A logo, skyline or shape cut into the board’s ceramic steel surface is a permanent physical cut, not a coating, so it has no effect on the surface’s ability to hold magnets. The main consideration is space: a cut placed within the working area removes room for cards and notes at that spot, while a cut along an edge or corner leaves the rest of the board fully usable.

A SatinTones colour-matched finish uses the same ceramic steel as a standard white board, in one of 15 tones, and holds magnets identically well. It works especially well as a subtle, board-wide branding choice, since it doesn’t take up any of the working surface the way a cut-out design does.

Printed structural elements, such as fixed grid lines, column headers or a calendar layout, are a genuinely useful option built into the surface finish during manufacture, and remain a good fit for a purely internal planning wall used daily by one team, since the printed structure removes the need to draw or tape it manually. This is different from decorative logo branding, which is most often achieved through cutting or colour rather than printing.

Very dark background colours can make markers harder to read at a distance, so it’s worth requesting a sample or mock-up before committing to a full design. Cut and colour elements are fixed once manufactured, so anything expected to change regularly, such as a rotating project name, is better handled with a removable magnetic label than a permanent design.

The most successful branded boards tend to keep a cut-out design to the edges or corners, leaving the main working area clean and fully usable for cards and notes. A board with a large central cut-out can start to compete for space with whatever the team pins to it, which defeats the purpose of a board meant to be used quickly and clearly during daily planning.

A plain ceramic steel board can often be manufactured faster than one with a bespoke waterjet-cut design or colour finish, since a custom finish typically requires design proofing before the board itself is produced. It’s worth factoring this into project timelines if a branded finish is being considered, particularly on a fixed installation date.

To discuss a waterjet-cut or colour-matched finish for your space, explore our large magnetic board range.