Visual Display Surfaces
Visual Display Surfaces
Surface-Mounted Installation

Commercial Visual Display Surfaces

Complete commercial visual display solutions -- from porcelain enamel whiteboards and glass markerboards to fire-rated tackboards, enclosed bulletin boards, and trophy display cases. RPS Building Specialties supplies and installs visual display surfaces for tenant improvements across Southern California.

Browse Our Product Categories

Three visual display surface categories covering every commercial display need. Click any category to explore products and specifications.

Claridge
Ghent
Peter Pepper

ASTM E84 Fire Rating — Class A Tackboards

Class A Requirements

  • Flame Spread Index (FSI) ≤ 25
  • Smoke Developed Index (SDI) ≤ 450
  • Tested as complete assembly per ASTM E84
  • Fire-rated fabric + fiberglass substrate + rated adhesive

When Required

  • Healthcare facilities (hospitals, medical offices)
  • Educational facilities (schools, universities)
  • Assembly occupancies (churches, theaters)
  • High-rise buildings (75+ feet)

Why Visual Display Surfaces Matter for Tenant Improvements

Visual display surfaces -- whiteboards, tackboards, bulletin boards, and display cases -- are among the most frequently specified Division 10 products for commercial tenant improvements. Every office needs whiteboards for collaboration and planning. Every school needs tackboards for student work and announcements. Every healthcare facility needs fire-rated tackboards that meet code. Every corporate lobby, school hallway, and municipal building needs display cases to showcase achievements, communicate information, and present a professional image. These products are specified on nearly every tenant improvement project, and the quality of the installation directly affects how the finished space looks and functions.

Porcelain Enamel vs. Melamine: A 50-Year Difference

The most critical specification decision for commercial whiteboards is the writing surface material. Porcelain enamel whiteboards are created by fusing glass-like enamel to a steel substrate at over 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit. The result is a non-porous, glass-smooth surface that never absorbs marker ink. Porcelain enamel boards do not ghost, do not stain, and do not yellow. With proper care, a porcelain enamel whiteboard lasts 50 or more years -- the same lifespan as the building itself.

Melamine and painted steel whiteboards, by contrast, have a porous surface that begins absorbing dry-erase marker ink from day one. Within one to two years of regular use, the surface develops permanent ghosting -- faint outlines of previous writing that cannot be erased. The board yellows, stains, and eventually becomes unusable. Facilities then face the cost of removal, patching, and reinstallation of a replacement board. For any commercial environment where whiteboards see regular daily use, porcelain enamel is the only specification that makes economic sense. The initial cost premium over melamine is recovered many times over by eliminating the cycle of replacement.

Glass Whiteboards: The Modern Design Choice

Tempered glass whiteboards have become the preferred visual display surface for modern office environments, particularly in tech companies, creative agencies, and executive conference rooms. Glass whiteboards offer a sleek, frameless aesthetic that porcelain enamel and painted steel boards cannot match. The glass surface is completely non-porous -- it will never ghost, stain, or discolor. Glass whiteboards are available in clear (showing the wall color behind), white, and custom colors, and they can be manufactured in magnetic and non-magnetic configurations. The primary consideration for glass whiteboard installation is weight -- a 4-by-8-foot glass whiteboard can weigh over 100 pounds, requiring structural blocking behind the drywall for secure mounting.

RPS Building Specialties: Your Single-Source Division 10 Contractor

RPS Building Specialties supplies and installs visual display surfaces as part of our comprehensive Division 10 product line. For general contractors and property managers managing tenant improvement projects, the single-source advantage is significant. Instead of coordinating separate vendors for whiteboards, tackboards, and display cases, RPS handles all visual display surface products under one purchase order, one installation schedule, and one warranty.

The single-source advantage extends beyond visual display surfaces. Need toilet partitions for the restrooms in the same tenant suite? Require commercial lockers for the employee break room? Looking to add wall protection in high-traffic corridors? RPS handles all of these Division 10 products, reducing the number of subcontractors on your project and simplifying coordination for general contractors managing multiple scopes of work.

The Single-Source Advantage

Working with a single Division 10 contractor for visual display surfaces and related building products means one point of contact, one coordinated installation schedule, and one warranty source. This is particularly valuable for general contractors and tenant improvement specialists overseeing multiple projects, where consistency in product quality, installation standards, and warranty terms matters. RPS serves commercial projects throughout Orange County, Los Angeles County, San Diego County, Riverside County, and San Bernardino County. Contact us today for a free quote on whiteboards, tackboards, display cases, and any other Division 10 products your project requires.

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common questions about whiteboards, tackboards, display cases, fire-rated surfaces, and commercial visual display installations.

RPS installs the full range of commercial visual display surfaces including porcelain enamel whiteboards, glass whiteboards, painted steel whiteboards, natural cork tackboards, fabric-wrapped tackboards (including Class A fire-rated), rubber tackboards, enclosed bulletin boards (indoor and outdoor), wall-mounted display cases, freestanding display cases, shadow box cases, and poster/menu display cases. We handle surface-mounted installations -- Z-clip, French cleat, and direct fastener mounting on existing walls -- for tenant improvements, retrofits, and existing building projects throughout Southern California.

Porcelain enamel whiteboards have a glass-smooth, non-porous surface created by fusing enamel to steel at over 1500 degrees Fahrenheit. They never ghost, stain, or yellow, and last 50 or more years with proper care. They are the specification standard for commercial installations. Melamine (painted steel) whiteboards have a lower initial cost but the porous surface absorbs marker ink over time, causing permanent ghosting and staining within one to two years of regular use. For any commercial environment with regular whiteboard use, RPS strongly recommends porcelain enamel -- the lifetime cost is dramatically lower because you install once instead of replacing repeatedly.

Yes. Fabric-wrapped tackboards can be specified with Class A fire rating per ASTM E84 (Steiner Tunnel Test), achieving a Flame Spread Index of 25 or less and Smoke Developed Index of 450 or less. Fire-rated assemblies use Guilford of Maine or equivalent Class A rated fabrics over fiberglass substrate with fire-rated adhesive. Class A fire-rated tackboards are required for healthcare facilities, educational facilities, assembly occupancies, high-rise buildings, and any project where the architect specifies Class A interior finish. RPS ensures fire-rated products are installed per specification.

Yes -- tenant improvement whiteboard and tackboard installations are our bread-and-butter Division 10 work. RPS specializes in surface-mounted installation on existing walls using Z-clip, French cleat, toggle bolt, and expansion anchor mounting methods. We assess the wall substrate (drywall over steel studs, concrete, masonry, wood framing), select the appropriate fasteners, and install boards level and plumb with laser-level precision. For heavy glass whiteboards requiring structural blocking behind the drywall, we coordinate blocking placement with the framing contractor during rough-in.

RPS installs the physical board or surface for interactive and smart whiteboard systems. The mounting, leveling, and wall attachment is our scope. However, the AV integration -- projector installation, networking, software configuration, and electrical connections -- is handled by AV contractors, IT contractors, and licensed electricians respectively. RPS coordinates with these trades to ensure the physical surface is properly mounted and aligned before the AV team connects the technology components.

Ready to Upgrade Your Visual Display Surfaces?

Get a free quote on whiteboards, tackboards, and display cases. We respond within one business day.

Request a Free Quote