High Pressure Laminates (HPL) — 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm
HPL is what you specify when the surface will be worked on rather than looked at. Pressed at more than 1,400 psi, it resists impact, heat and abrasion at a level the decorative grade simply cannot reach.
- Pressed above 1,400 psi
- 1.0, 1.2 and 1.5 mm thicknesses
- Post-forming grades for rolled worktop edges
Specification
Thickness
- 1.0 mm general HPL
- 1.2 mm heavy duty
- 1.5 mm maximum wear
- 0.5-0.8 mm post-forming
Sheet Size
- 2440x1220 mm (8x4 ft)
- 3050x1300 mm worktop
- Cut to size to order
Grades
- Standard HPL
- Post-forming
- Fire retardant
- Chemical resistant
- Anti-bacterial
Performance
- High impact resistance
- Heat resistant to 180 degrees C
- Abrasion resistant
- Stain and solvent resistant
Why the pressure matters
Both grades are built from the same materials: resin-soaked kraft paper, a printed decor sheet and a melamine overlay. The difference is entirely in the press. At a few hundred psi the kraft layers bond but retain some compressibility. At 1,400 psi and above they fuse into a dense, rigid sheet that behaves far more like a thin board than like a foil.
That density shows up in three ways a fabricator will notice immediately. The sheet resists a dropped pan or a dragged appliance instead of denting. It takes a hot dish without blistering. And it holds a machined edge cleanly, which matters when a worktop is going to be routed for a sink.
Post-forming grade is a deliberate exception. It is made slightly thinner and with a resin system that stays workable when heated, so the sheet can be bent around a radius — which is how a worktop gets a rolled front edge with no visible joint between the top and the edge strip.
Where HPL belongs
- Kitchen and pantry worktops, with a post-formed or banded front edge
- Reception desks, shop counters and bar tops
- Office desking and conference tables
- School and laboratory work surfaces
- Hospital and clinic counters, in the anti-bacterial grade
- Lift car linings and high-traffic wall protection, in the fire retardant grade
Frequently asked questions
What does HPL stand for?
High Pressure Laminate — a laminate consolidated at over 1,400 psi, as distinct from the lower-pressure decorative grade used on furniture.
Is HPL waterproof?
The laminate sheet itself is unaffected by water, but it is normally bonded to a chipboard or MDF substrate that is not. Seal every cut edge, especially around sink and hob cut-outs. Where the panel itself must be waterproof through its thickness, use compact grade instead.
What is post-forming laminate?
A slightly thinner HPL made with a resin that softens when heated, so it can be bent around a radius. It is what allows a worktop to have a rolled front edge formed from the same continuous sheet as the top, with no joint line.
How does HPL compare to a solid surface worktop?
HPL costs a fraction as much and resists heat better. Solid surface can be repaired invisibly when damaged and can be formed with seamless joints, which HPL cannot. For most commercial and residential work HPL is the better value.
Request HPL pricing
Tell us the thicknesses, grades and decors you need. We quote per sheet and per container.
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Laminates
- Decorative Laminates
- High Pressure Laminates
- Industrial Laminates
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