Frequently asked questions

MDF and chipboard are similar in nature. However, they each have their own characteristics, which means they complement each other nicely. MDF consists of very fine wood fibres. This results in a homogeneous board that is easy to work with right down to its core. Whether milling or profiling, everything runs smoothly. The smooth surface is an ideal base for melamine, HPL or wood veneer, but can also be perfectly finished with paint or lacquer. This makes MDF a popular choice for interior finishes where detail counts: fronts, mouldings, moulded parts and other elements that require finesse. Chipboard, on the other hand, is made from recycled wood chips. This results in a lighter, stable board with a slightly rougher surface. And all this at an attractive price. Chipboard can also be finished to a high standard with melamine, HPL or veneer. It serves as a reliable substrate in interiors, but also plays an important role in construction applications, such as concrete formwork or roof structures.

Chipboard and plywood often appear in the same applications. Both are used in interior design and construction. However, there is a difference in approach. Plywood is in a higher price range and looks sturdy, but is less easy to finish neatly than chipboard. Chipboard, on the other hand, scores highly in terms of durability and finish. This is certainly true at Unilin: our boards are made from up to 100% recycled wood. This provides a stable, reliable substrate with a wide range of products and a neat, consistent look with melamine, HPL or veneer.

OSB and chipboard look similar, but they behave completely differently. OSB is mainly used for construction. The coarse wood fraction makes it difficult to saw and process cleanly, with a greater risk of splinters. A smooth finish is much more difficult to achieve. The tongue and groove is less precise, which makes installation slower and less accurate. OSB is also usually more expensive. Chipboard offers more possibilities. It forms a stable basis for interiors and construction and has a much smoother surface. This makes it easy to finish. At Unilin, we use almost 100% recycled wood, which means that chipboard also scores higher on sustainability. The wide range allows you to choose the right board for every application. Our chipboard has a fine, even structure. This ensures that the surface fits nicely, the board remains airtight with Topfinish and is sturdy in both directions. The result: smoother work on site and a neater end result.

You will find the complete chipboard range in the Unilin Panels stock programme. The downloadable stock list provides a clear overview of all available boards, variants and thicknesses. The stock range shows what is immediately available. Our total offering goes even further. Think of specialised solutions such as Air boards, boards ideal for door cores, and our boards for system floors. In addition, we like to think along with each customer and offer a wide range of customised solutions for projects that require something slightly different.

Our chipboards are produced at two Belgian production sites in West Flanders. We work with 100% recycled wood: residual wood and wood waste that would otherwise be incinerated or landfilled. We give this material a new lease of life as high-quality board material. That quality does not come about by itself. We invest heavily in smart sorting and processing methods. This enables us to extract a raw material from waste streams that is pure enough to be used to make stable, reliable and high-performance boards. Our range is Cradle to Cradle® Full Scope v4.0 certified and is available with PEFC or FSC certification on request.

Plasterboard and Clicwall both solve the same problem: quickly installing a straight wall. The difference lies in the finish, robustness and overall impact on timing and budget. In short: plasterboard offers maximum design freedom, while Clicwall offers speed, robustness and finish in one go. Clicwall is a pre-finished wall panel made from 100% reclaimed wood that allows you to install a finished wall up to four times faster than with traditional plasterboard. How is this possible? The panels are finished in the design of your choice, eliminating the need for wet phases such as filling, sanding or painting. This means fewer working hours, less dust and an instant, sleek result. What's more, Clicwall panels are up to four times more impact and scratch resistant than plasterboard walls, making them ideal for high-traffic areas such as offices, hotel rooms and retail concepts. Plasterboard, on the other hand, consists of a gypsum core covered with cardboard. These boards are more fragile, but are useful for more complex shapes or when you want to tile your walls. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Clicwall panels are available in 10 mm (standard and MR) and 12 mm thickness (FR). The net panel width is 600 mm (gross 618 mm). There are two standard heights: 2785 mm and 3500 mm.

