Double Clipboard Buyer's Guide: Two Boards, Two Jobs in One Tool

What a double clipboard is

A double clipboard is a writing board that carries two clips, or two hinged boards, so two sets of paper can be held and worked on at the same time. The common version is one board with a clip at the top and a second clip at the bottom or on the reverse, so a count sheet and a source document sit together without one covering the other. The heavier version is two boards joined along one edge, opening like a book, which lets a user write on one face while the reference sheet stays fixed on the other.

Buyers ask for a double clipboard when the job needs two documents in view at once: a stock list and a picking sheet, a checklist and a delivery note, a prescription and a patient record. This guide covers how the build works, what each clip is for, and how to specify one.

How a double clipboard is built

The single-board version starts with the same rigid sheet as a standard clipboard, cut a little longer so there is room for a second fitting. The main clip is riveted at the top as usual, and the second clip is fitted at the bottom edge or on the back, positioned so that the two sheets do not overlap. Because the second clip sits on the same board, the whole unit still hangs and stores like a normal clipboard.

The hinged version uses two boards of the same size joined along one long edge. The joint is usually a covered hinge or a flexible strip welded or riveted between the boards, and the two faces are held at a slight angle so the unit stands when it is opened on a bench. The hinge is the part that takes the load, so it is the detail worth checking on a sample.

What the two boards are for

The point of the layout is that both documents stay in place without a hand holding them. In a stock take that matters because the counting hand is free; in a service call it matters because the parts list and the job card have to be read together.

Teeth clip or flat clip on a double board

A teeth clip grips with a row of small teeth and is the usual fitting for a counting board, because a sheet held by teeth does not shift while a hand writes on it and the teeth let a page be peeled off without unclamping. A flat clip spreads its pressure across a smooth face and is gentler on thin paper, which suits a form or a printed record that will be filed afterwards.

On a double board the two fittings do not have to match. It is common to specify a flat clip for the reference document and a teeth clip for the working sheet, or the other way round depending on which sheet is handled more. Buyers who are not sure usually take teeth clips on both, because a teeth clip also holds a folded sheet or a small card, which a flat clip will not.

Where double clipboards are used

Stock taking and cycle counting are the largest users: a warehouse team walks an aisle with the count sheet on one side and the system printout on the other. Retail back-of-house uses them for delivery checks against an order. Healthcare uses the hinged version where a chart and a medication list have to be read together. Maintenance and field service use a clip-plus-pocket board so the job card and the small parts travel together. Schools use a double board for two-part tests or for a timetable and a register.

In every case the buyer is trying to remove a second object. One board with two holding points replaces two boards, or a board plus a folder, which is easier to carry and harder to lose.

Board, size and print options

Double clipboards are built on the same boards as the standard range. Rigid PVC is the usual pick because it is light to carry and wipes clean, which suits a warehouse or a food site. MDF suits a dry office or a retail counter where the board is seen. Aluminium is chosen for a rough industrial site where the board is knocked and the weight is not a problem.

Sizes follow the paper. A4 and Letter are standard, and a Foolscap board is available where a long list is used. Print follows the same routes as a standard clipboard: screen printing for a single brand colour at volume, UV digital printing for a short run or a photographic design. Because the board is wide and read at arm's length, a large site name or a department colour works better than fine detail.

How ZOKABS produces double clipboards

ZOKABS makes clipboards and writing boards on the same lines as its folder range, and the second clip or the hinge is fitted during assembly rather than added afterwards, so the rivet pattern and the clip position come from the drawing. A double board can be specified in rigid PVC, MDF with a sealed edge, or aluminium, with the clip types, the hook and the punched hole all matched to the job.

Because the board is cut and the fittings are set in-house, a customer can choose how far apart the two clips sit and which clip goes where. That is the detail that decides whether a double clipboard works on a real counting job, and it is the first thing we settle with a new account.

Questions buyers ask

Is a double clipboard heavier than a standard one?

Slightly. The board is a little longer and there is a second fitting and its rivets, but the extra weight is small compared with carrying a second board. The hinged two-board version is heavier, because it is two full boards.

Can the two clips be different types?

Yes. It is common to pair one flat clip with one teeth clip, so a document that will be filed is held gently and a working sheet is held firmly. The pair can be specified either way round.

Does a double clipboard still fit a standard carton?

A double board is longer than a single one, so the carton size has to be checked before the order is fixed. We give the packed dimensions for the specified size so the carton count can be confirmed first.

Can a double clipboard carry a logo as well as two clips?

Yes. The print area is the same as on a standard board, and the second clip takes only a small part of the face. A large logo still reads clearly around the fittings.