Printed Whiteboards for Schools: Surfaces and Stickers

This April and May we produced 8 printed whiteboards (1200×900 mm whiteboard surfaces), 12 door-number stickers and 18 m² of corridor wall graphics for a primary school near Riga. Total project value — approximately EUR 1,850 excl. VAT, production 5 business days, installation 2 days during the spring school holiday. The school gave written permission to use the project description and photos, but asked us not to publish its name, so in this article we talk about the solution rather than the institution.

What the school needed to solve

The initial task was narrow — replace worn classroom whiteboards where marker no longer wiped off cleanly. During a conversation with the deputy headteacher, two further needs emerged: there was no clear wayfinding in the corridors (visitors struggled to find classrooms), and the school's visual identity existed only on the website, not in the building.

We prepared the quote in three options — whiteboards only, whiteboards with door stickers, and a full package including wall graphics. The school chose the mid-range option and later added the corridor graphics once they saw the first finished classroom.

The solution: printed film with a wipeable surface

Printed whiteboards are not printed directly onto metal or enamel. We print the artwork onto white self-adhesive film, which is then coated with a special dry-erase (whiteboard) laminate. The result is a surface you can write on with ordinary whiteboard markers and wipe clean with a dry cloth, while the printed content underneath remains visible.

For the school we produced three types of printed surfaces:

• Maths classroom — a coordinate grid with a 50 mm step and axis labels;
• Music classroom — stave lines (five rows, each 90 mm high);
• Primary school classrooms — handwriting guide lines with a red baseline and the school logo in the bottom right corner.

We applied the film to the existing flat whiteboards, and in two classrooms onto a prepared MDF panel. If the base surface is smooth and dry, the film lasts for years; uneven, chalky or old oil-painted surfaces need preparing beforehand.

Door numbers and room signage

For 12 classroom doors we produced contour-cut stickers: the room number (120 mm high) and room name (40 mm) in the school's identity colour. Contour cutting means there's no background — only the numbers and letters are visible on the door. This looks neat even on painted wooden doors. More on materials and formats in our stickers section.

Costs: what each item cost

Below is the actual project structure with indicative prices excl. VAT. The exact price always depends on quantity, material and installation conditions.

A standalone whiteboard surface starts from approximately EUR 60/m² excl. VAT; standard printed wall stickers with laminate start from approximately EUR 24/m². For orders over 10 m², the price per square metre drops by 10–15%.

Files and design

The school had a logo in PNG format from their website — 600 px wide. That's too small for a 1.2-metre-wide whiteboard, so we redrew the logo as a vector file (2 hours of work). To avoid this kind of extra cost, we recommend sending vector artwork — .ai, .eps or .pdf, in CMYK colours.

Practical lessons from this project:

• Grid and line widths under 0.5 mm on a whiteboard surface become visually blurred after repeated wiping — 0.7–1 mm works better.
• Artwork printed under the wipeable laminate should be planned in light tones (10–30% colour saturation), otherwise a black marker is hard to read on top.
• Matte material works best for door stickers — glossy film reflects the corridor lighting.

Lead times

The standard lead time for stickers and printed surfaces is 2–5 business days from artwork approval; larger projects with on-site installation require a longer overall schedule. Specifically for this project: quote within 1 business day, design artwork 3 business days, approval by the school 2 days, production and laminating 4 days, installation 2 days. Total time from first contact to handover — 3 weeks.

For schools and local authorities, it's usually more convenient to plan installation during school holidays. Late May and late August are our busiest periods, so it's worth confirming your order at least 3 weeks in advance. We can take on urgent jobs by arrangement.

What else schools order alongside whiteboards

Within a single order we often also produce information posters for notice boards (A2–A1), posters for open days and graduation ceremonies, roll-up banner stands for open house days, and tote bags or T-shirts for school teams. For this particular school we're producing 40 T-shirts in June for a summer camp. See our full range of printing services in the catalogue.

Frequently asked questions

Can you write on a printed whiteboard with ordinary markers?

Yes, with standard dry-erase (whiteboard) markers. Don't use permanent markers or abrasive cleaning agents. Wiping with a dry cloth doesn't damage the artwork underneath the laminate.

Is the surface magnetic?

The film itself isn't magnetic. If the whiteboard is applied onto a metal base, magnets will stick; if it's on MDF or a wall, they won't. We plan magnetic solutions from the start by adding a metal base panel.

How much does one printed classroom whiteboard cost?

Indicatively from EUR 60/m² excl. VAT for material and printing. A standard 1200×900 mm whiteboard costs approximately EUR 90–110 excl. VAT; ordering several brings the price down. Installation is calculated separately.

Can you apply the film onto an existing old whiteboard?

Yes, if the surface is smooth, dry and free of bumps. Cracked or peeling surfaces aren't suitable — in that case we produce the printed artwork on a new panel.

What files do you need?

Vector artwork in .ai, .eps or .pdf, with CMYK colours. If you only have a logo from your website, we'll redraw it as a vector; the extra work costs approximately EUR 35/hour excl. VAT.

Do you work with local authority procurement and invoicing on account?

Yes, we work with legal entities and local authority institutions, prepare quotes for procurement documentation, and issue invoices with a payment term.

If you're planning to refresh a classroom or corridor over the summer, send us your room dimensions and logo to info@attaprint.lv or call +371 25776699 (also WhatsApp) — project manager Madara will prepare a quote within one business day. Contact details and working hours: attaprint.lv/kontakti.