Standard Clicwall panels have a fire reaction class of D-s2,d0 (according to EN 13501-1). This means average smoke development and no burning droplets. For applications with higher fire safety requirements, there is Clicwall FR: the fire-retardant variant with a fire reaction class of B-s1,d0: limited contribution to fire, no to low smoke production and no dripping.

For use in bathrooms or other damp areas, we recommend using a moisture-resistant Clicwall panel (MR). Use Quick-Step Seal&Click in the tongue and groove to make the connection (tongue and groove) waterproof. Carefully finish all sides with silicone to prevent water from penetrating the MDF. Never use Clicwall in showers or areas with direct water contact. As the seal is beyond our control, the warranty is void when used in bathrooms.

The standard version of Clicwall is sufficient for residential kitchens. In areas exposed to splashes, such as behind the cooker or sink, you should install transparent protection, for example in plexiglass. We do not recommend Clicwall for industrial kitchens due to the intensive conditions.

The minimum order quantity depends on the type of panel and the chosen design. Of the more than 170 designs, 14 popular colours are in stock and ready to ship within 5 working days. View the stock collection and request your free sample to experience the design and click for yourself. Tip: Contact your Unilin representative or distributor on the “find a distributor” page for the exact minimum order quantity per design or variant. This way, you will immediately know what is possible within your project planning.

The total cost of a partition wall depends on several factors: the chosen Clicwall panel (standard, moisture-resistant or fire-retardant), the substructure (wooden framework or metal studs), type of insulation and finishing elements (corner profiles, skirting boards or door and window frames). Clicwall offers quick and clean installation without drying time, which often results in fewer working hours and therefore a more cost-effective overall picture than traditional plaster solutions. Want to know more about the cost? Contact your Unilin representative or ask your question via the online contact form. We are happy to help.

That depends on the design. Most Clicwall panels have a finished decorative melamine top layer and are not intended to be painted over. Would you like to finish a wall in your own colour? Then it is best to choose our Clicwall Paint. Clicwall Paint has been specially developed to be painted over. The panel is pre-sanded, has a paint-ready primer layer and adheres perfectly to standard matt water-based wall paint.

Instead of separate plasterboards that you have to joint, fill and paint, Clicwall panels click together seamlessly thanks to the unique Uniclic® profile: a patented click system that you may be familiar with from Quick-Step floors. This means that no joint finishing is required, eliminating the risk of cracks or hairline cracks. Even when the structure expands or contracts, the panels remain securely in place because we recommend an expansion or settlement joint of 1 mm per running metre of wall.

Unilin offers various corner profiles for both internal and external corners to give your Clicwall wall a sleek and professional finish. Find all the information you need on the accessories page. Always take the necessary expansion joints into account. Detailed step-by-step instructions for finishing corners, windows and floor connections can be found in the installation guide.

Acoustic insulation indicates how well the wall system limits sound between rooms. This value is expressed in dB and is calculated using Insul, a recognised simulation tool for wall, floor and ceiling constructions. Various wall constructions with Clicwall and their corresponding acoustic insulation values can be found in the Clicwall System Selector. Acoustic absorption describes how much sound a Clicwall wall absorbs within the room itself. This reduces echo and reverberation. Absorption depends on the insulation, air cavity and finishing layers. Standard Clicwall panels have an absorption value of α = 0.1 to 0.2.

Yes, you can. Place two panels end to end using one of the following techniques: butt joint with L-profile, finish with aluminium T-profile or an overlap joint. You will find detailed instructions for all steps in the Clicwall installation guide.

Yes. With a hole saw, you can easily make cut-outs for sockets, switches, pipes and tubes.

Yes, the Clicwall panels themselves have a load capacity of 50 kg per screw using suitable cavity wall plugs such as Fischer PD or HM. For higher loads, you can reinforce locally up to 70 kg per screw with an extra panel. Durelis is the stronger, more durable, cheaper and splinter-free alternative to classic OSB/3 boards. Sanipan is a pre-drilled reinforcement panel for wall-hung toilets. And Qualirack offers local reinforcement for extra load-bearing capacity.

