Glass whiteboards require strong magnets that can penetrate through the thick glass outer surface in order to bond with the thin metal backing sheet at the rear of the glass. Most regular magnetic products are unable to do this successfully The thicker the glass, the stronger the magnet needs to be. Neodymium magnets are most suited to this type of application. Neodymium Cylinder or Rod shaped magnets are ideal for use on glass whiteboards.

The thickness of the glass is the main factor to consider when choosing a suitable magnet for glass whiteboards. Commonly used glass whiteboards have 5mm thick glass The thickness of the metal backing is also an important factor. Thicker steel allows a better bond with the magnet. Many cheaper glass boards have 0.5mm steel backing. Another consideration is whether you want the magnet to hold up paper sheets or merely attach to the board as a marker or indicator. For attachment only or to hold up one single A4 sheet, a 10mm x 5mm Neodymium cylinder magnet would suffice. Any heavier holding requirement would call for a substantially larger sized magnet. Magnets that have a stated pull force of over 1.2kg would be the minimum for any holding application involving a glass whiteboard. The vertical holding position means gravity impacts the hold and only 30% of the magnet's pull force can be realised.