Porcelain Or Melamine Whiteboard – Which Should I Buy?

If you are in the market for a new whiteboard, chances are you’ve seen the ones made from melamine and the ones produced from porcelain. In addition to the obvious price differences, what’s the best choice for you? The materials used in each whiteboard plays a role in several factors to consider such as:

• Overall weight
• Durability
• Long term usage

Quartet Melamine Whiteboard

Let’s talk melamine whiteboards first. While Melamine has a number of different applications, the melamine resin is what’s used to create the dry-erase board surface. Essentially, melamine whiteboards are comprised of pressboard with the resin coating. While melamine boards are less expensive than their porcelain cousins, they aren’t quite as durable.

Melamine boards need to be cleaned after every use or you may begin to see ghosted images and stains. These whiteboards are not magnetic and they scratch relatively easily. I wouldn’t consider using a permanent marker on a melamine board as it will stain permanently.

Lorell Porcelain Whiteboard

Porcelain whiteboards are covered in a ceramic coating, which is a variation of porcelain. The actual board itself is typically produced from steel, making them magnetic and extra-durable. Although porcelain boards are more resistant to stains, they still require occasional cleaning. Porcelain boards are really designed for heavy or long term use, while the melamine boards don’t typically last as long.

Here’s something to think about: Budget and/or price is almost always a major decision-making factor when buying something of this nature. If you foresee the board getting heavy use, then consider a porcelain model as it will significantly outlast a melamine one. Yes, the cost is higher, but chances are you’ll go through 2 or more melamine boards before wearing out one porcelain model. In the event the board will only be used sparingly and cleaned after each use, then the melamine version is a good choice.

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How Many Sheets of Paper Will A Binder Hold?

In an effort to provide the best possible information and content to our readers/customers, we are trying to answer some of the questions that are most commonly asked of our customer service team. Well, here’s a great one:

“How many sheets of paper will a 2″ (or any other size) binder hold?

Great question, and here’s the answer:

The amount of paper that a particular binder will hold is dependent on the type and size of the ring inside the binder. For the most part, the ring in the binder is the same size as the binder spine, so a 2″ binder will have a 2″ ring. The two most common types of rings are O ring and D ring.

O Ring – O rings are the most popular type of ring, and generally come in diameters ranging from 1/2 an inch up to 4 inches. With O rings, the diameter of the ring will determine how much paper the binder can hold.

D ring – D rings get their name because they are somewhat shaped like a D. With D ring binders, the amount of paper that the binder will hold is dependent on the length of the straight portion of the D ring. For most D ring binders, the diameter of the D ring itself is really the length of the straight portion of the ring. A 3 inch D ring binder will have a straight shank that is very close to 3″ long.

Some data floating around the internet, indicates that a 1/2 binder will hold approximately 100 sheets of paper so a 1″ binder will hold 200 sheets, while a 2″ binder should hold 400 sheets. Unfortunately, this data isn’t exactly correct.

The data below comes from our friends at Binders, inc., who are recognized experts at all things binder. These numbers are based on the assumption that standard 20 lb paper is being used. For thicker paper, these numbers will need to be adjusted down.

Hopefully this information will be useful the next time you get ready to purchase a binder.

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Understanding the Weight of Paper

One question that the Business Supply customer service team routinely comes across has to deal with paper “weight” and how to choose the best weight for a customer’s particular needs. Based on that, we thought we’d take a crack at explaining what paper weight really is, and how it plays a role in your shopping decisions.

Hammermill Copyplus Paper

For starters, the “weight” of a paper isn’t actually the physical weight of the paper itself, but refers to the thickness and sturdiness of the paper. Many customers get confused about buying paper by the case as they mistakenly believe that the case of paper actually weights 20 lbs, when the 20 lbs refers to the paper weight classification (which has absolutely nothing to do with the actual weight of the paper). The smaller weight numbers refer to thinner or lighter grade paper, while the larger numbers refer to a heavier or thicker paper. Most copy papers are available in the following weights:

• 16 lb.
• 20 lb.
• 24 lb
• 28 lb
• 32 lb

The most popular weight in copy paper is 20 lb as most any copier/printer will accept a paper sheet of that weight. The higher weights (24 to 32 lb) are significantly thicker than the standard 20 lb paper, and not every copier or printer will be able to successfully print to a paper of that weight. For business uses where professional documents (contracts, resumes, etc.) are required, the heavier 24 lb paper is a popular choice. Our top selling 24 lb paper is the Hammermill Premium Multi-purpose paper.

A few things to keep in mind:

• While the 20 lb paper is the most popular, it’s also very thin, and isn’t the best choice for double sided copies.
• The lowest weight for double sided printing is usually a 24 lb paper.
• A heavier weight paper typically costs more money and may not always offer a better or cleaner printing result.

In most cases, the 20 or 24 lb paper is a great choice for most all around printing or copying needs.

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Setting Up a Home Office on a Budget

As technology has continued to move forward with leaps and bounds, business and companies are starting to re-think the work from home employee. The practice of allowing an employee to work from home goes by a number of names and descriptions including:

• Remote employees
• Home employees
• WAH’s (work at home employees)
• Home based employees

No matter what the name or description, the location of the job (home) remains the same. As more and more employees migrate towards this work set-up, the number of home offices being built or designed has skyrocketed over the last few years. Data from the AMEX Small Business Association indicates that the number of people working from their homes increased 37% from 2010 to 2011.

