HPL (High Pressure Laminate) panels are made of Kraft paper impregnated with phenolic resins, subjected to heat and pressure. A decorative layer with synthetic polymer allows the sheets to have numerous color and texture options, providing an extremely high strength and durability. This is why HPL is widely used in façades, but it is also increasingly being considered for interior wall cladding, for partitions and lockers, as well as for furniture. It is a material that can be used outdoors and indoors, and even on horizontal surfaces.
Versatility and strength are the greatest potentials of HPL panels. Available in a wide range of surfaces, from high gloss to matte, the material can be easily processed and cut as needed during construction. They can also be perforated and easily engraved to create a variety of custom designs. As for installation, they can use exposed or hidden fastening systems, including clips as an option. This makes HPL panels ideal for any type of architectural condition, from rainscreen façades or interior wall cladding to exterior façade details or laboratory work surfaces. The panels are sold in multiple sheet sizes and thicknesses to give you the greatest yield possible and still meet the unique design elements of your project.
Once installed, the product is highly resistant to abrasion, shocks, scratches, and impacts. As it is not porous, it is easy to clean and disinfect, preventing the growth of pathogens. That is why its use is widespread in places such as hospitals, clinics, and schools, which demand highly strong and robust materials, but which are easy to clean.
At 2b architects' Roof extension of Sylvana Hospital, for example, HPL panels were widely used as wall cladding, installed just below the handrails that encircle almost every wall to help older patients move around. The chosen texture, woodgrain, brings warmth and comfort to the environment.
In the Vocational School Embelgasse: An Open School of Administration project, in an educational program for young people, HPL panels were used on some walls in vibrant colors, highlighting the minimalist context, marked by white and gray monochromatic surfaces. For this project, Fundermax supplied the architects with their Max Compact Interior panels, which provide a complete palette of colors for indoor areas, while combining strength and ease of maintenance.
In a children's museum in Bulgaria, “the structure's glass volume is interrupted by three sculptural forms, or mountains, each one referencing its color scheme and textures of the country's indigenous handicraft traditions.” It is interesting to note that the same cladding is used in internal and external spaces, highlighting the possibilities of phenolic panels. In this case, the sheets used were printed with an exclusive pattern, which is made possible due to the Individualdecor product line.
Individualdecor is a digital printing option that allows unlimited graphic designs to be incorporated into internal and external applications. You can, for example, create a corporate identity that gives your building personality, or print a photograph on a façade, on a product that offers the same durability, strength and guarantees as any other HPL panel.
Thanks to the various possibilities of their use, the panels harmoniously combine with the general appearance of any environment - perfectly meeting your design requirements, combining strength and ease of installation and maintenance.
See more options in the Fundermax company catalog.
