Dry Erase Table Update...3 months later

I thought it is about time I give some updates on the biggest change to my classroom this year...our new dry erase table! Earlier this school year, I wrote about the process of turning my front table into a giant dry erase board for students to use during our 6th grade math workshop. Click HERE for that linnk. A can of primer and dry erase paint later, here is what the initial result was... a brand new (and shiny!) table.


The students have absolutely loved using the table. We used it almost every single day during our math workshop at the "Teacher Center." At this center, I give students 3-4 problems to try and I can help as needed. I recently began creating task cards of these problems (I was tired of holding up the problems on a white board!). Click HERE for a free copy of the decimal and exponent problems (and check out my store for other units - more are still in the works!). If students fly through these initial problems, then I give them an enrichment task card that is focused on whatever math concept we are learning. A full set of these enrichment task cards has been available in my TpT store for a while - if you are interested in a copy click this link: Math Enrichment Task Cards. The dry erase table has been perfect for students to use as we complete these problems. I can easily check to see if they are on the right track as they work!

My biggest concern with the table going in was how it would hold up. I bought the cheapest dry erase paint from Home Depot... I think it was about $20 if I remember correctly. I'd say on a scale of 1-10, I would give it about a 7.5 as far as its condition after three months. This is after pretty heavy use I might add. Each spot on the table gets used by 12 groups a day, which means 12 students per spot. Each of those students is doing approximately 5 problems each day at that spot. That adds up to each spot being used and erased about 60 times per day! Here is what the table currently looks like.






It's a little tough to see with the glare, but the heavily used spots are definitely not perfectly white anymore... but honestly, this doesn't really bother me. For how much students enjoy using it and how convenient it is to use during math workshop, it is definitely worth it. Other than it not being perfectly shiny, the only other minor issue has been a few small chips or cracks in the paint. I am considering putting on a fresh coat of the dry erase paint over winter break, although it wouldn't be necessary. So what's my opinion on how the table is working? Even though it isn't a perfect white (I was never expecting it to stay that way!) and there are a few small cracks in the paint, I am happy with how it has worked in my classroom and would 100% do it again.

Here are a few more shots of the table in action! If you have questions about the table, let me know in the comments!





20 comments :

  1. Hey! I came across your blog and am very interested in the math workshop. I teach modified math in TN, and I think that would greatly benefit how I run my classroom. BTW, I also have my own dry erase table lol. Yes, it wears down after awhile (heavy use here also) but the kids love it, I will agree!
    Cheers, Megan

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  2. Wow, I really think that your table is a great idea! I have seen small sticky white board type applications placed on a table, I just never thought about actually painting the table and turning it into a giant white board! That is cool!

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  3. I love the idea of the table but I found the students need help at home. This year I had each student pick a colored piece of paper and we put the paper inside a sheet protector. Now they have scrap paper at home all the time. This has been a life saver in my class too.

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  4. Love the idea of a dry erase table. I think I'm going to try it. You could use electrical or painters tape to section off the table into individual work spaces.

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  5. Love the idea of a dry erase table. I think I'm going to try it. You could use electrical or painters tape to section off the table into individual work spaces.

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  6. Teachers from WI think alike! :) We, too, are in our 3rd year of white board table use. We used the same paint you did! We have redone it once. Check it out here: http://theteamtogetherness.blogspot.com/2015/09/setting-up-classroom.html
    We found that adding 3 coats helped quite a bit this year with the shadowing and wear/tear. We got 4 tables painted with one can of paint! Thanks for sharing!
    ~Angela
    Team Togetherness

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  7. Hi,
    I painted 2 tables with the same Rustoleum white board paint, but it's really hard to erase them and there's quite a bit of Expo marker tht won't erase. Do you just use regular erasers on yours? I have to use Expo wipes to clean my off. Any advice? I think I might have to repaint mine even though it's just been 2 weeks - I think it didn't work quite right.
    Thanks- I enjoy your blog!

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    Replies
    1. I painted my 3 chalkboards with that same paint a couple of years ago and have had the same problems you described. When I try to erase it it leaves a greasy smear. I was pretty disappointed. I just use the boards as magnetic bulletin boards now.

