ACP is mainly used for external and internal architectural cladding or partitions, false ceilings, signage, machine coverings, container construction, etc. Applications of ACP are not limited to external building cladding, but can also be used in any form of cladding such as partitions, false ceilings, etc. ACP is also widely used within the signage industry as an alternative to heavier, more expensive substrates.
ACP has been used as a light-weight but very sturdy material in construction, particularly for transient structures like trade show booths and similar temporary elements. It has recently also been adopted as a backing material for mounting fine art photography, often with an acrylic finish using processes like Diasec or other face-mounting techniques.
HPL is a manufactured composite material. It consists of printed decoration paper fused to multiple sheets (6-8 pieces) of Kraft paper saturated with a synthetic thermosetting resin. A curing or thermosetting process combines the sheets using heat and high pressure (more than 1,000 PSI) to form flexible, single, high-density laminate sheets. Occasionally, manufacturers may reinforce the layers with metal layers or mesh. The final step is to laminate the sheets onto wood substrates. HPL is available in various colors, textures and styles. You can easily use it to imitate the appearance of other materials such as wood or metal. The countertop surface patterns on the laminates are saturated with melanin-based resins to provide higher resistance to abrasion, thermal shock and impact, heat and discoloration.
