Do Magnets Work on Whiteboards?
Yes, magnets work on whiteboards, but that depends on the whiteboard, and what's it's made from. What makes magnets stick to a whiteboard is the steel sheet beneath the top whiteboard surface. The strong magnetic property of steel is what makes a whiteboard magnetic.
But not all whiteboards are magnetic. Some whiteboards, in fact most cheap discounted whiteboards, don't have magnetic properties because they are constructed of melamine or laminate only and do not contain the required steel sheet. These types of non-magnetic whiteboard tend to be a lot lighter in weight than magnetic ones. So yes, magnets do work on whiteboards, but this depends on whether the whiteboard is specifically designed to be magnetic.
If your whiteboard has a steel or other ferromagnetic core or surface, you can use it for all sorts of displays using magnets. Magnets will stick to these whiteboards because the ferromagnetic material can attract and hold the magnets. You can use these magnets to hold papers, notes, markers, artwork, calendars – all sorts of lightweight items - on the surface of a magnetic whiteboard. In fact, whiteboards with magnetic properties have transformed office spaces and classrooms, delivering an efficient, attractive and easy to use display board to communicate ideas, projects and education, and make those spaces more efficient and organised.
Do Whiteboard Magnets Work on Fridges?
Yes, whiteboard magnets can work on a refrigerator as long as the refrigerator door is made of a ferromagnetic material, such as steel. Most modern refrigerators have doors made of stainless steel or other metals that are magnetic. You can test this by placing any magnet on the fridge door to see if it sticks. Some high-end stainless-steel refrigerators are made from alloys that are not magnetic. If your fridge doesn’t hold a magnet, then whiteboard magnets won’t work either.
When you apply your magnet to the fridge, remember that whiteboard magnets vary in strength. If they are strong enough to hold papers or other items on a whiteboard, these magnets should work similarly on a refrigerator door.
The magnetic holding power will depend on the size and strength of the magnet. Larger or more powerful magnets will have a better hold on the fridge surface. The best thing about being able to use the magnetic properties of our fridges is that we can use these large appliances for decorative and surprisingly significant purposes. The fridge door has become the place where we record the progress of our children through their school years, with magnets holding their drawings, photos, school reminders and birthday party invitations. Whiteboard magnets hold shopping lists, reminder notes, all the small items that tell the story of our family's lives. Who knew that whiteboard magnets could play such an important role?
Why Wont My Magnet Stick To My Whiteboard?
If your magnet isn’t sticking to your whiteboard, it is likely due to the whiteboard being non-magnetic, the magnet being too weak, or surface conditions hindering magnetic adhesion. Identifying the specific cause will help you determine the appropriate solution, whether it’s upgrading to a magnetic whiteboard, using stronger magnets, or ensuring the surface is clean and conducive to magnetism.
Some whiteboards are made from non-magnetic materials such as melamine, glass, or other non-ferrous materials. These types of whiteboards do not have a steel or magnetic layer underneath the surface. Not all the magnets that stick to whiteboards can also be used on whiteboard sheets. The nature of magnetic whiteboard sheets is not the same as a steel-backed whiteboard. In magnetic sheets, iron particles are bound in plastic and are not entirely made of iron. That means magnets with a low adhesive force or a lot of weight will not adhere sufficiently to whiteboard sheets.
The other most common reason your magnets are not sticking to your whiteboard is because the magnets you are using are not be strong enough to adhere to the whiteboard's magnetic surface. The solution is easy – use stronger magnets, particularly Neodymium magnets which have a much greater holding force for their size than other types of magnets.
If you are using the right strength magnet and you are still having trouble getting a magnetic adherence, your whiteboard may have a thick surface coating or a protective layer that has reduced the magnetic field's effectiveness. The answer to that problem is again, to use Neodymium magnets which are much more powerful than other magnets and will provide enough hold force for heavier items or to penetrate thicker surface coatings.
Another issue can be that over time, some magnets can lose their magnetism due to physical damage, exposure to high temperatures, or other factors, so test the magnets on another known magnetic surface to confirm they still have their magnetic properties. If not, replace them with new magnets.