MyBinding Knowledge Base
What should I look for in a Bulletin Board?
If you’ve found yourself needing to buy a bulletin board for your home, workplace, or classroom, there’s a few things you should know before making your big purchase. You will need to think about size, brand name, surface types, and even if you want one that can also be used as a whiteboard or chalkboard. You should also consider the price (naturally) and what kind of warranty the product has. Here’s how you can buy one that’s right for you.
- Measure your space. Before you head out to the store, make sure you measure the area of the wall on which you’ll be hanging your new board. That way, you’ll be sure to end up with the right size and not one that’s either too large or too small.
- Know your brands. Three manufacturers you should keep an eye out for are Ghent, Quartet, and Balt Best-Rite. All three of these companies make products with various types of surfaces (i.e. cork, fabric, vinyl), assorted frames, and so forth. They also make different sizes, from tiny ones that can go in a cubicle to large ones that take up most of a wall. If you buy a product from one of these companies, you’re going to wind up with a high-quality product that will last you for years.
- Think about what type of surface you want. It used to be that most bulletin boards were really cork boards in which the surface was fashioned from cork. Cork boards are still around and they’re still popular. They’re a good choice if you want a product that’s environmentally friendly because cork is a renewable resource. However, cork boards can be too informal for a lot of corporate settings. In that case, a fabric board might be a better fit. These products tend to look very high-class, so they’re great for offices in which appearances count. There are also vinyl surfaces that look great and come in a lot of colors that can complement your office’s design. Vinyl is also washable and that can be handy if you anticipate the surface getting dirty. Finally, a self-healing surface is always ideal. They last a long time and the pin holes won’t be visible.
- Combination boards. You should also think about if you want a combination board. These items are a bulletin board alongside either a chalkboard or whiteboard surface. They’re good for classrooms and meeting rooms.
- Price and warranty. Finally, make sure you choose one that you can afford but one that’s still high-quality. Also, check out the warranty. The manufacturers mentioned in this article tend to guarantee their products for a long time, even up to 10 years. If you choose a product with a good warranty, you’ll be covered in case something goes awry.
- Buy it! When you know what you want, it’s time to buy it and get it installed. Most of these products come with mounting equipment so you can install it yourself and start using it right away.
< Over the years, a number of customers have asked me whether they can use twin loop wire with their plastic comb binding machine. These customers often don’t want to have to buy a brand new machine but like the look and feel of twin loop wire binding. However, the answer to their question isn’t as simple as it seems. You see, they actually do make twin loop wire that is designed to work with the plastic comb binding hole pattern. With that said, if you want to use these wires you are going to need a way to close the wires. What is Spiral-O Wire? Let me explain a little bit more…There is a product that we carry called Spiral-O Wire. This wire has 19 loops and is designed to work with the hole pattern from a plastic comb binding machine. Spiral-O Wire is sometimes called Wire Combs or Ibico Wire and was originally designed for use with some of the older Ibico binding machines. A number of the older Ibico plastic comb binding machines also included a twin loop wire closer on the front of them to allow users to use both plastic combs and wire. This 19 loop wire was designed for this purpose. What Equipment is Needed? As the Ibico brand has been phased out by GBC and all of the older Ibico plastic binding machines have been replaced with new models, they no longer have the twin loop wire closer on the front of them. This presents a problem in trying to use these spiral-o wires since you can’t use the wires without a way to close them. One of the only options left is to purchase a Twin Loop wire closer. However, since twin loop wire closers are not incredibly cheap this option usually only appeals to users who have larger electric plastic comb binding machines. Otherwise, it is often advisable to simply buy a low end 3:1 pitch twin loop wire binding machine (the supplies are cheaper). This being said, if you have one of the older Ibico binding machines that has a wire closer included you are in luck. The Spiral-O binding supplies that we carry will work perfectly with your machine and you will be able to use both plastic combs and wire depending on your needs. These Spiral-O binding supplies are available in Black, Silver, White, Blue and Red and in sizes up to 1″ in diameter. If you aren’t sure what type of wire binding supplies that you need to work with your machine simply give us a call. Our trained sales representatives will be glad to help you find the correct supplies for use with your machine.(Read More)
