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If you have been involved in sourcing toilet cubicles or running a toilet refurbishment then you will have likely heard from cubicle manufacturers in the UK referring to SGL, HPL and MFC cubicles.

These 3 abbreviations refer to the 3 main panel materials that toilet cubicles are manufactured from and can often turn a simple analysis of quotes into a nightmare of specification checking to ensure all products are being quoted like for like.

In this article we give a brief description of the properties of each of these panel materials and where they should be considered for use:

SGL (Solid Grade Laminate sometimes referred to as compact grade or Trespa); This washroom panel is constructed from layers of kraft paper and resin which are bonded under high pressure to form a solid panel that is impervious to water and highly impact resistant.  Recommended areas for use include, university washrooms, college washrooms, high school toilets, junior school toilets and public washroom areas such as swimming pool changing rooms, shopping centre toilets and service station toilets.

HPL (High Pressure Laminate); This is a thin 0.8mm layer of laminate that is bonded to a core material such as MDF or chipboard and edged with PVC or laminate.  It can give a high class panel finish but be aware that any exposure to high humidity will cause swelling and panel failure.  Recommended areas for use include dry area, low usage washrooms such as office toilets, retail changing rooms and corporate washroom refurbishments.

MFC (Melamine Faced Chipboard); This is a low quality panel product consisting of a chipboard core with a decorative paper overlay.  Whilst it can be considered for temporary use or fast track toilet cubicles it is not suitable for as a long term solution for washroom areas.

The main manufacturers in the laminate industry include Abet, Arpa, Formica, Polyrey, Pfleiderer, Sonae and Trespa.  Further information on the properties of SGL, HPL and MFC is available on their websites.