Manufacturer debuts synthetic-wood laminate

Uniboard Canada, a manufacturer of engineered wood products such as raw particleboard and fiberboard, recently added a new thermofused laminate to its product line called Woodprint Technology, featuring a unique texture designed to replicate real wood characteristics that are synchronized to look as if the product is natural wood.

The product is essentially an alignment of decorative surface paper that is thermally fused to the surface texture through a melamine press. The end result is paneling that can be used in furniture, cabinetry and other projects requiring a luxurious wood-like aesthetic.

“This EIR (embossed in register) technology started off in laminate flooring and we wanted to bring it to the panel side of things. We understand the technology and have the machinery to do it and it has been an outstanding success to us since we launched it. Customers like that it’s as strong as melamine, but with the look of real veneer, for a lower cost than veneered panels,” says product manager Don Raymond.

Labeled as the Elm finish line, the deep-brushed wood texture is available in six trendsetting, neutral colors from gray to dark cocoa. The matte-oiled surface of this finish replicates hours of hand-polishing wood, while the 3-D brushed effect emphasizes the natural cathedrals and cross-grain characteristics that accentuate light reflections, according to the company.

All panels are sold in standard 4’x8’ sheets and are available in five thicknesses ranging from ¼” to 1”. They are sold at a premium cost of about 30 percent more than standard melamine sheets, but are less expensive than veneer paneling, the company says.

In addition to Woodprint Technology, Uniboard is launching a total of 18 new colors including an array of straight grains, rustic barnwoods and soft suede leather as well as introducing a second finish, aura, which is a low-luster, complex wood grain. 

Contact: Uniboard Canada Inc. Tel: 800-263-5240. www.uniboard.com

This article originally appeared in the June 2014 issue.