Dry Erase & Chalk Board UV Coatings
Specialty UV coatings give printers and brand managers alike the opportunity to create a product marketing advantage. Today, UV coatings that provide a smooth matte finish on a printed substrate are available from Cork Industries to create both whiteboard & chalkboard surfaces on a variety of common printable and coat-able substrates. Everyone should be familiar with dry erase white board and chalk “black” board writing surfaces. Think school, but what about other new creative applications for these UV coatings?
A Brief History
Writable-erasable blackboards are traceable to the use of a natural stone writing slate surface and chalk, in India’s schools in the 11th century. Subsequent centuries would find blackboards being adopted by virtually every school everywhere as a teaching aid.
The first writable-erasable marker, the grease pencil, capable of marking non-porous sealed surfaces came into common use near the turn of the 20th century. Various forms of “white boards” were developed over the ensuing years to accept the grease pencil. Dry erase-dry wipe ink markers pushed grease pencils aside as they took over the market in the second half of the 20th century. Modern whiteboards have replaced blackboards over time but a substantial number of blackboards still remain in use.
Whiteboards have gone by a variety of names, including marker board, dry-erase board, wipe board, dry wipe board, pen board, and early on grease board. Dry erase whiteboard is defined as any glossy, generally white surface that accepts non-permanent ink markers.
Whiteboards may be made of rigid or flexible materials. Rigid whiteboards have been made of enameled steel, high-pressure laminates, and laminated chipboard, coated with acrylic or polyester coatings. Flexible whiteboards that can be rolled up have been made of coated paper, and high gloss vinyl, as well as film materials that will cling to walls, windows and other surfaces.
Whiteboard pens, (known as dry erasable markers) use non-permanent erasable ink. These inks by design effectively adhere to a writeable whiteboard surface without reticulating, being absorbed or binding to it. The key to the popularity of the whiteboard is its ability to be rapidly marked and erased while remaining dust free.
Chalkboards or “blackboards” are reusable, usually rigid, but possibly flexible and black or green in color. Chalkboard surfaces accept writing or drawings made with calcium sulfate or calcium carbonate sticks known as chalk.
The white or colored chalks are easily removed using a felt eraser, a dampened sponge, or cloth to renew the surface.
New Product Opportunities
Imagination is the key to finding new creative uses for white board and chalkboard UV coatings. Some uses have already been exploited for custom chalkboard UV coating applications, such as menu, poster, message, scheduler, and game boards. Other uses can be seen on drink tag charms, personalized coasters, personalized wedding place cards, table placemats, etc. Dry erase UV whiteboard coatings have been put to use for brochures, maps calendars, game boards, the pages of children’s books, to do lists, score sheets, wall decals, process and inventory control charts, and hospital patient charts, etc.
Other new imaginative and creative applications for Cork UV whiteboard and chalkboard coatings might include dry erase cross word puzzles, adhesive tapes, children’s learning/play greeting cards, and packaging surfaces. The latter could facilitate the placement of a children’s game, i.e., “tick tack toe”, etc., a teaching game, an adult targeted game, or another imaginative alternative on a folding carton panel.
Use your imagination and grow your business seeking new creative applications.
Look into Cork’s UV Chalkboard Coating CORKURE-026MG & UV Whiteboard Dry Erase Coating CORKURE-2037HG-2
