Framed Dry Erase Boards & Custom Whiteboard Frames

A dry erase board that does not ghost

Most white boards sold for offices and dorms use a melamine writing surface. The material is cheap, easy to manufacture, and starts to ghost within months of daily use-the faint shadow of old writing that no amount of erasing will remove. Within a year, a melamine board has to be cleaned with a special spray; within two years, it has to be replaced.

The boards we build use porcelain-on-steel, the surface specified for commercial classrooms and conference rooms. Porcelain is a fired ceramic finish that does not absorb marker ink, so the board erases completely every time. The steel substrate holds magnets. Together they produce a writing surface that performs the same on day one and day one thousand.

Around the porcelain-on-steel panel we wrap a solid hardwood picture frame in your choice of 40+ mouldings-the same kiln-dried wood we use on our custom picture frames. The result reads as furniture, not office equipment. Hang one in a home office, a conference room, a coffee bar, or a dorm.

What's in the box

• Porcelain-on-steel writing surface: commercial-grade, does not ghost, holds magnets.
• Solid hardwood frame in your choice of 40+ picture-frame mouldings.
• Sealed backing to keep dust out and protect the board in transit.
• D-rings and braided wire installed, sized for the frame weight. Optional French cleat upgrade for a flush wall mount.

Magnetic surface

Because the writing surface is porcelain fused to steel, the entire board accepts magnets. Standard refrigerator-grade magnets work; rare-earth magnets hold heavier items like printed documents, photographs, and small whiteboard accessories. For offices that run printed standups, the magnetic surface eliminates the need for tape, push pins, or sticky residue.

Sizes for common installs

• 18x24: dorm rooms, home office to-do lists, kitchen meal planning.
• 24x36: the home office standard. Big enough to sketch a full week's calendar without running out of room.
• 30x40: small conference rooms, project walls, and classroom installs.
• 32x40: larger conference rooms, design studios, and war-room project walls. 32 by 40 inches (or 40 by 32 inches) is the largest single panel that ships by standard carrier; larger installations can be ordered as two boards hung side by side or picked up locally.

Frame moulding choices

A few popular picks for dry erase boards:

• Natural wood or walnut frame: warms up a porcelain surface that would otherwise read as institutional. Good for home offices and design studios.
• Black picture frame: the modern office default. Looks intentional in a conference room.
• White picture frame: blends with white walls so the board recedes visually until it is being used.
• Brushed silver or modern metal frame: contemporary, fits open office and tech-company aesthetics.
• Barnwood frame: farmhouse offices, breweries, and creative studios. Surprising, but works.

All 40+ picture-frame mouldings in our catalog are available-the same mouldings used on our custom picture frames.

Marker choice and care

Use standard low-odor dry erase markers. Porcelain handles every major brand equally well. Erase regularly with a dry felt eraser; once a week, wipe the surface with a damp microfiber cloth to lift any accumulated dust or marker residue. Avoid permanent markers and wet-erase markers on the dry erase surface-if you need wet-erase, our chalkboard surface is the better choice.

Where framed dry erase boards live

The home office is the most common install: a 24x36 in a natural wood frame above the desk doubles as a calendar, a brainstorming surface, and a printed-page organizer. The magnetic surface holds reference printouts without tape, so the board stays clean between projects.

Conference rooms use larger boards (32x40) as the primary writing surface for standups, sprint planning, and client whiteboarding sessions. A framed board looks better in client-facing meeting rooms than a melamine board with an aluminum trim, and it lasts long enough that the wood frame ages with the room.

Dorms and student apartments benefit from the magnetic surface as much as the writing surface. Class schedules, exam dates, and reminder notes go up with magnets and come down without tape residue.

How it's built

The porcelain-on-steel panel is set into the frame rabbet, backed with rigid board to keep it flat, and secured with framer's points. The back is sealed with kraft paper, and d-rings are screwed directly into the frame moulding for a secure mount. Every board is cut, framed, and finished at our Somerset, NJ workshop. Standard production is 3-5 business days from order to ship.