You can make one panel removable by removing the lip from the groove and attaching the panel with magnets. This keeps everything accessible, without visible hatches. The complete procedure can be found in the installation guide.

Yes, as long as there is at least 3-5 cm of space between the panels and the radiator.

A scratch? A dent? It happens in the best interiors. You can touch up small scratches with a colour pen. Larger damage can be repaired with the Clicwall Repair kit. Need more technical information? Download the complete installation guide. Is the damage too extensive to repair? Read below to find out how you can easily replace a panel.

Removing a damaged panel is only possible if the panels were attached using staples or screws. Saw off the damaged panel and remove the remaining parts from the substructure. Then prepare the new panel (adjust the groove) and click it into place so that the wall fits seamlessly again. Want to know more? Download the complete installation guide.

Clicwall is always mounted on a stable substructure of wooden slats (CLS/SLS) with wood screws or staples, or on metal studs with self-tapping screws. Ensure that it is flat, straight and dry, and place the vertical battens every 600 mm, depending on the type of wall. Fastening is always done in the groove, invisible to the eye. A dotted line in the groove indicates where you can screw or staple. In areas of intensive use, such as corridors or schools, we recommend installing an extra horizontal slat at a height of ± 1 metre for extra strength.

Yes, Clicwall can be installed directly onto plasterboard. Clicwall cannot be screwed directly onto walls with tiles or plaster. Instead, you should mount the panels onto a stable substructure (metal studs or wooden slats), which you attach to the existing wall. This must be fully levelled to ensure a flat substructure.

For optimal acoustic and thermal performance, it is best to use mineral wool (such as glass wool or rock wool). You can find this insulation at most DIY stores or building material suppliers. Place the insulation tightly between the wooden or metal studs, without any air gaps. This will prevent sound leaks and heat loss. You can configure more technical details and construction examples in the Clicwall system selector.

Certainly! Whether you want to add contoured handles to cabinet doors or create grooves, Fibrabel makes milling simple. If you are looking for a board that you can mill through to the core with ease, look no further than Fibralux MDF.

Unilin Panels is a leader in the sector in terms of circularity. In 2021, we became the first manufacturer in the world to recycle MDF on an industrial scale. Thanks to this revolutionary technology, we can reuse wood fibres for the production of high-quality board material, thereby doubling their lifespan. This allows us to save around 380,000 tonnes of wood fibres every year. Unilin Panels is a leader in the sector in terms of circularity. In 2021, we became the first manufacturer in the world to recycle MDF on an industrial scale. Thanks to this revolutionary technology, we can reuse wood fibres for the production of high-quality board material, thereby doubling their lifespan. This allows us to store an additional 130,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually.

We established several environmental product declarations (EPDs) to analyse the sustainability of our products. These documents are independently verified and state the environmental impact of a product throughout its life cycle. This includes the CO₂ output, water consumption and energy consumption associated with its production. We also have an EPD for our MDF boards, allowing for an objective comparison to be made.

Of course. Your distributor can order virtually any Fibrabel and Fibralux product from our stock list in widths of 1220 and 1310 mm per board. This is a good way to minimise waste.

Yes, HPL is naturally very hard and wear-resistant. This means that the surface remains attractive for a long time, even with intensive use.

Brief contact with warm objects is not a problem. For prolonged exposure to heat, we recommend using protective pads.

All Unilin chipboard and MDF substrates, including moisture-resistant and fire-retardant variants.

Absolutely. The material has been developed for high-traffic applications.

MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard) is a fibreboard made from fine wood fibres that are compressed under high pressure. The result is a smooth, homogeneous board that is perfect for painting, milling and decorative finishes. MDF is extremely versatile. It is used for furniture and furniture components, cabinet doors, interior doors, door frames, wall and ceiling panels, acoustic panels, skirting boards and other interior applications. Thanks to its homogeneous structure and stable properties, it is a favourite choice among interior builders and designers.

