Recent years has seen a growing demand by designers, manufacturers and buying public for the clean lines of a modern contemporary look. Once only seen in chic 'boutique' hotels, bars and restaurants, designer shops and 'loft living' inner city developments it is now so popular that the look has worked it's way into our homes in just about every room possible, as both furniture or interior features.

Key to this geometric look is the chunky 'slab' like section used for a host of applications from shelving to table tops, bench seating to wall panelling, internal doors to wardrobe doors. But with the look comes a huge draw back, the weight.

To achieve the thickness designers require, panels are generally made up of layers of mdf glued together or by the construction of a complicated (and time consuming) internal framework. Even if the lightest weight mdf is used, these can be extremely heavy and difficult to handle during both manufacturing and onsite installation. These difficulties also exit for retailers with the delivery of domestic furniture and home assembly items.

Problem Solved

Spa has developed Aeropanel™, a composite panel that has all the benefits and look of a conventional mdf panel but with the lightness only achievable with foam.

Manufactured as a composite sandwich construction the outside layers utilise 4 or 6mm standard, moisture resistant, exterior grade or fire retardant mdf (dependant on the application) and a dense foam centre.

Panels or sheets can be supplied finished in a laminate or veneer, with cut size panels finished with solid edges, matching veneered or plain mdf edges allowing for further machining.

Large sheets are easily cut down to smaller component parts without the need for any specialist equipment, drilled to take fittings or cut to create apertures. Panels can also be inset with mdf or timber sections to allow panels to be routed or machined if assembly requires, allowing for use in furniture construction or shop fitting applications.

With the foam core centre Aeropanel™ offers superior thermal qualities and with low moisture absorption a significant benefit when used as internal wall panelling on exterior facing walls.

Typical Aeropanel applications:

• Shelving
• Furniture
• Internal Doors
• Board Room Tables
• Moveable Walls
• Screening & Partitioning
• Floating Ceilings
• In-Store Retail Displays
• Exhibitions
• Desks
• Wall Panelling

Sheet Sizes:

10'x4' or 8'x4' or any cut size panel within these sheet sizes, square cut or shaped.

Thicknesses:

Available from stock in bonded sheet thicknesses of 30mm to 165mm or cut to size/machined panels of 30mm to 90mm. Thickness outside this spectrum are available to special order.

Benefits:

• Massive weight savings over other panel options available on the market.
• Labour required for onsite installation significantly reduced.
• Exceptional thermal performance.
• The foam core contains a fire retardant to inhibit localised ignition and does not add to the combustibility of the surface material allowing use with 'fire resistant' mdf. When installed behind or encapsulated in a fire resistant material it will not present an undue fire hazard but must not be exposed to ignition sources or naked flames.
• The foam core is resistant to moisture absorption and can be installed in high humidity or wet conditions subject to the specified face material.
• Highly resistant to compression and can withstand both occasional and long term static loads.
• The foam core is free of CFCs and HCFC and represents no known threat to the environment.
• Can be supplied in any wood veneer or laminate available in the market today.
• Can be supplied faced with FSC certified veneers and mdf.
• Easily cut, routed, machined or shaped.
• Strong and structurally stable.
• The foam core is 100% recyclable.
• 100% Ozone friendly.

Aeropanel is the solution

Designer Gemma Marnier designed a highly innovative table designed for city studio living, the table converts from coffee table to a dining table to perform two roles. The 'chunky' sections of the base were formed from bonded layers of standard mdf to provide the weight required to make the table stable in both forms.

The top was manufactured from Aeropanel to allow one person to successfully lift it into position easily and without causing any injury. Aeropanel was key to the concept as the design would have not made it to production as the table top would have been simply too heavy.

For further information contact the sales team on 0113 271 8311.