Stationery & office
Clipboards and document folders: which one for school, work or site
Anywhere people write standing up, something has to hold the paper. A clipboard is the obvious answer, and they are cheap enough that most people grab the first one they see. A few minutes of thought gets you one that lasts and does not lose your paperwork.
Hardboard or plastic?
Hardboard is the traditional compressed-fibre board. It is rigid, it has a slight texture that stops paper sliding, and it is the cheapest way to get a genuinely stiff writing surface. It is the right choice for a classroom, a clipboard that lives on a desk, or a stack of them for a group.
Its weakness is water. Hardboard swells and delaminates if it gets properly wet, so it is not the one for outdoors.
Plastic costs a little more and survives everything hardboard does not. It wipes clean, it shrugs off rain, and it does not soften when the edges get knocked. For stocktaking in a cold store, site work, gardening, or anything outdoors, plastic is the one.
Clear plastic has a small extra advantage: you can slide a reference sheet underneath and still read it.
The clip is the part that fails
Clipboards rarely wear out. Clips do.
A metal clip keeps its spring far longer than a moulded plastic one, which gradually loses its grip until paper slides out when you tilt the board. If the board will be used daily, the metal clip is worth the small difference.
Check the clip opens wide enough for a decent stack. A clip that manages five sheets is no use for a fifty-page inspection form.
Low profile clips sit flatter, which matters if the boards are stored stacked or slid into a bag. A tall clip on a stack of ten boards adds a surprising amount of height.
Foldover clipboards
A foldover has a cover that closes over the paper. That does three useful things: it keeps the top sheet clean, it hides the contents, and it stops corners curling in a bag.
Buy one if the board travels, or if what is written on it should not be readable by whoever is standing opposite. Skip it if the board lives on a desk, where the cover is just another thing to flip back.
When you want a folder instead
A clipboard holds paper while you write on it. It does not protect paper you are carrying, and it does not keep a set of documents together. That is a different tool.
Swing clip report covers hold a document set neatly with a front cover, which suits anything being handed in or handed over: a report, coursework, a quote. The clip slides across rather than punching holes, so the pages stay intact.
Poly document wallets with a stud or button closure carry loose paper without it creasing. They are the right thing for a bag.
Waterproof zip wallets take it further, which matters for anything that travels in the rain, goes on site, or holds paperwork you cannot reprint.
A note on A4
Almost everything in UK schools and offices is A4, so buy A4 unless you have a specific reason not to. Boards sold as letter size are slightly shorter and wider, and A4 paper sits awkwardly on them with the top sheet overhanging.
Some student clipboards add a printed ruler scale along one edge, which is genuinely handy for anyone doing technical drawing or measuring in class.
Buying in packs
Clipboards are one of the few stationery items where a multipack almost always makes sense. They get borrowed and not returned, and any classroom, warehouse or volunteer group needs several at once. A three or four pack costs little more than two bought singly.
What to buy
- A4 hardboard clipboard with metal clip - the classic school and office board.
- Clear heavy-duty plastic clipboard - wipe clean, survives outdoors.
- Swing clip report cover - for a document set being handed in.
- A4 button closure document wallet - carries loose paper without creasing.
- Waterproof zip document wallet - for paperwork that travels in the rain.
The full range is in files and document wallets, with more in stationery.
Frequently asked questions
Is a hardboard or plastic clipboard better?
Hardboard is cheaper and perfectly rigid for indoor use. Plastic costs slightly more but wipes clean and survives rain, so it is the better buy for outdoor work, site visits or anywhere damp.
What size clipboard do I need?
A4 for almost everything in the UK, since that is the standard paper size for school and office work. Only choose letter size if your paperwork is genuinely letter size.
What is a foldover clipboard for?
The cover closes over the paper, keeping the top sheet clean and the contents private. It is worth having if the board goes in a bag or is used where other people can read it.