How to Repair the Surface of a Dry-Erase Whiteboard

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Dry-erase boards are much easier to use than traditional chalkboards, but they require maintenance. Daily use of a whiteboard can leave it with dried-on ink that is seemingly impossible to remove. In addition, using markers other than specially made dry-erase brands can cause damage to the whiteboard. If dry-erase board cleaners are ineffective on your whiteboard, or if you have permanent marker on your whiteboard, you can try other remedies to repair it.

  • Paper towels
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Eraser
  • Hand-held roller or ruler
  • 1/4" porcelain skin sheet
  • Porcelain skin glue (optional)

1 Cleaning the Whiteboard

2 Wipe down the whiteboard

Wipe down the whiteboard with an eraser and look for lingering stains.

3 Pour rubbing alcohol

Pour rubbing alcohol on a paper towel.

4 Wipe the soaked paper towel

Wipe the soaked paper towel over the stained areas of the board. You may need to rub it for several seconds to remove the stubborn spots.

5 Restoring the Surface

6 Measure out a sheet of porcelain skin

Measure out a sheet of porcelain skin, which you can find at hardware stores. Make sure it fits your whiteboard.

7 Wipe down your whiteboard's

Wipe down your whiteboard's surface with whiteboard cleaner and a paper towel to remove any traces of grease or dirt. If the porcelain skin has an adhesive backing, proceed to Step 4. Otherwise, go to Step 3.

8 Apply spots of adhesive

Apply spots of adhesive to the porcelain skin every 12 to 16 inches.

9 Remove the backing

Remove the backing from the sheet of porcelain skin and apply it to the old whiteboard surface, making sure to smooth out any bubbles with a hand-held roller or ruler.

10 Peel

Peel off any protective factory coating that may be on the porcelain skin's surface.

Susan Reynolds has been a writer since 2008. She holds a B.A. in English from the University of South Florida and is a licensed real estate agent in Florida.

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