MDF has a finer fibre structure than chipboard. It is therefore smoother, allowing for a tighter finish and the milling of detailed shapes without splinters. Chipboard is lighter and cheaper, but less suitable for high-quality custom work.

Since 2019, Spanolux MDF has been an official part of the Unilin Panels range. The renowned quality lives on in Fibrabel MDF and Fibralux MDF — the same reliability under the strong name of Unilin.

MDF is easy to work with: it can be sawn, drilled and milled without splintering. MDF can be finished with varnish or paint, wood veneer, HPL, melamine, foil or paper.

In the Unilin Panels stock programme. There you will find all available panels, variants and thicknesses.

No. MDF is an interior board. For outdoor applications, you should use other board materials.

Unilin MDF comes from three European production sites: Vielsalm (Belgium), Bazeilles and Ussel (France). All boards are made from 100% recovered wood: wood and wood waste that would otherwise be landfilled or incinerated. Think of sawmill waste or thinning wood used to keep forests healthy. What others consider waste is given a second life by us as new board material.

Yes. We’re the first in the world to recycle MDF and HDF on an industrial scale. We recover fibres from old boards and reuse them in new panels. Wood stays in the loop, thanks to our Osiris technology. Moreover, the full range is Cradle to Cradle® Full Scope Bronze v4.0 certified and available with PEFC or FSC on request.

Veneer is made from real wood, so every sheet looks different. It can be a design dream to some, but for most this leads to irregular patterns and colour variations. Unilin Master Oak combines natural oak detail with perfect consistency, ensuring every panel matches seamlessly. Even if you need to replace a part or add a new part to an interior years later, Unilin Master Oak will ensure you can retrieve the exact same pattern and colour.

Veneer is less suited for heavy use, as it can wear down quickly. Unilin Master Oak is designed for commercial and residential projects, offering the warm oak look with the strength needed for high-traffic interiors.

Real oak veneer requires harvesting oak trees, which has limits in terms of sustainability. Unilin Master Oak is made on panels with recycled wood, offering the oak look with a lower environmental footprint.

Premium veneer can be more expensive due to limited yield from real wood. Unilin Master Oak is a cost-efficient alternative, offering the oak look without the high price of real veneer.

Veneer is more fragile and requires careful handling during cutting and edging. Unilin Master Oak is easy to process with the right tools and offers consistent quality. For best results, please consult our processing guidelines.

Absolutely. Thanks to advanced sorting and cleaning facilities, the incoming wood is cleared of all impurities using a combination of techniques: magnets, wind sifters, centrifuges, infrared scanning, AI and more. These recovered materials then find their way to other industries to also be reused.

You can compare its working to a pressure cooker. We start by moistening the MDF boards with steam, then we heat them and apply very high pressure. After that, we release the pressure, which helps to loosen the fibres. Once that’s done, we can reuse the recycled fibres to create new boards.

Theoretically, infinitely. But when recycling, you break the wood chips over and over again. Recycled chips also break more easily. The fractions are reduced again and again until they are no longer usable as raw material for chipboard. In this case, we recover these fractions as raw material for our power plants and convert them into green energy that we either consume ourselves or feed into the public electricity grid. That way, nothing goes to waste!

PEFC and FSC are the most familiar labels for sustainable wood. They are used worldwide to indicate that wood originates from sustainably managed forests or from recycling (wood that has been used before). PEFC includes pre-consumer and post-consumer wood, while FSC includes only post-consumer recycled wood.Our (melamine-faced) chipboard, MDF, HDF and HPL are available (on request) with an FSC or PEFC certificate. As a manufacturer that processes both FSC and PEFC mixed sourced wood into products, we have established due diligence systems to monitor the inflow of wood and bring controlled wood boards to the market. This means that a risk analysis is carried out of non-certified suppliers to ensure that no wood is delivered and ends up in our products that has come from controversial sources, such as primeval forests or through illegal logging.