Cork Boards

Cork Boards and Pinboards

A cork board is the simplest display surface there is: pin something up, take it down, and the cork closes back over the hole. NXP stocks six cork boards and pinboards from Quartet, Penrite and Litewyte, in five sizes from a small 280 x 430mm board up to 1200 x 1800mm, with a choice of aluminium, pine or black wood frames.

Choosing the size

Sizes here are metric and standard, so match the board to the wall and the job:

• 280 x 430mm — a personal board beside a desk. Business cards, a roster, a few reminders.
• 450 x 600mm — a small office, a home office, a staff kitchen, a classroom corner.
• 600 x 900mm — the general-purpose office board. Holds several A4 sheets side by side with room to spare. If you're not sure, this is the safe choice.
• 900 x 1200mm — a proper noticeboard for a corridor, staff room or reception.
• 1200 x 1800mm — a full display wall for a school, factory floor, or health and safety notice station.

A quick sanity check: an A4 sheet is 210 x 297mm. A 600 x 900mm board holds roughly six A4 pages in a grid with margins. Work backwards from how many notices need to be visible at once.

Frames: aluminium, pine or black wood

Aluminium frames are slim, hard-wearing and neutral. They suit modern commercial fit-outs, corridors and anywhere the board gets knocked. This is the standard commercial choice.

Pine frames are warmer and softer looking — better in classrooms, staff rooms, cafés, home offices and anywhere a metal edge would feel institutional.

Black wood frames read as more considered and deliberate, which suits reception areas, meeting rooms and boutique retail where the board is on show.

Cork board or whiteboard?

They do different jobs, and choosing wrongly is the main regret in this category.

Cork is for displaying things that already exist on paper — notices, rosters, certificates, photos, safety information, samples, swatches. Items stay up for days or weeks. Nothing gets accidentally wiped.

A whiteboard is for information that changes: writing, planning, tracking, working through a problem together.

If you need both, a combination board splits the surface between whiteboard and cork in one frame. The Quartet 600 x 900mm combination board in this range is the practical answer for a small office that has one wall and two needs.

For sensitive or formal display, a fabric board takes pins as well and looks more finished than cork — worth considering for reception.

Getting the best out of cork

Use the right pins. Push pins and drawing pins go into cork cleanly. Staples and thumbtacks tear it. Steel pins with plastic heads are easiest to remove without pulling the cork.

Keep it out of direct sun. Sunlight dries cork over time and it becomes crumbly and stops closing over pin holes. It also fades whatever you've pinned up.

Mount it properly. Larger boards are heavier than they look. Fix into studs or use appropriate wall anchors for the wall type — a 1200 x 1800mm board coming off a plasterboard wall takes the plaster with it.

Cork recovers, but not forever. Repeated pinning in the same spot eventually wears through. Move long-term notices occasionally, and consider replacing a board that's become soft in the middle.

Ordering

Boards are bulky freight, especially the larger sizes. Orders placed by 3pm dispatch the same day from the nearest branch and freight is free on orders over $50 — so it's worth ordering pins, whiteboard accessories and anything else for the same wall at the same time.

Frequently asked questions

What size cork board do I need?

Work from how many A4 pages need to be visible at once — an A4 sheet is 210 x 297mm, so a 600 x 900mm board displays about six in a grid. Use 280 x 430mm for a personal desk board, 600 x 900mm as a general office board, and 900 x 1200mm or 1200 x 1800mm for corridors and staff noticeboards.

What's the difference between a cork board and a pinboard?

In practice they're the same thing — "pinboard" describes the function and "cork board" the material. Some pinboards use fabric or felt over a backing instead of cork; both take pins, with fabric looking more finished and cork being more economical.

Should I get a cork board or a whiteboard?

Cork for displaying existing paper — notices, rosters, certificates, safety information — that stays up for days or weeks. Whiteboard for information that changes and gets written on. If you need both from one wall, a combination board splits the surface between the two.

What pins should I use on a cork board?

Push pins or drawing pins with plastic or metal heads. Avoid staples and flat thumbtacks, which tear the cork surface rather than piercing it cleanly. Pins with a head are also much easier to remove without pulling cork out with them.

How do I stop a cork board looking worn?

Keep it out of direct sunlight, which dries cork and makes it crumble. Move long-term notices occasionally so the same area isn't pinned repeatedly, and use fine pins rather than thick tacks.