Should I choose a chalkboard decal, whiteboard decal or acrylic wall planner?

Choose a chalkboard decal for a matte black writing surface that sits close to the wall. Choose an acrylic planner when you want a separate board with an organised layout and whiteboard-marker notes. A whiteboard decal may suit a flat, bright writing area, but the exact film, wall suitability and marker requirements need checking before you order.

Choose the writing surface first

Our Blackboard Panel Wall Decal is a peel-and-stick blackboard film. It suits shopping lists, messages, drawing and other notes that change often. The product page recommends our liquid chalkpens, with damp-cloth cleaning. This gives a different look and care routine from a whiteboard-marker planner.

Our acrylic planners are rigid boards mounted away from the wall on standoffs. Their product pages specify whiteboard markers. Choose the pen for the actual surface: a pen sold for one kind of board is not automatically suitable for another.

If you specifically want whiteboard film, ask us about the current options. Tell us the writing area you need, what it will be applied to and how often it will be cleaned. Do not treat ordinary white vinyl as an erasable whiteboard surface.

Match the layout to your routine

• A week at a glance: a weekly layout keeps everyday appointments and activities together.
• Dates across a month: choose a monthly planner when you need to see what is coming up.
• Tasks rather than dates: a to-do or task planner gives jobs their own space.
• Two people sharing a board: the Double Task planner has a two-name option.
• Free-form notes: a blank panel leaves you room to change the layout yourself.

Write a sample day or list on paper at the intended scale. A board can look large in a room photograph but still have too little room for your handwriting. Think about who will use it and whether they can comfortably reach the top row.

Check the wall and the mounting

A decal depends on the condition and suitability of the surface beneath it. It will not level out a rough wall. Start with our painted-wall guide and follow the product-specific instructions.

An acrylic planner needs appropriate fixing for its standoffs and the wall construction. The Double Task listing describes a 575 mm high by 360 mm wide board, standing 30 mm off the wall. Check the selected product rather than assuming every planner is the same size. If you are renting or do not want wall fixings, confirm a suitable arrangement before buying.

Which is easiest to live with?

The best choice is the one you will use and reset regularly. Allow room to stand and write, check reflections from nearby windows, and plan a convenient place for the pens. Browse our wall planners, or send us a photo of the proposed spot if you would like help choosing.