What Will Stick to a Felt Board? A Complete Guide for South African Users

Felt boards work with pins, not tape or glue. You can attach paper, photos, notices, and lightweight materials using push pins, drawing pins, or thumbtacks. The felt surface grips the pins securely while protecting your wall underneath. This makes felt notice boards ideal for classrooms, offices, and homes across South Africa where you need to display information without damaging walls.

How to Make Things Stick to a Felt Board

Push pins are the primary method for attaching items to felt boards. Insert the pin through your paper or card, then push it firmly into the felt backing until the head sits flat. The felt fibres grip the pin shaft while the backing board holds it in place. Most felt boards sold in South Africa have a cork or foam backing that accepts pins easily.

For best results, use pins with large coloured heads. These are easier to remove and less likely to get lost in the felt texture. Position pins at the corners of documents first, then add one in the middle of longer edges to prevent sagging.

Staples work on felt boards if you use a heavy duty stapler. Press the stapler flat against the board and squeeze firmly. The staples penetrate the felt and anchor into the backing material. This method works well for permanent or semi permanent displays.

Drawing pins with flat heads distribute pressure across a wider area. This prevents tearing when you pin heavier card stock or laminated sheets. Teachers in South African schools often prefer these for classroom displays that change monthly.

How to Stick Things to Felt

The texture of felt creates friction that helps some items grip without additional fasteners. Velcro hook and loop strips attach firmly to felt because the hooks catch in the felt fibres. Cut small squares of the hook side only and stick them to the back of items you want to display. Press these firmly onto the felt board and they will hold lightweight objects securely.

Felt sticks to felt through friction alone. Cut shapes from craft felt and press them onto your notice board. This works perfectly for creating borders, labels, or decorative elements. The rough texture of both surfaces creates enough grip for items under 50 grams.

Magnetic backing does not work on standard felt boards. Felt notice boards have cork, foam, or wood backings that are not magnetic. If you need magnetic functionality, you need a different type of board entirely.

Blu Tack and mounting putty fail on felt surfaces. The adhesive cannot form a strong bond with the fibrous texture. The putty either pulls away immediately or leaves residue in the felt fibres that attracts dust.

What Sticks Onto Felt

Push pins and thumbtacks stick best. These are the standard fasteners designed specifically for notice boards. They come in various colours and head shapes to suit different display needs.

Paper and lightweight card stock stick easily with one or two pins per sheet. For A4 documents, use pins in the top two corners. For larger poster size sheets, add additional pins along the top edge and sides.

Photos and printed images need pins at each corner. The weight of photo paper requires more support than standard printer paper. Use clear or silver pins to avoid distracting from the image.

Laminated sheets stick well but need more pins. The slick surface of lamination makes documents heavier and more prone to sliding. Place pins every 15 to 20 centimetres along all edges.

Fabric and ribbon stick through friction. The felt surface grips other textiles naturally. You can drape ribbon across a felt board without pins for temporary decoration. For permanent displays, secure fabric with pins at key points.

String and twine can be pinned to create washing line style displays. This works well in classrooms where teachers want to hang multiple items in a row. Pin the string at both ends and use small pegs to attach papers.

Cardboard and foam board require stronger pins or multiple fasteners. These heavier materials need support at closer intervals. Use pins every 10 centimetres around the perimeter for boards up to A3 size.

Can I Use Velcro on a Felt Board

Yes, Velcro works excellently on felt boards. Use only the hook side of Velcro tape or dots. The tiny hooks catch in the felt fibres and create a secure hold. This method is cleaner than pins and allows quick removal and repositioning.

Cut small squares of hook Velcro and stick them to the back corners of items you display regularly. Press these onto your felt board and they grip immediately. You can reposition items dozens of times without damaging the felt or your materials.

Self adhesive Velcro dots are available at most hardware stores and craft shops in South Africa. Buy the hook side only. You do not need the loop side because the felt board acts as the loop surface.

This method suits office environments where documents change frequently. Monthly reports, team schedules, and safety notices can be swapped quickly without hunting for pins or creating pin holes.

Teachers use Velcro backed items for interactive learning activities. Letters, numbers, and shapes with Velcro backing allow children to manipulate displays during lessons. The felt board becomes a hands on learning tool.

The hook side Velcro can remain on your display items permanently. When you remove an item from the felt board, the Velcro stays attached and ready for the next use. This saves time and keeps your workspace organised.

How to Stick Things to Felt Without Glue

Pins remain the most reliable no glue method. They create no permanent marks on your display materials and leave only tiny holes that are barely visible.

Hook Velcro provides a completely damage free alternative. Your papers and displays remain unmarked. The felt board itself shows no wear from repeated Velcro use.

Bulldog clips attached to string work for hanging multiple sheets. Pin the string to your felt board at both ends. Clip your documents to the string. This creates a flexible display system for rotating information.

Magnetic clips do not work directly on felt but you can pin them to the board. Push a pin through the clip's mounting hole, then pin it to the felt. The clip then holds your papers without additional pins through the documents themselves.

