What is the Standard Whiteboard Size?

Standard whiteboard size

A whiteboard can be an invaluable tool in the classroom. It will allow you to demonstrate how to perform different mathematical equations. But have you ever wondered how wide and tall whiteboards are?

The typical whiteboard found in classrooms will measure 4 feet tall and 6 feet wide. Larger classrooms might be fitted with 4 × 8-foot whiteboards. In university lecture halls, you might find a whiteboard that measures 4 × 20 feet.

In today’s guide, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about whiteboard sizes, so you can choose the right whiteboard for whatever situation. I’ll also go into detail about the types of whiteboard surfaces and how to maintain your whiteboard.

Whiteboard Sizes

Standard whiteboard sizes

If you plan on tutoring students or teaching in front of a classroom, then you should familiarize yourself with whiteboard sizes. After all, there are plenty of sizes to choose from, not including the customizable sizes you can get if you reach out to a whiteboard manufacturer.

The standard whiteboard size found in classrooms and boardrooms will measure 4 × 6 feet (height by width). Another common size is 4 × 8 feet, which provides an additional 8 square feet for writing notes, which will come in handy if you teach a difficult subject.

However, whiteboards virtually come in any size you can think of. The table below will provide the most common whiteboard sizes and their uses.

Whiteboard Size (H × W)Purpose
1 × 1 ft.Teaching individual students
1.5 × 2 ft.Teaching individual students
2 × 2 ft.Teaching individual students
2 × 3 ft.Teaching 2-3 students
2 × 4 ft.Teaching 2-3 students
3 × 3 ft.Teaching 2-3 students
4 × 3 ft.Teaching 2-3 students
4 × 4 ft.Teaching 4-7 students and drawing
4 × 5 ft.Teaching 4-7 students and drawing
4 × 6 ft.Teaching a classroom (20+ students)
4 × 8 ft.Teaching a classroom (20+ students)
4 × 10 ft.Teaching a classroom (20+ students)
4 × 12 ft.Teaching a classroom (40+ students)
4 × 16 ft.Teaching a classroom (40+ students)
4 × 20 ft.Teaching a classroom (50+ students)
5 × 6 ft.Teaching a classroom (20+ students)
5 × 8 ft.Teaching a classroom (40+ students)
5 × 10 ft.Teaching a classroom (50+ students)
5 × 12 ft.Teaching a classroom (50+ students)

As you can see, the surface area of the board is directly correlated to the number of students it is used to teach. That is because the more spacious the board is, the larger the teacher’s notes can be, and the more legible they are from a distance. This is why university lecture halls are typically equipped with at least 4 × 20-foot whiteboards.

How to Choose a Whiteboard Size?

How to Choose a Whiteboard Size

Earlier, I described that the number of students you teach will determine what whiteboard size your classroom needs. However, that’s not the only factor to take into account. Below, I’ll describe the various points you need to take into account before settling on a whiteboard size.

Wall Size

How much real estate does your wall provide? While it would be nice to have a 4 × 20-foot whiteboard, not all classrooms are designed to be 20 feet wide—at least, not with the inward-swinging door blocking a portion of the board. So, carefully measure the wall on which you want to place your whiteboard. This should be your first priority.

Mounting Options

There are 3 common ways to fasten a whiteboard to a wall—using screws, using hooks, and using industrial-strength adhesives.

To screw a whiteboard to the wall, you have to be aware of where the studs are. Fastening the board directly onto drywall is a recipe for disaster, especially if your whiteboard weighs more than 20 pounds. The wider the board, the more studs the board will have to be anchored to in order to prevent it from crashing onto the floor.

Hooking a whiteboard onto a wall should only be done for small whiteboards that weigh less than 10 pounds. This is because the straps found on the backs of whiteboards might dry out and deteriorate with time, and the larger the board is, the more damage it will cause to your floors.

Gluing your whiteboard onto a wall with industrial-strength glue is a viable option but is typically reserved for smaller boards—i.e., those used to teach small groups of students.

Types of Whiteboards

Types of Whiteboards

We can divide whiteboards into different types based on the surface material. Each manufacturer might use a wide range of materials, but for the most part, almost all of them offer melamine and porcelain boards. Let’s take a look at how the two compare.

 Melamine WhiteboardsPorcelain Whiteboards
SurfacePorous, allows ink penetrationEnameled, resistant to ink
StainProne to staining, needs to be cleaned with whiteboard cleanerDoes not stain easily
ProjectorNot suitable, causes glaringNot suitable, causes glaring
MagneticNoNo
ValueCheaper but needs replacing every 2-5 yearsExpensive, lasts for up to 15 years without replacement

How to Clean a Whiteboard

Besides sticking marks from dry erase markers, there are some other things that can stain the whiteboard. Here we will get to know the various tricks to get rid of common stains.

Dry-erase ink—Use the eraser to wipe the ink off the whiteboard. If the whiteboard is stained, use a microfiber cloth moistened with Windex or a specialized whiteboard cleaner.

Tape or putty residue—Use a common adhesive-removing agent, such as GooGone. You can also try loosening the residue by spraying it with water, letting it sit for 60 seconds, and then scraping the residue off with your fingernail. Never use sharp objects to get rid to scrape off the residue since they can scratch the melamine/porcelain surface, making it nearly impossible to erase future stains.

Permanent ink—Trace over the permanent ink stain on your whiteboard with a dry-erase marker. Let it sit there for 30 seconds to give the silicone polymer (the erasing agent) time to react with the permanent ink. After that, take an eraser and aggressively erase the ink. Repeat these steps until all of the permanent ink marks have been successfully wiped off the board.

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BaronCooke

Baron Cooke has been writing and editing for 7 years. He grew up with an aptitude for geometry, statistics, and dimensions. He has a BA in construction management and also has studied civil infrastructure, engineering, and measurements. He is the head writer of measuringknowhow.com

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