If you happen to be one of those people that are transitioning to a home office or just getting ready to set-up your home office, here are a few ways to keep the costs down:

Start small – An “office” doesn’t have to be fully equipped to get started. Rather than shelling out money for a new desk, printer, new monitor, and new phone; consider making those purchases in phases. Evaluate your needs and purchase the most important item first. Then move on to the other items over time. When I first set my home office up, I worked on a small folding table until I knew that the home office transition was going to work for me.

This is one of the biggest mistakes I see with home offices. People have this concept that they need a new desk, new printer, etc. in order to have a home office. My neighbor started a new company out of his house and promptly went out and spent over $1000 to “outfit” it. Less than 12 months later, his company went under. He sold the entire set-up for less than half of what he originally paid.

Don’t scrimp on a chair – I know I just said start small, and it sounds confusing, but don’t scrimp in this area. Value office chairs like you would value a mattress. When you consider how much time you will actually be seated in one, it really makes sense to purchase a good quality one that meets your needs. I probably spend at least 5 hours of every day seated in an office chair at my desk. Consider this: 5 hours a day = 25 hours per week = 1300 hours per year translates to me spending 54.1 days seated in that chair over a 12 month period. Your own mileage may vary, but, with the exception of my computer, my office chair is the most expensive item in my home office. While this won’t really save you money exactly, it will more than pay for itself in long term bills related to your health. Follow this advice and you’ll thank me profusely in 10 years when you can stand up straight. Here’s a quick look at my favorite office chair (and the one sitting at my home desk) that we carry:

Lorell 86000 Executive Mesh Back Chair

You simply won’t find a better chair in this price range. It’s one of our top sellers for a reason.

Consider a multi-function machine over a printer – Most home offices will have some kind of restrictions on space so you will need to maximize your use of it. In order to save space and have the ability to print, fax, scan, and copy; consider a multi-function machine instead of a printer/fax combo. While all in one machines have pros and cons, I couldn’t really live without mine. I can send or receive a fax when I need to, or copy a document at a moments notice.

Don’t buy a new phone – In the event that you don’t an existing phone that you can already use or your employer doesn’t provide one, I don’t suggest going out and buying a new one. Here’s why: Much like computers, the technology in phones changes at a rapid rate, especially if you need multi-line capability. Offices and business are always migrating from one phone system to the next. This gives you an opportunity to purchase a really nice phone at next to nothing. The phone in my home office is a multi-channel AT&T business class phone with an integrated speakerphone, voicemail, and dozens of other features I never use. I bought it for $30.00 off the business section of my local Craigslist.

Second hand or closeout furniture – Assuming that you don’t already have it, outfitting your home office with furniture (desk, credenza, printer stand, etc.) will be a major expense. You can save some serious money in this area by either purchasing second hand office furniture or buying closeout furniture. Closeouts are lines of office furniture that have either been discontinued or phased out for a new model. Office furniture manufacturers have to move these closeouts as they are taking up space that can be used for new inventory. If you shop right, you can find some amazing deals in these closeouts. I bought my son a computer desk, matching printer stand, and matching mini-file cabinet on a closeout deal for a steal. The company even shipped it to me for free.

While I’m not an expert in this area, I do have significant experience in the home office market. By following some of these suggestions, it is possible to outfit a very nice home office on a budget.

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Corner Desks – Understanding the Pros and Cons

So the time has finally come to start shopping for a desk? But, with limited space, should you consider corner desks as an option? Choosing the best corner desk for your needs can be challenging so here are a few common pros and cons associated with them.

Pros

• Size – Desks of this style are very compact and are typically used in locations where space is limited. It’s important to point out that compact doesn’t necessarily equate to small. Corner desks are usually built for maximum efficiency so every bit of space is usable.

• Use of space – In many cases, corners of an office or home office seem to be destined for use as decoration or storage. While this isn’t really a waste of space, the space in question isn’t being used to its full capacity. The introduction of a corner desk creates a more valuable use for the space.

• Integrated storage – Most corner desks offer integrated storage in the form of shelves or counters either under or over the desk. While this may not seem like much, it’s convenient to have items you need within an arms reach.

• Lack of distractions – The nature of corner desks usually puts the user seated in a position where they are looking at the wall or the corner itself. While this may not seem like an advantage, it does reduce distractions that might otherwise come up if the person were seated out where they could see other co-workers or the comings and goings within the office. On a personal note, I’ve tried both seating arraignments including facing the corner or facing out into the office, and I find that I’m much more productive when facing the corner.

Cons

• Confined space – For people with a fear of confined or narrow spaces, working in the semi-confined space of a corner can pose a problem.

• Stigma – Much like the childhood punishment of sitting in a corner facing the corner, some employees and people will associate that same stigma if asked to face into a corner.

• Feelings of vulnerability – Some people are simply more comfortable having their back to a wall and may feel vulnerable or insecure if asked to sit at a corner desk with their back exposed.

• Lack of space – As desks of this type are compact, there is less space available for larger projects or situations where something (like a map) has to be spread out across the desk. This con is really a trade-off of the smaller footprint found in corner desks.

Is a corner desk right for your needs? Only you can decide that. However, as offices, businesses, and home offices, try to maximize their space and employee efficiency; the corner desk concept is becoming more and more mainstream.

Here are a few of our top selling corner desks:

Lorell Cherry Corner Desk	Hon Mahogany Corner Desk	Bush Advantage Corner Desk

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