Fabric pockets pinned to the board create storage for loose items. Pin a piece of fabric along three edges to form a pouch. Use this for storing marker pens, small notices, or reminder cards.

Cable ties looped through card corners can hook over pins. This works for items you want to hang rather than pin flat. Create a loop in the cable tie, thread it through a punched hole in your material, and hook it over a pin head.

Do Command Strips Work on Felt Boards

No, Command Strips do not work on felt boards. The adhesive requires a smooth, clean, non porous surface to bond properly. Felt is textured, fibrous, and porous. The adhesive cannot penetrate the felt fibres to create a strong bond.

When you try to use Command Strips on felt, they either fail to stick initially or peel away within hours. The weight of anything you try to hang pulls the strip away from the felt surface.

Command Strips are designed for painted walls, tiles, glass, and metal. These smooth surfaces allow the adhesive to spread and cure properly. Felt prevents this bonding process.

If you need to hang something heavier than pins can support, attach a piece of thin plywood or hardboard to your felt board using pins around the perimeter. Then apply Command Strips to this smooth surface. This creates a stable mounting point for heavier items like small shelves or organisers.

For most felt board applications in South African schools and offices, pins provide adequate support. Standard felt boards support up to 2 kilograms of pinned materials when distributed across the surface.

Different Uses for South African Spaces

Felt boards serve different purposes depending on where you use them. The same basic pinning methods work across all settings but the content and frequency of updates vary.

In the Classroom

Teachers use felt boards for interactive lessons. Create a weather chart with sun and cloud shapes cut from craft felt. Back each shape with hook Velcro. Students move the pieces daily to match the weather outside. This hands on activity helps young children learn while developing fine motor skills.

Low mounted felt boards allow children to reach displays themselves. Position boards at child height for maximum engagement. Students can pin their own artwork or move educational materials during group activities.

Subject specific boards help organise classroom information. Use one board for the weekly timetable and another for student work displays. Colour coded pins separate different subjects or class groups.

In the Office

Office managers use felt boards for compliance notices. The BCEA summary must be displayed where all staff can see it. Pin the document at all four corners so it stays flat and readable. When updated versions are released, you simply remove the old pins and replace the sheet.

Pins work faster than Prestik and leave no marks. You avoid the greasy residue that adhesives leave on walls and documents. The felt board protects the wall surface while keeping notices secure.

Staff rosters and safety information stay current when pinned to felt boards. You can update shift schedules weekly without reprinting entire sheets. Pin new information over old sections or remove outdated notices completely.

At Home

Parents use felt boards for family organisation. Pin party invitations where everyone sees them. School newsletters and permission slips stay visible until you need them. Medical appointment cards and sports fixtures remain accessible without cluttering the fridge door.

A framed felt board in the hallway creates a central information point. Family members check it daily for updates. Important papers stop getting lost under piles of mail or homework.

Meal plans and shopping lists can be pinned at eye level. You cross items off throughout the week then remove the list when shopping is complete. The system keeps household management simple and visible.

Choosing the Right Felt Board for Your Needs

BestBoard felt notice boards come in various sizes to suit different spaces. Smaller 600 by 900 millimetre boards work well for home offices and small classrooms. Larger 1200 by 1800 millimetre boards serve as central display points in staff rooms and reception areas.

The backing material matters for pin retention. Cork backed felt boards accept and hold pins most securely. Foam backing works well for lighter displays. Hardboard backing suits environments where the board receives heavy use.

BestBoard offers silver aluminium framed boards and frameless options. The aluminium frames suit modern offices and professional spaces. Frameless boards create a clean minimalist look for contemporary homes and classrooms. BestBoard also stocks self adhesive pinboards that mount directly to walls without drilling.

Consider mounting method when selecting your board. Wall mounted boards save floor space in classrooms. Freestanding boards on wheels work better in shared spaces where you need flexibility.

Practical Tips for Long Term Use

Replace pins that become bent or loose. Damaged pins create larger holes in the felt and hold less securely. Keep a supply of fresh pins in your desk drawer.

Rotate display positions occasionally. Using the same pin holes repeatedly can weaken the felt fibres. Moving items by a few centimetres extends the board's life.

Clean felt boards by vacuuming gently with a brush attachment. This removes dust without pressing it into the fibres. Do this monthly in high use areas.

Avoid overloading one section of the board. Distribute weight across the entire surface. Clustering too many heavy items in one area can cause sagging.

Store extra pins in a small container attached to the board frame. This keeps pins accessible and prevents losing them. A small magnetic tin works well if your frame is metal.

Making the Most of Your Felt Board

Felt boards serve multiple purposes beyond simple notice display. Create project planning boards with colour coded pins and strings connecting related items. Use different felt colours for different teams or topics.

Divide your board into zones using pinned ribbon or string. Create sections for urgent notices, general information, and social updates. This organisation helps viewers find information quickly.

Change displays regularly to maintain interest. Stale information gets ignored. Update boards weekly in busy offices or monthly in less active spaces.

Your felt board is a communication tool that works without electricity or internet. It remains visible and accessible to everyone who passes it. Use pins and hook Velcro to keep your information current, organised, and easy to update.