DIY Custom Whiteboards for Chemistry with Sublimation

Nov 11

Whiteboards are a versatile tool for any classroom. But customizing them can be even more effective, especially for specific content areas like math or chemistry. With sublimation printing and aluminum sign blanks, you can create durable, high-quality, custom whiteboards for your classroom. In this blog post, I’ll tell you how to design and make your own custom DIY whiteboards for your chemistry classes.

Why Use Aluminum Sign Blanks for DIY Whiteboards?

Aluminum sublimation blanks are durable, lightweight, and work perfectly as a dry erase board due to the sublimation coating. They can withstand frequent use and are easy to clean. Sublimation allows for vibrant, high-resolution images to be transferred directly to the aluminum surface, which creates a seamless custom dry erase board.

Materials

Aluminum sublimation blanks. Find aluminum signs that have been pre-coated for sublimation. These are available in a variety of sizes to fit your needs.
Design software. Canva or Adobe to create a high-resolution image of what you want on the custom whiteboard.
Sublimation printer and ink. If you have your own sublimation printer and ink, you can print your designs at home. Or you can use a company to print your designs for you.
Heat press. To get your sublimation print transferred to the coated aluminum surface.
Protective Gloves. To protect your hands after pressing the aluminum.

Step 1: Design your Custom Whiteboard

Consider what you would like to have printed on your custom whiteboard. For chemistry, you could:

Create custom mastery mats with chemistry equations, such as the wave equations or mole conversions.
Create electron configuration battleship whiteboards by printing periodic tables on the surface.
Create custom whiteboards for writing net ionic equations.
Create a whiteboard for predicting products of a chemical reaction.

The possibilities are endless. Create your design in a program such as Canva or Adobe Illustrator. For best quality, download the image at 300 dpi. Depending on how you print your design, you may need to mirror any text or elements. Personally, I used a web-based service to print my sublimation transfers, and they flipped my image for me so I didn’t have to worry about that.

Step 2: Print your Design on Sublimation Paper

If you have a sublimation printer and paper, you can print your design at home. Be sure to mirror the image before printing! Images at least 300 dpi will print and transfer better. Avoid really small elements and text. I also found that drop shadows did not translate well when transferred.

If you do not have a sublimation printer at home, you can find an online source that will print the image for you and ship it to you. I used Jiffy shirts to print my designs because they would mirror the image for me and had a quick turnaround. They also offered increasing discounts with an increased number of copies. You could also find someone on etsy or similar sites that you could pay to print the image for you. If you have the option, I would find someone that will mirror the image for you so that you do not have to worry about that step.

Step 3: Prepare the Aluminum Sign Blank

Preheat your heat press to the recommended temperature for sublimation. The manufacturer of the signs you purchased might recommend a temperature and time for heating. I have found success at around 385-400°F. While it heats up, position the sublimation paper onto the coated surface with the printed side down. Use heat-resistant tape to secure the design to the sign to ensure that it doesn’t shift when you press it.

Step 4: Transfer the Design Using the Heat Press

Once you have everything aligned and the press has finished pre-heating, place the aluminum blank in the press. Apply firm pressure for 45-60 seconds. Be careful during this process as the aluminum will get hot. Carefully remove the sublimation paper to reveal your custom design on the aluminum blank.

Conclusion

Creating your own custom whiteboards with sublimation and aluminum sign blanks allows you to tailor a tool for your classroom needs. Not only are these whiteboards durable and easy to clean, but they also offer the flexibility to include designs that support specific needs and teaching styles.

Ready to try it out? Gather your materials and start designing your custom whiteboard today. Share your creations or tips on Instagram-I’d love to see how you make this project your own! And don’t forget to subscribe for more DIY ideas and resources for your classroom. Thanks for reading. Happy teaching!