Bulletin Board Buyer's Guide

Bulletin boards have been used for centuries to provide the general public or a specific group of people with relevant information in an easy to view location. Traditionally, they were made out of cork, but are available today in a variety of mediums, such as cloth covered boards or rubber composites.



With so many choices in bulletin boards on the market, you may have trouble deciding which will be most effective in your space. You will need to consider the materials you plan to post on the board, its location, and the overall style.


Size and Placement

In school hallways, churches, entrance areas, and other gathering places, you may need to post announcements, showcase work, or provide other vital information. The size and number of pieces you plan to post regularly will determine the size of board you choose. In a public space, in particular, you don’t want a board that is too large with lots of distracting, empty space. Similarly, a board too cluttered will not pull a reader’s attention to particular pieces.



For a classroom setting or another individualized space, you may prefer to invest in a larger sized board. Displays showcasing student work and educational information can easily be displayed on a large board while allowing a teacher to fully customize the use.

Individual offices often use bulletin boards for personal reminders or to showcase recent work. The best aspect about choosing a bulletin board for your office is that you can customize the material, style, and size that fits your needs. Consider boards large enough to hold multiple pieces, but that won’t look out of place if you don’t have much tacked up.


Materials

Most bulletin board materials are very lightweight, making them a versatile solution in any setting. Here are some of the popular materials used today:

• Cork. A traditional cork is a great option for many office areas. The material is sturdy and durable, perfect for securing hundreds of papers over the course of its lifetime. With different framing choices, you can even dress up the board so it will fit your office décor or other space. If you choose a natural cork as your base material, look for a board that has a thicker cork layer. The thickness will ensure the product’s durability over time. As an added benefit, cork is a sustainable material you can feel good about using.
  

• Vinyl covered. Anti-microbial boards with a vinyl covering are great for school environments and healthcare settings. The boards can be easily wiped down with a cleaning solution to prevent the spread of germs.
  

• Fabric covered. A great option for classrooms is a fabric covered board. The durable fabric will accommodate Velcro as well as traditional pushpins and staples, and it is also bacteria resistant. For anyone who puts up laminated displays year after year, Velcro may be the perfect solution for easy mounting.
  

• Rubber composite. Rubber composite boards are durable, attractive, and environmentally friendly. Made out of recycled rubber tires and other sources, these boards can handle heavy use without showing wear and are also moisture resistant. Recycled Rubber bulletin boards are popular and are used nationwide in schools and offices.
  

Trims

Trim may or may not be an important factor when looking for your perfect bulletin board. In addition to anodized aluminum, you will also find many boards are available in wood laminate trims in different colors. Aluminum coloring generally includes silver and black versions. Offices often chose a wrapped edge bulletin board that looks less like a school board, and more like a piece of functional wall art.


Color

If a bulletin board is too plain, many individuals will choose to completely cover the board in a bright colored paper. If you plan to change the color scheme of your board more frequently, the material and color of the board may not be as important in your decision making process. With the variety of materials and colors available for boards, however, you may decide to invest in a nontraditional board that will serve as an appealing (but neutral) background and forego covering the board with paper.



Rubber boards are found in a variety of colors, including colorfully mottled neutrals like black, blue, gray, and even red. Fabric boards may come in tans, light grays, and dark blues. While cork is traditionally found in lighter colors, you can find colorful cork boards to liven up your display. There are darker cork varieties that feature blacks, browns, and dark tans as well as singular colors like oranges, greens, and browns.


Combination Boards

If you only plan to post items on a bulletin board occasionally, consider going with a combination marker/bulletin board. These multifunctioning boards come in an endless variety of configurations to allow for individualized setups. Whether you want to frame your marker board in strips of cork or bulletin material or you prefer to have one part of the board designated for bulletin use, you can find the all-in-one solution you need. You can even find transitional boards that allow you to move the marker or bulletin board as needed to give you more space in one medium or the other.


Ideas for Your Bulletin Board

Bulletin boards are a great accompaniment to any space. They are functional and can brighten up a wall that features no artwork. Consider keeping a few art prints on hand to place on your board when it is relatively bare, or encourage your community to post its own announcements, work, and flyers on the board.

The use of a bulletin board in a shared space can serve as a conversation starter. Employees may get emails with the same information as a bulletin board, but the board is always open and visually stimulating, making it the perfect forum for advertising an event or providing individuals with important information.

In a classroom, a doctor’s office, or a traditional office environment, bulletin boards provide space-saving functionality and serve as attention-getting displays. Keep coupons, ideas, and reminders handy with an individual board, or share your findings with a team or a classroom to keep the work environment dynamic. You can’t go wrong with a multi-use bulletin board.

Ask a Worthington Direct representative today about our most popular choices in bulletin boards. Also see our Enclosed Bulletin Boards or Directory Boards for more display options.

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