shot of the mirror clips I'm going to use.

Thanks for the warnings. I'm still excited about the project! So inexpensive, yet will hopefully outperform any retail dry erase board 3X its price.

[johnpombrio]

Heh, notice the big warning sign on the packaging about sharp edges. I donno if I should flag this as I have to be responsible for others doing the same and the glass sheet causing someone to get hurt. That said, having the glass this close to the wall should prevent anyone from easily contacting the edges so no real need for tape. It also looks like it is behind a desk to prevent accidental contact.

Note that an 18 by 24 inch sheet of Polycarbonate (Lexan) at Home Depot is only $20 and the back can be covered by contact paper ($7.00) or just use it on a white wall. It would need only two screws to hold it. For $70, 36 by 48 inch, just the right size.

Yep, pictures work fine. Good idea about the mirror clips instead of double sided tape. I like how the clips are screwed into the wall (don't want this to fall). HOWEVER, the tops of the screws are contacting the glass directly and will act like a glass breaker tool under any sort of impact. I suggest you cover them with duct tape then slide the glass into place. Remember, mirrors are rarely ever touched.

[AC360CNN]

You're very right! I have several issues at hand:
(a) the screw heads are contacting the glass working as glass breakers.
(b) the mirror mounting clips hold the glass in a wobbly manner as they do not hold the glass flush to the wall firmly and snugly and
(c) the edges of the glass are sharp to touch and present a hazard.

I am in the process of doing a any of the following, possibly in combination:
-changing the type of mounting clip used,
-adding the double sided mounting tape to offer snugness to the wall and
-having the glass professionally framed, or doing it myself.

I updated my blog with the problems you pointed out and clearly labeled it as a "WORK IN PROGRESS." Thanks for the ongoing tips.

I've attached an image of the mounting clip I plan to get to replace the dangerous ones I have now.

[johnpombrio]

Good reply. I have been thinking about things that compress and protect the edge of the glass. Look around in the window and pipe insulation section at Home Depot for ideas. For instance, pipe insulators (foam about 3 foot long) can be slit and slid over the edges. That would let you do two things 1. protect the edges and 2. compress the glass against the wall making it snugger. There are also foam strips that are peel and stick that might work with your present clips (the clips might have to be bent out some.)
As for the clips you are showing me here, think about rubber washers to wedge into the top that touches the glass so as to snug it down to the wall and prevent the glass from moving and protect the glass. Pieces of the washers could also be used as a wedge (either clip) to hold the glass firmly in place.

[Toga_Dan]

Looks like a good solid frame you made. I certainly appreciate going to lexan, especially if you have to move much. Did you say it's easier to clean, too?

Here's my version:

http://www.instructables.com/id/BALLISTIC-PENDULUM-PHYSICS/
Check the 1:50 and 8:10 marks.

An unmodified glass door secured in the middle of the room.
I have more footage somewhere of the math behind this experiment.

Do any of you know where to find white markers like they used in "num3ers" ? Are they easily erased? or did they have to really work to clean the glass on that show?

Also I was wondering if the transparent smartboard in the vid of the opening page of facebook is real tech. It seems to be transmitting the writing to monitors above the lecture hall.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_i_u6KqQkIc
0:45 second mark (for about 2 seconds)

[johnpombrio]

Thanks for the comment. Numb3rs uses Lexan, not glass on the show. The reason why they are using white (grease) markers is because of the way the show is lit with the wall behind the board really dark.
Both Lexan and glass wipe off the recommended black Quartet dry erase marker easily without ghosting.

A transparent clear smartboard would only be useful in classroom or lecture hall environments.

[johnpombrio]

Been a while, old friend. My son has long ago turned to Lexan as the clear choice. Also, after seeing these clear whiteboards on Eureka, CSI, and Fringe (as well as Numb3rs), I am certain that their boards are made of Lexan (by the way it bends when written on). Not too thick either. 1/4 inch? 3/8 inch?
The glass tabletop is no longer available at IKEA and was too heavy for its intended purpose as a whiteboard. If I needed to to do this over, I would have chosen Lexan.

[cinstructables]

i noticed that you still havent found a good marker to write on your glass with. try using a window/glass marker. you can get a cheap version from somewhere like crayola. they r meant for glass surfaces and come off easily with a wet towel.

hope this helps

[johnpombrio]

Been a while, old friend. These damn clear whiteboards are on every TV show that has nerds on them. Fringe and CSI are the latest two I have spotted them on. And they are definitely Lexan just by the way that they bend when being written on. Not too thick either, I would say 1/4 inch? 3/8 inch?

