At some point or another, most of us have thought longingly about scribbling on our pristine walls, despite being quick to frown at any child who decides to take a crayon to them. Be it because we’re running out of space in our notebooks and need to see the entirety of the Battle of Waterloo’s timeline etched out for it to make sense, or simply because we want to jazz a blank looking wall up, the idea of being able to draw on our walls has been an attractive one we’ve guiltily entertained – until the advent of whiteboard paint. Slick a couple of layers of that over your walls, and boom – as much as it will still look like your standard wall, whiteboard paint actually lets you and your budding artist kids draw away on the walls with perfectly erasable whiteboard markers you can scrub down later. So forget about self-control and let loose your creativity, literally utilizing the environment around you to manifest your brainstorms and artistic vision, be it at home, in school or at work, with our picks of the best whiteboard paints for walls.
KEN’S PICK
IdeaPaint HOME – White Dry Erase Paint Kit
The fact that IdeaPaint has made fans out of industry leaders and innovators like PayPal and Reebok is all the proof we need that drawing on walls isn’t just an activity limited to kids, and certainly not something to disapprove of either. Turn your home into a creative space for yourself for art, work or studies, or as an outlet for your children’s imaginations, with just a single coat of this virtually odor-less paint – backed up by a 10-year warranty and the promise that your walls will not yellow, chip or peel for ages to come. The clever and charmingly quirky packaging comes with two cans labelled “THIS” and “THAT”, with the ingeniously simple instructions requiring you to mix aforementioned “THIS” with “THAT” – and lo and behold, in four days you can use the stretch of wall you painted with the mixture as a whiteboard to write and draw on, perfectly erasable using a damp cleaning rag or microfiber cloth, and IdeaPaint cleaner spray for more stubborn stains. As the paint cures, the quality and performance of writing improves as well.
The paint is readily applicable to latex or latex-like surfaces. For surfaces like fresh drywall, non-latex surfaces or a surface about to undergo a color change, IdeaPaint recommends prepping and priming first, with IdeaPaint’s own super-adhesive primer available and formulated to work with all topcoats. The kit comes with a 9-inch roller and instruction manual included, the product certified environmentally safe by GreenGuard, and backed up by gushing testimonials of both individuals and businesses alike.
KEN’S BUDGET PICK
Rust-Oleum 241140 Dry Erase Brush-On Kit
With a 3-day curing period, this budget alternative is going to give you whiteboard walls with smooth, glossy surfaces you can draw on to your heart’s content. In order to ensure that the product is going to work as intended, it’s important to check the expiration date first – like all paints, the Rust-Oleum kit isn’t going to be able to give you the sleek, smooth finish we’re looking for if it’s pushing past expiry.
Once you do have your fresh Rust-Oleum kit in, though, you can get started by mixing the two parts, A and B, included in the package – it’s important to work quickly, with the brand recommending that the paint be applied within an hour of mixing so it doesn’t start clumping up or drying, which would result in tacky and uneven coats if used. With a coverage area of 55 square feet with 2 coats – a third if you’re scared you spread the paint too thin – this whiteboard paint dries up in about an hour, and can be used within a couple of days with dry erase markers and soap-water to remove stubborn, lingering ink marks.
RUNNER-UP
ReMARKable Clear Whiteboard Paint
If you’re not up for the wait, or need a whiteboard surface as soon as possible, ReMARKable’s quick-drying technology may be the solution for you. Drying to the touch within 8 hours and usable within 2 days, you can make a weekend project of this and have it ready to use for school or homework in a jiffy. Another clear option, the paint is also available in pure white, both variations engineered to resist yellowing, cracking or peeling for up to 10 years, the promise seconded by a warranty to cement the brand’s promise. The paint comes in the typical two-part package you need to mix together to begin coating your walls, the seamless finish giving you a smooth, glossy surface with high degrees of erasability for 50 square feet per kit. For best results, the brand recommends the paint be applied using a high-quality microfiber roller for an even finish.