Quick answer: Display boards, including notice boards, whiteboards and glassboards, are the backbone of visual communication in classrooms and offices. They make information visible, support collaboration, and help teams and learners stay aligned. Choosing the right type for your space depends on how much writing, pinning and display you need to do, and the look you want to achieve.
How display boards have evolved as communication tools
The display boards available today bear little resemblance to the battered corkboards of the past. Materials have improved, surfaces have multiplied, and the range of applications has widened considerably. Three core types now dominate schools and workplaces:
- Notice boards: fabric or felt surfaces for pinning printed materials, student work, rotas, menus and announcements. Available in a wide range of frame colours and fabrics to suit any interior.
- Whiteboards: dry-wipe surfaces for teaching, planning, brainstorming and project tracking. Magnetic options double as display boards when you need to pin items as well as write.
- Glassboards: toughened glass writing surfaces that are stain-resistant, easy to clean and well suited to professional environments where aesthetics matter.
Each type occupies a slightly different niche, and many organisations use all three across different rooms and functions.
Display boards in education
In schools, colleges and universities, display boards serve two distinct roles: communicating information to students and staff, and creating environments that reflect the work happening inside them.
Well-positioned notice boards handle corridor and entrance communications: timetables, events, safeguarding notices, awards and student work. They give pupils a sense that the school values what they produce and keeps them informed.
In classrooms, whiteboards are the primary teaching surface. A good magnetic whiteboard lets a teacher write, diagram, annotate printed resources and build up a lesson structure in real time. That flexibility is difficult to replicate with digital tools alone, and many teachers use a whiteboard alongside a projector or interactive screen rather than instead of one.
Collaborative group work benefits from having writable surfaces students can gather around. Smaller boards on stands, or writing wall panels along a wall, let groups work simultaneously without queueing at the front. The kinesthetic act of writing and moving content supports different learning styles and keeps engagement higher than passive screen-watching.
Display boards in business
In offices, display boards take on a different character. The emphasis shifts from education to planning, communication and culture.
Whiteboards remain central to meetings and workshops. A large wall-mounted whiteboard gives a facilitator a shared canvas that every person in the room can see, write on and contribute to. For project teams using Kanban or Scrum, a magnetic whiteboard with columns and movable cards is often faster and more legible than a digital equivalent on a monitor.
Glassboards are popular in boardrooms, executive offices and reception areas where the writing surface needs to match the quality of the surrounding fit-out. A frameless glassboard reads as a design feature rather than a functional afterthought, while still delivering a high-performance dry-wipe surface.
Notice boards in offices handle internal communications: health and safety notices, team announcements, menus in staff kitchens and fire evacuation plans. A well-designed fabric notice board in a staff area signals that the organisation takes internal communication seriously, which is a small but consistent contributor to culture.
Choosing the right display board for your space
With so many types and sizes available, it helps to narrow down your requirements before specifying a board.
- Primary use: writing and erasing (whiteboard or glassboard), pinning and displaying (notice board), or both (magnetic whiteboard with pinboard section or a combination board).
- Surface size: larger rooms need larger boards. A 1200 x 900 mm whiteboard is often too small for a classroom of 30; a 1800 x 1200 mm surface gives a teacher enough room to work comfortably. For corridors and receptions, wall-to-wall notice board runs make maximum use of linear space.
- Aesthetics: a glassboard suits a boardroom; a fabric notice board in Camira or kvadrat fabric suits a design studio or high-end office. Schools can use bright frame colours to distinguish areas or departments.
- Durability: school environments are harder on surfaces than offices. Porcelain-steel whiteboards are more resistant to ghosting and scratching than standard melamine surfaces, making them the better long-term investment in high-use settings.
- Mounting: fixed wall mounting is the most stable option; mobile boards on castors add flexibility for rooms that reconfigure regularly.
Browse our full whiteboard range and notice board collection to compare sizes, frames and surface specifications. →
Combining display boards with interactive technology
Display boards and interactive technology are complementary, not competing. Many classrooms and meeting rooms use both: a large whiteboard for spontaneous writing and annotation alongside an interactive screen for presenting digital content, video and remote collaboration.
Where a fully digital solution is wanted for one surface and an analogue option for another, the two can coexist in the same room without conflict. The analogue board handles the unplanned, fast-moving communication that would be friction-heavy on a touchscreen, while the interactive screen handles structured presentations and digital content.
Frequently asked questions about display boards
What is the difference between a whiteboard and a glassboard?
A whiteboard has a coated steel or melamine surface; a glassboard has a toughened glass writing surface. Glassboards are more resistant to staining and ghosting, easier to clean, and generally better looking in professional environments. Whiteboards are available in a wider range of sizes and price points, making them the more practical choice for high-volume use in schools and general office settings.
Which type of display board is best for a school classroom?
For teaching, a large magnetic whiteboard gives the most flexibility: you can write, diagram, and attach printed resources or magnetic letters. For displays of student work and information, a fabric notice board alongside the whiteboard covers both uses. Porcelain-steel surfaces are worth the extra investment in classrooms because they resist ghosting under heavy daily use.
Can display boards help with project management in an office?
Yes. A magnetic whiteboard is well suited to Kanban or Scrum-style project management: columns can be drawn or taped out, tasks written on cards or sticky notes, and the board updated in stand-up meetings without any digital friction. For teams that prefer a permanent structure, printed magnetic card sets and accessories are available to make the board more polished.
How do I choose the right size display board?
Match the board size to the room size and the distance from the furthest viewer. In a classroom or meeting room, everyone seated at the back should be able to read handwriting on the board clearly. As a rough guide, a 1800 mm wide whiteboard is suitable for rooms up to about 10 metres long; larger rooms benefit from wider or higher boards, or multiple boards placed across the wall.
Are glassboards suitable for schools?
Glassboards work well in sixth-form areas, staff rooms and school reception areas where the finish matters and usage is moderate. For main classrooms with heavy daily use, a porcelain-steel magnetic whiteboard is usually more practical and cost-effective. The writing performance of a good glassboard is excellent, but they carry a higher initial cost than equivalent-size whiteboards.
What is the best way to mount a display board?
Most display boards are supplied with wall-fixing hardware. The key is to fix into solid masonry or stud work rather than just plasterboard, especially for large boards. For very large boards or writing wall installations, professional fitting is advisable to ensure the surface is perfectly flat and secure. Mobile boards on castors are an alternative where wall fixing is not possible or flexibility is needed.
If you would like advice on choosing the right display board for your school or office, contact our team and we will be happy to help.