[Melanie G]

This instructable has been very helpful, thank you for putting this together. I am currently trying to find the right process for applying the frosted background to the glass and have yet to find any solid advice. Any tips on this part of the process? Obviously I don't want any bubbling between the surface of glass and the frosted material. I'd like to be able to find the right material so I can try some different colors like I saw here: http://www.krystalgwb.com/photogallery.php

[johnpombrio]

Any film that sticks to glass would be your best bet. There are several places that sell a film the gives a frosted glass look. For instance, Home Depot has window privacy films that you just stick on and peel off and one of them is frosted glass. Obviously the Stained Glass one would be a hard to write over, heh.
My son's final solution was to paint over the back with ordinary Latex white paint, several coats of it. It worked a lot better as a whiteboard with the white reflective, highly contrasted background.

[Melanie G]

Oh perfect. I was originally thinking frosted, but solid white sounds more practical and easier to work with. I'm better with paint, and not sure if I'd be able to cut the privacy film with the precision needed to be flush with the sides. Thanks for the quick response John!

[johnpombrio]

Welcome! It takes a lot of coats (5 or 6 if I recall) and it CAN be scraped off with enough hard labor. Painting it turned out to be the best solution to my son.

While I was writing this, I just thought of Rubbermaid contact paper for shelving. It comes in white, it would come off and you don't have to worry about trimming it as you could just overlap the stuff, and it would be fast. Dang, I wish I thought of that before we started painting. Anyways, the paint worked fine...

[StevenHoong]

Hey I just signed up so I can comment. What's the name of the IKEA glass sheet? IKEA always name them differently so I cannot find glass sheets/windows, but things made from glass (like doors and shelves).

[johnpombrio]

I wrote this article 6 years ago so all bets are off to find the glass tabletop protector all available at IKEA. There is one close to what we used by the name of Billsta Glass Desk Top but it is unavailable in any of the stores that I checked on the website nor can you order it online. I am afraid that IKEA no longer is selling these glass table top protectors.
A quick search of rectangular glass table top with Goddess Google (and her earthly angel Siri ) show that they are available but at a $200 price range rather than the $40 for the Billsta top.
It looks like this project is dead as far as the cheap material costs go. At this price, Lexan would be my first choice.

[ZJ-Weaver]

Haven't read all the comments but I'm a whiteboard addict as well and have found the cleaning product "Simple Green" to both remove "ghost" images and it also leaves a very thin film which keeps the board like-new-slick. FYI whiteboard nuts.
No. I don't work for or own stock in Simple Green. It just works.

[johnpombrio]

Heh, I'm a fan of Simple Green too. Use it on a bunch of stuff and I too have great success in using it on classic whiteboards. BUT no matter how good the cleaning material, my son has managed over the years to just plain wear out fiberboard whiteboards! It was having to replace them every other year or so that got me thinking about glass. Now THAT is a lot of whiteboard usage!

[tyao]

Hi,
I am very interested in building one of these but I have one question.
Does Lexan get scratched easily?
I heard that Acrylic, while not as durable, doesn't get scratched as easily as Lexan.
So should I get the cheaper acrylic or the regular Lexan?
THank you

[johnpombrio]

Read though the myriad of posts to see what folks think of clear plastic whiteboards. Lexan does not scratch easily, in fact it is damn tough stuff. For any reasonably sized board though, it will be expensive. Check out the other posts that mentions Frekleface to see the prices.

For $60 you can get a good sized piece at Home Depot to try it out first or even a paper sized one for a few bucks. Get the Quartet markers as they work a treat.
As for Acrylic, if is a lot more wobbly-er the same thickness, is kind of milky in color and definitely not in the same class as Lexan. Either way, thickness matters if you are supporting a wide piece only by its edges (3/8 inch would be good)
Either way, you will not be scratching the board with dry erase markers not matter what!

[johnpombrio]

The best dry erase marker for glass whiteboards is Quartet EnduroGlide Black Dry Erase Markers (available from Amazon). My son discovered them. They seem to always have a consistently good black mark and the "ink" is visible in the marker. Highly recommended for any whiteboard.
I still have to try "grease" markers but no pressing need now that we have switched over to the Quartet markers.

[mlelievre]

Very nice project... my dorm room in university had a large mirror next to the desk with storage behind it... I wrote my notes and to do list on the mirror with dry erase markers... I was still able to use it as a mirror and it was provided free of charge by the school :)

[a.SuperNova.Sun]

I found this extremely helpful. I am trying to build a clear free-standing board for my dorm room. I'm going to use either plexiglass or lexan. As i am familliar with lexan because we use it in robotics i will probably use that. I was worried about ghosting because i did a bit of research but to find that there are ways to remove it, lexan is the way to go. Thank you.

[Gary Viveiros]

It's not only a matter of the ink, but of the constant scratching of both the pen and the eraser felts. As mild as they seem, they still abrade the surface like mild 3M scouring pads when used repeatedly. Once the surface is abraded, then the ink soaks verically into the surface, making cleaning an even more challenging task. This is bad enough on whiteboards, but on clear boards you have an even better mechanism for capillary action, wicking the ink deep into the smooth-surfaced scratch. On whiteboards, you can use harsh chemicals and a slightly abrasive pad or compounding solution to expose a new surface. Plastic scratches are jagged, compared to harder surfaces like glass, so there's even more pockets to hold and dry the ink. I think that's why the Canadian company came up with Smartboards, which are mainly computer projection display devices.