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  8. Hi,
    I painted 2 tables with the same Rustoleum white board paint, but it's really hard to erase them and there's quite a bit of Expo marker tht won't erase. Do you just use regular erasers on yours? I have to use Expo wipes to clean my off. Any advice? I think I might have to repaint mine even though it's just been 2 weeks - I think it didn't work quite right.
    Thanks- I enjoy your blog!

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  9. This is soooo awesome!! I teach high school Spanish and English in a low income district, and the only white board I have in my room to write notes on is a 2-sided 2×3 board. This makes things very difficult!! I'm not sure the table would be beneficial for us, but perhaps I could use this paint on our wood cabinet doors!! It just needs to be a flat/smooth surface, right? The only smooth surface in my room is the cabinet/closet...every wall in the room is either windows or textured/brick, except on a higher up part of the wall, which is painted. It's not a good place to write notes, etc, since I'd have to balance a chair on top of a table to get to it! Yikes! You made the process look soooo easy....is it really this easy though? I'm nervous about using the paint and then wrecking the outside of the wood cabinet AND still not being able to use the space as a white board. I would love any feedback or suggestions! (Also, there is an old unused bulletin board that has been been scraped down to the core - meaning its down to what appears to be cardboard ?? ...but it is smooth! Do you think the paint would work on this?) Thank you so much for your post and the 3 month update! It is really a wonderful addition to your classroom, and it seems to help kids so much! Congrats!

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  10. This is soooo awesome!! I teach high school Spanish and English in a low income district, and the only white board I have in my room to write notes on is a 2-sided 2×3 board. This makes things very difficult!! I'm not sure the table would be beneficial for us, but perhaps I could use this paint on our wood cabinet doors!! It just needs to be a flat/smooth surface, right? The only smooth surface in my room is the cabinet/closet...every wall in the room is either windows or textured/brick, except on a higher up part of the wall, which is painted. It's not a good place to write notes, etc, since I'd have to balance a chair on top of a table to get to it! Yikes! You made the process look soooo easy....is it really this easy though? I'm nervous about using the paint and then wrecking the outside of the wood cabinet AND still not being able to use the space as a white board. I would love any feedback or suggestions! (Also, there is an old unused bulletin board that has been been scraped down to the core - meaning its down to what appears to be cardboard ?? ...but it is smooth! Do you think the paint would work on this?) Thank you so much for your post and the 3 month update! It is really a wonderful addition to your classroom, and it seems to help kids so much! Congrats!

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  11. Did you explore using a melamine board instead of painting it? You could just screw that down to the table and then if you have to refinish it, just unscrew and install a new piece. We used these boards to convert some old chalkboards into whiteboards. They did have some ghosting after awhile, but I think you will have that no matter the surface, even actual whiteboards! I believe that by using Low Odor dry erase markers, they are more prone to ghost than others. I like the idea of the table though, but I don't have space for a table in my classroom. I'm considering painting the tops of my students' desks so that every desk is a whiteboard. Knowing how a table top works, what sort of problems may arise if I made the desks whiteboards?

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  12. Forgot to mention that you can get a melamine board at Menards for about the same price of the paint if not much cheaper. It would be easier to install, just need to cut to size and screw it down around the edges. It is a type of hardboard too.

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  13. If your desks are light enough, you can simply use Crayola washable markers on them! They wipe off with water and leave no ghosting.

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  14. Fill a spray bottle with dish soap and water. It cleans off the whiteboard better than any whiteboard spray and does not damage the surface.

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    Replies
    1. Have you tried using magic erasers (the white sponge erasers from the dollar store)? I would never use anything else on a white board. The typical black erasers leave streaks. Magic erasers don't leave a thing (no spray needed).

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  15. Have you tried using magic erasers (the white sponge erasers from the dollar store)? I would never use anything else on a white board. The typical black erasers leave streaks. Magic erasers don't leave a thing (no spray needed).

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  16. I love this blog because it is user friendly with appreciative information.ReMARKable whiteboard paint

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  17. Did you try Magic Erasers for cleaning the table?

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