DIY Glass Dry Erase Board

Whiteboards can cost a fortune. Here is an inexpensive and extremely elegant looking Dry Erase white board for your home or office, only about 15 bucks!

Super easy installation! Only 1 tool needed, a screwdriver!

Enjoy!

Step 1: Secure Your Materials

Basic Materials needed for this project are a piece of replacement windows glass, we bought 30"x36" from Home Depot. We also bought a basic mirror mounting kit, grand total for materials was 15 dollars and change. We chose to double the work space, so we bought two of everything.

Step 2: Tools Needed

The only tool you really need is a #2 Phillips screwdriver, but it is also nice to have a measuring tape, drill and matching drill bit. It will also be helpful to have another person around to help out with all the measuring, or "eye-balling"

Step 3: Installation

Mark out an area the size of your piece of glass. After marking the space, measure in from the top and bottom edges 3" and make marks, these will be the marks for your mounting Mollys.

Using your Screwdriver or drill, make holes where you have marked and insert Mollys.

Step 4: Mount and Enjoy

Mount mirror hardware on the bottom two Mollys, and rest the glass on them.

Once glass is in place, secure the other top two pieces of mirror glass hardware to hold the glass in place on the wall.

Step back and ENJOY! These were the two we installed today, much cheaper and much more elegant than a store bought whiteboard!

Comments

[mbhinge]

I want to make a board as a desk partition, to write facing my side and opaque side facing the people. I can use the @usafdiaz Rustoleum paint idea. However I wanted so cheap and easy ideas to make it table top. It has to be large as it will cover the side of my desk. I can use plexi glass. Any suggestions to make it stand firmly?
BTW, I could not upload a picture of my current DIY. I could drag the pic, but there was no upload button.

[bknapp23]

I could only find mirror hangers suitable for 1/4 and 1/8 inch thick mirrors.What did you use?

[kwilson56]

Best way to do this is nit tempered glass but contact paper or the thicker diy sticky laminating paper spray paint the back with white paint, then cover entire back with the contact paper .if it gets broken all glass stays intact one piece .local glass company recommends this vs tempered.And do all mirrors this way and it works .a mounted piece of glass with good contact paper on it broken will stay mounted on the wall till it is taken down don't believe that just test it out . A frame will help with the edges a 2 pound tap on the edge will break the glass .

[usafdiaz]

What if I buy glossy white spray and do the backside on the glass would it work nicely to get that look?
https://www.amazon.com/Rust-Oleum-245199-Universal-Surface-Spray/dp/B0016HLAI2/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=white%2Bspray%2Bpaint%2Bfor%2Bglass&qid=1620602509&sr=8-5&th=1

[akcmad]

If you are looking for cheap tempered glass, look on craigslist for glass table tops, shower doors or similar items. Tempered glass cannot be cut, so make sure you buy a size that works for you!

[Densonsmith]

Good idea but too dangerous unless you use tempered glass which is much more expensive!

[akcmad]

Sharp edges are definitely a problem, but non tempered glass isn't necessary if you can cover the sharp edges somehow to make them safe. Most glass that you encounter in your home on a day to day basis is not tempered. The only glass that is required to be tempered is in doors or near a door that might be subject the shock of a door swinging or might have a person accidentally run into it.

[paula.galinskijohnson]

Is there any way to make the edges less sharp? I just bought the glass, and sliced my hand, just taking it out of the packaging. I love the look of it, but am afraid that if anyway brushes the edge of it, they'll get cut. Thanks for any advice!

[susan_k]

oh no! Yes, that's problematic.

In stained glasswork, we actually file those shards off cut glass edges.

Do it carefully, wear gloves and eye protection, and make sure to support the majority of the glass on a table (on top of a towel, so you don't scratch it) so you don't snap it by applying an accidental fulcrum point. Use a medium-fine grit sanding sponge to eliminate the sharpest parts from any edge that wasn't cut perfectly square.

Then try wrapping the edges in a foil tape - there's copper tape used for stained glass work (available at craft stores), or aluminum tape used for duct work (available in home improvement or HVAC stores). Google "wrapping glass edges in foil tape" . Once you do this, I'm sure it will bring you to all sorts of other ideas to solder or add brass channel - or else just cover over that with a more attractive color of gaffer tape or washi tape. Hope you haven't been cut to pieces since then!

[DavidF115]

Great idea - I have an office full of people that use standard whiteboards and would like something better, I just don't have thousands to outfit every conference room with the glass ones. I'm going to give this a shot. One question: Molly's typically require a hole that's larger than than a screw. At least the way I've installed them in the past, the hole would be larger than the mirror hardware shown in the picture. How did you get the clean look and hide the drilling?

[TheKnottedTrunk]

Great question, although i sited molly's to be used, we used "screw anchors" which when installed are flush with the wall, white and paintable. #6 screw anchors should work just fine. Good Luck!

[KirtM]

Any advise on how to make a mobile one?

[TheKnottedTrunk]

i would think that using a plexi-glass sheet instead of glass, and adhering it to the wall with 3m command strips would work great!

[jgregory83]

Just done this! Great idea. I painted a black frame on mine. It's on the back side of the glass so it won't get scratched. Looks unique and creative. Thanks for sharing.

[Kimmono]

Nice! Great idea painting the border on the back. These are my favorite glass boards, http://www.monomachines.com/shop/presentation-tools/glass-dry-erase-boards.html , I LOVE all the bright colors!!!

I think you could get a similar effect by painting the back of the glass, like you did the border. I know there is glass specific paint, but I've only found it in small quantities (8oz) so far. They even have some that are frosted, which might look really cool!

What type of paint did you use and has it maintained it's good looks over the past 6months? Thanks for sharing!

[TheKnottedTrunk]

wow that looks great!! Love the border. And cod see doing that to go with the kitchen decor, glad to see somebody making use of this!

[jgregory83]

I got away with mine for $7.50 the glass at home depot was $6 and the pack of hangers was $1.50. I already had the paint and masking tape. Thanks again for sharing your idea. It's the little things that makes life fun and interesting.

[ronphillips]

My friend in the glass business suggested using tempered glass for safety. It is available from scrapped thermal panes that lost their seal.

Also, an erasable marker can remove permanent marker. Just scribble over the permanent marker, wait until it dries, and erase. You might have to repeat.

[Kimmono]

Good call on the tempered glass. That is what the whiteboard manufacturer's use...typically about 1/4" thick.

[craftycraft]

You can actually use permanent, like Sharpie brand....it erases great with little alcohol on a rag. Water will work as well, but requires a little more rubbing.