Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsWorth every penny - no regrets! Please read my detailed review for mounting guidance!
Reviewed in Canada on June 16, 2020
This glass calendar is exactly what I was looking for! I always hated the cheap laminated plastic type sheets which never worked well in the past for me and ended up being junk, so finding this was a true blessing. I need to be able to track my workouts, my personal appointments, as well as my wedding photography business meetings and bookings. So to track all that in 1 calendar, you need writing real estate to be able to fit it all in. I purchased the 4 x 3 ft version so it was fairly expensive, and I don't have a money tree, but the ability to "buy once" beats losing money again with cheaper options. With that said, let me tell you all about this board:
1. UNPACKING
This item comes with the board, a package of mounting hardware (screws, anchors and the board corner mounting cylinders) as well as the marker tray. This board DOES NOT come with a dry erase eraser, but it did come with 1 solitary black marker. It also came with 2 magnetic pins for attaching small papers to the board. The magnetic pins can also be purchased on Amazon should you require more, for approximately $20-$22 CAD.
2. MOUNTING
DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT USE THE INCLUDED ANCHORS AND SCREWS!!!!!!!!! This is a no brainer.
Cheap anchors like the one's included are for hanging light items, pictures and frames, small shelves, etc. If you mount board with the included anchors and screws, you will end up with a board that fell out of the wall, smashed on the ground in pieces, with holes left in your drywall; you may even end up with an injury. What you DO want to use is strong toggle bolts for all 4 corners, but be warned, you'll need to find toggle bolts that have screws that fit through the small hole of the corner mounting hardware cylinders. If you can't find toggle bolts with screws that fit the centre hole, you'll need to use a very strong industrial anchor that expands and clamps against the drywall on the inside.
Some of the anchors you may want to consider are showed in the picture I've attached.
If you can find a stud to go into, that is your safest bet, but because studs can be anywhere despite standard requirements for spacing, you will like be able to place one column (2 corners) of mounts into a stud with the 2nd column not hitting a stud.
Also, very important to mention, you may or may not need 2 people to mount this. Levelling it on the drywall, I used a laser measure on a tripod because I had them, but most people would need to put a bubble level on the board at the exact location on the wall they'd like to mount it - for that you NEED 2 people as the board is heavy and slippery. Mounting the board is also very difficult unless you have 2 people due to awkward size and how heavy the item is. I DID NOT have someone to help me - my wife was not home when I decided to undertake this project so I mounted it completely myself. For reference sake, I'm 5'9 and have worked out my entire life. I am a strong guy that does this himself all the time, lifting heavy things like nothing matters, and even I had difficulty mounting this alone. Be smart and wait for a 2nd person to help you. I also recommend wearing heavy duty work gloves you can find at hardware stores or dollar stores as the non-slip grip on the palms help to hold a slippery glass board firmly.
3. MARKERS
I attached a picture of the markers I purchased here on Amazon to use with my board. They are by CHALKOLA so do a search for them. Great price, great colors and a lot of options for color coding different appointments. They write fantastic and are easy to see from anywhere in the room! They also erase off the glass board perfectly with no permanent accidents.
4. MARKER TRAY
Not much to say about this tray, but it clips on from the bottom and can easily hold 15 markers and an eraser. It is actually a beautiful looking tray with classiness vs a cheap tray that looks like a tray.
Overall, I was very hesitant to spend the money ($200+) on this board, but I have been very happy. I give it 10/10 stars if the rating was out of 10, but on here its 5/5. I wouldn't hesitate next time as it is truly a sturdy, professional looking board for my home office. I'd post a picture of my board, but as soon as I mounted it, I put personal details and appointments on there, sorry! But believe me, you will love the look once it’s mounted!