[johnpombrio]

Lexan is definitely the way to go. My son has been using small sheets of it for quick note taking and swears by it. Small sheets of it are available at Home depot for $4 for paper size. Ghosting is not really a problem as long as the marker does not sit on it for months. There are plastic cleaners out there but Windex would probably work as well. If you want to scale up to a large sheet, expect to pay the cost. Frekelface.com has good prices for large sheets. 1/4" minimum for larger sheets, I would go with 3/8" myself.

[mlphilli]

i'm considering using a large polycarbonate sheet as a marker board, but i want to hang it on the wall on its own rather than frame it. i'm wondering if you still think that i should get a thickness of 1/4" or 3/8". if it's hanging on the wall rather than free-standing, would 1/8" work just as well?

[edwards-research]

See my writeup here: http://blog.edwards-research.com/2011/01/do-it-yourself-whiteboard/

I used exactly that (but mounted it on plywood). I also bought the plastic from freckleface!

[johnpombrio]

If it is FLAT against the wall (have to screw it into the studs or use those great helical self drilling Sheetrock bolt holders) then sure 1/8" is fine. You WILL find that you will occasionally MISS the whiteboard though! Heh. The other good aspect of this is that you will not have the contrast problem with a non-backed clear whiteboard.

[johnpombrio]

www.freckleface.com. Look for Polycarbonate sheet. 36" by 48" by 3/8" (or 1/4" if braced well) would be just about right.

[edwards-research]

I have a pretty detailed write-up of my experience making my own whiteboard here: http://blog.edwards-research.com/2011/01/do-it-yourself-whiteboard/

Spoiler: I used polycarbonate.

[leunami]

Is it possible if I use either Plexiglass or Acrylic glass or maybe Polycarbonate Glass instead of regular glass? I wonder if it will leave a stained or ghost on it. Some of the home depot clerk told me that those material will absorb the ink and will be hard to erase. Anybody ave any Idea about that?

[johnpombrio]

Yes, works fine. My son uses small sheets of Lexan all the time. I would recommend Lexan over polycarbonate as the material is much more resistant to bleed in and cleans up well. I know the stuff is expensive but worth the cost as it is way better for markers. As a matter of fact, I am sure the boards they use in the TV shows are made of Lexan not glass.

[johnpombrio]

http://mywhiteboards.com/fluormar.html

It turns out that those nice blacklight lit fluorescent boards use a special wet erase marker ( more like a grease pen than a dry erase marker).

I was chastised when I went into a fancy restaurant and noticed the black lit fluorescent specials board rather than the fireplace and the view over Barnegat Bay. I grabbed a waitress and had her show me the markers they use. Definitely not a dry erase marker.

Well, a new marker to buy and try. Do you know how many different kinds of markers I have of my house?

[johnpombrio]

Ooh, this was a good one! the latest Fringe show not only have a clear Lexan whiteboard, but Astrid used it to both crack an ancient code as well as having sunlight shine through it and projecting the numbers onto a globe. Once again, even when the camera was very close, it was hard to read what Astrid was writing on the board. Well, not even television can get that right...

[glasswhiteboard]

I'm thinking of buying some glass whiteboards from Clarus for our Hospital - what do you all think? They are found here: www.glasswhiteboard.org

[johnpombrio]

These frosted glass whiteboards are very common:
http://www.google.com/products?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&=&q=glass%20whiteboard&aql=&gs_rfai=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wf
3 foot by 4 foot are the norm for an office but can get extremely expensive. Looks like taking 2 35 by 23 inch boards and putting them together would work just as well (of course very few of the people on Instructables have a budget for these!)

This company looks a little expensive. Shop around a bit if their prices are too high. The company's mobile whiteboard is a joke as it is mounted vertically instead of horizontally.

I use a frosted glass whiteboard from IKEA:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10114874
I use the board every day for lists, appointments, etc. For a smaller space, it works great and will last forever. The contrast is NOT as good as a regular whiteboard so in a big conference room, the folks in the back will not be able to read the board.

As for a hospital, I cannot think of a better surface for keeping bacteria away as it can be bleached and cleaned like any other piece of glass.  For a nurse's station, it would work great as long as it does not get bumped by a cart or IV drip pole. Donno about sharps or stethoscopes either (the boards are safety glass tho).  

[glasswhiteboard]

Thank you for the information John. I greatly appreciate it.  What makes you say Clarus Boards 'look' expensive? Did you find prices on their site? I didn't come across any prices myself.

You are very right about the sterilization of the board. This was a selling point for me, along with the elegant look of a glass whiteboards in general. I'm looking to purchase 15 boards for our hospital, and need the highest quality. We don't want cheap, we want quality. Nothing against Ikea, but I don't think that's the quality we are looking for.