MyBinding Knowledge Base
What is the difference between Porcelain and Melamine Whiteboards?
If you’re shopping for a dry-erase board, you’re going to have to decide between a porcelain or melamine one. If you’re wondering what the difference is, so are a lot of other people. It can be puzzling to understand why these products are so different and why porcelain boards are so much more expensive. This article will take a look at the differences between these two whiteboards so that when you need to choose one, you’ll pick the surface style that is best for both your needs and your budget.
Melamine
Most of the inexpensive whiteboards have a melamine surface. Melamine is essentially plastic that’s backed by pressboard. It has a clear-coat surface on which you write. One the benefits of plastic is that it’s inexpensive. It’s good for occasional use, so if you need a whiteboard you’re going to use only once in a while and you’re on a budget, a melamine board is a great choice. However, these products need to be cleaned after almost every use otherwise they will become stained and "ghosted" (a cloudy, streaky residue left behind when erasing). These products also scratch easily and none of them are magnetic. Plus, if you use a permanent marker, your board will be permanently stained, so be sure to use dry-erase markers only if you select a plastic surface.
Porcelain
As the name suggests, porcelain surfaces are ceramic. They are backed by steel, making them extremely durable as well as magnetic, so your whiteboard can double as a bulletin board which can be very convenient. These products do need to be cleaned, but they’re very resistant to staining and ghosting because the ink won’t be absorbed by the glass. Thus, if you want a board for the long haul, a ceramic surface is ideal. You can use a porcelain whiteboard everyday and if you take good care of it, it will still look brand new even after you’ve been using it for years. However, ceramic boards have one drawback in that they tend to be pretty expensive. But chances are you’ll never have to replace it, which can save you money in the long run.
< 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)
