As the trend for wet wall laminated panels continues to grow, Stephen Murray, Sales Director at Perform Panel, explains why demand for the product has never been higher.
While wet wall laminated panels are in no way a new product – we’ve been supplying them for over 35 years – but there has been a significant uplift in interest in recent years.
For a long time, tiles were seen as the only option for bathroom walls, with wet wall panels used more commonly in commercial applications. These days, however, laminated panels have come into the spotlight as a stylish and cost-effective alternative to tiles, offering a number of hygiene and maintenance benefits, as well as versatility and ease of installation.
At Perform Panel, we’ve seen substantial growth in the last five years. While Scotland remains a firm focus, we’ve expanded into England over the past few years, and last year, we’ve moved into Europe for the first time. We’re partnering with a distributor to supply Perform Panel to the Netherlands and Belgium, with further opportunities being explored.
There are several reasons for this increase in demand. With recent challenges with tiles – such as material and skills shortages – panels have really come into their own. Unlike tiles, wall panels are easy to install. Some plumbers will now only take on jobs where panels are specified, as it makes the job much more straight-forward and cost-effective, without reliance on the involvement of a skilled tiler.
Improvement in quality and range of the product have also supported growth. In the last 5-years alone, we’ve invested in our manufacturing plant as well as our product range, increasing from 16 decors to 74 decors, including a new range of 26 tile effect panels that we recently launched into the market. There really is something for everyone, with the result comparable to the finish of tiled walls, but with all the additional benefits.
The interest in panels is not just for bathrooms – we’re seeing panels being specified for a wide range of applications. Panels are being used in kitchens as splashbacks and living rooms as feature walls. They’re also ideal for gyms, hospitals, shops, schools, airports… the list is endless. Basically, anywhere that needs a wall covering solution, perform panel can be the solution.
Built-in benefits
Along with ease of installation, wet wall laminate panels offer a multitude of built-in benefits. They are five times quicker to install than tiles and can even be fitted straight on top of existing tiles, so no need for tricky removal. There is also no requirement for grouting – or grouting maintenance – which means no curing time and no messy clean-up. A full wall, using made to measure panels or standard sizes, can be fitted in just a few hours – and can be used straight away without needing to wait for drying time.
This speed of installation alone makes panels much more cost-effective, saving a huge amount of money on labour. However, the panels themselves are also much more economical to buy than tiles. There are also designs and finishes to match all tastes, with a range of textures, including stone, hi-gloss, and matt.
There are other laminated panel brands available on the market to suit a variety of requirements. One of Perform Panel’s additional benefits is a unique high-performance Nu-Lock tongue-and-groove click system. This gives an accurate, seamless, practically invisible finish, which is a major improvement on the traditional straight joint profile. We also offer a range of wall panel trims to seal and finish edges and joints, and our own brand adhesive and silicone sealant, which has been developed specifically to ensure optimum performance with our panels and trims.
All our boards are manufactured using either a 5-ply plywood or 7-ply Birch plywood core, which we find to be the preferred option for installers, as it is stronger with a higher density. The boards are bonded to HPL (High-Pressure Laminate) to the front face and a backing HPL to reverse.
To complement our plywood core and our Nu-lock “click” system, Perform Panel offers a market leading 35-year warranty.
While paper forms the basis of High-Pressure Laminates, the paper is impregnated with phenolic and melamine resins, dried and compressed to form a hard-wearing, stable coating. The laminate can be bonded to various substances and is resistant to most chemicals. The result is a hygienic, low maintenance product, with a luxurious finish.
Laminated panels are a revolutionary product, offering a perfect blend of aesthetics, durability, and convenience to meet a full range of budgets, needs, and tastes. With their easy installation, low maintenance, and exceptional resistance to moisture and stains, panels are a game-changer for domestic and commercial environments – not just in bathrooms. As we move into Europe, it’s exciting to see where the product will go next.
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