Many of us will surely remember the whiteboard we always used to stare at in school as kids, and some in the business sphere see similar items used in various presentations or meetings. These are often what are known as “magnetic boards” – and did you realize that if you’re a handy metal worker with experience buying steel, you can actually create this kind of magnetic board all on your own?

At Wasatch Steel, we have a wide range of custom steel sheet available for anyone looking into this or any similar application. We offer both hot- and cold-rolled sheets (more on your optimal choice here below), with sheets ranging from 10ga to 20ga in thickness – a huge range for you to browse. Let’s go over the basic process of creating a magnetic board using our steel sheet products.

Carbon Steel Sheets

For starters, you want to ensure you’ve purchased the right steel type. In this case, the answer is carbon steel sheet, which has magnetic properties associated with it and will allow the use of magnets on the board.

Carbon steel sheets are available in both hot- and cold-rolled options. For this particular application, we recommend going with cold-rolled products only – this is due to thinner thickness and a better surface finish provided. Thickness isn’t really much of a concern for most magnetic boards, so the better surface finish is worth the reduction in thickness.

Size and Thickness Needs

Speaking of thickness, you’ll have a range of options to select from here even within the cold-rolled realm. Generally speaking, we recommend the sheet be at least 0.030” (22ga) thick, but we don’t recommend exceeding 0.048” (18ga) in thickness. The most common choice here is 0.036” carbon steel sheet, which translates to 20ga.

Flatness Requirements

One major area to make sure you inform our team of in advance of your order: The flatness and lack of imperfections you require. If you tell our steel manufacturing pros ahead of time that you’re making a magnetic board, they’ll ensure the material has zero dents or imperfections, and is completely flat for your needs.

Spray Paint or Plate

Finally, one minor precaution to take with cold-rolled steel: You should spray paint or plate the sheet before the product is used. This is because cold-rolled steel can rust if it’s left untreated, whereas spray paint or plating stops this process from taking place. There are many cold-rolled steel products that come pre-painted in several different colors, meaning this should be a breeze for you. One additional tip: Never use pre-painted aluminum sheet for a magnetic board, as it contains no magnetic properties at all.

For more on creating a magnetic board using steel sheet, or to learn about any of our steel tube, plate or other products, speak to the staff at Wasatch Steel today.