What is the best material for toilet cubicles?
07/29/2025
What are Toilet Cubicles Made From?
Excelsior’s cubicle ranges are typically made from 1 of 3 materials, based on environment (wet or dry), intended uses and budget. Our cubicles are made from Solid Grade Laminate, High Pressure Laminate, or Melamine Faced Chipboard.
*Our Flush 44 and Flush 30 premium ranges are made from Solid MR Core c/w hardwood / Aluminum meeting styles and finished in laminate or natural wood veneer.
Solid Grade Laminate (SGL)
One of the most popular materials used in our cubicle ranges is Solid Grade Laminate (SGL), also known as Compact Grade Laminate (CGL), due to its high durability, making it a great choice in high-moisture and high-traffic environments. Its strength, water resistance, and low maintenance make it a highly recommended choice, particularly in schools, leisure areas and high-traffic environments. Solid Grade Laminate is impervious to water penetration and extremely resistant to impact. Nominally 12.5mm in sheet thickness, identified easily by its polished solid black edges.
- Material: Layers of kraft paper impregnated with phenolic resin and a decorative surface.
- Properties: Waterproof, impact-resistant, very durable.
- Best for: High-humidity or wet areas (e.g. gyms, swimming pools, schools).
Process:
The top layer of SGL sheet is a printed décor paper impregnated with melamine resin. The decorative paper, chosen for the desired finish (e.g. woodgrain, stone, solid colour), is soaked in melamine resin and dried to form a hard, protective surface. This provides both the desired visual appearance and ensures resistance to scratches, stains, and cleaning chemicals.
Multiple sheets of kraft paper are layered (usually 5–15 layers, depending on thickness requirements) and each sheet is impregnated with phenolic resin, which gives the core its dark colour and mechanical strength. This provides high durability, impact resistance, and complete water resistance.
All layers (decorative + kraft) are stacked together in the correct order. They are placed into a press and subjected to: High heat (150–170°C) and High pressure (70–100 bar). The resins cure and fuse the layers into a single, solid, self-supporting laminate sheet.
At Excelsior, we recommend SGL cubicles on many projects due to its exceptional durability, moisture resistance, and vandal resistance. It is 100% water resistant, making it ideal for wet or high-humidity areas like swimming pools, gyms, showers and schools. It is also incredibly tough and impact resistant. It can withstand heavy knocks, slams, and general wear and tear, making it ideal for high-traffic or rough-use environments. It is also highly hygienic and easy to clean, meaning it is perfect for settings with strict hygiene standards.
SGL's high performance, low maintenance and long service life make it a cost-effective choice over time.
Our Solid Grade Laminate (SGL) Ranges:
Skyline
Planar
Mariner
HydroSq
T-Line
Senator
Harlequin
Peardrop
High Pressure Laminate (HPL)
Excelsior also use High Pressure Laminate (HPL) in cubicle installations. HPL remains a popular choice throughout the industry for an environmentally friendly, attractive, and reasonably durable solution to washroom cubicle needs — especially in dry or low-moisture environments.
High Pressure Laminate (HPL)
- Material: Decorative HPL bonded to an MR core.
- Properties: Moisture-resistant (not waterproof), economical, smooth finish.
- Best for: Dry environments like offices, malls, and schools.
Process:
HPL is one of the most durable, decorative surface materials available on the washroom market and boasts enhanced performance properties.
HPL is produced by sandwiching layers of paper and phenolic resins and fusing them together under intense heat and pressure. The thermosetting process transforms the resins into plastic and converts the paper sheets into a single, rigid laminated sheet with one decorative side.
The resulting laminate is strong, durable and water resistant.
HPL is a popular choice for offices, commercial spaces, higher education, or other areas where design matters, but extreme durability isn't essential. Like SGL, HPL’s laminated surface is non-porous and therefore a smooth, easy-to-clean, hygienic surface. It resists staining and is easy to maintain in moderate-use environments. While not waterproof like SGL, it is moisture-resistant to a degree.
Furthermore, HPL is a popular choice due to its environmentally friendly qualities. At Excelsior, we burn our HPL waste in biomass burner to heat the factory, thus reducing our carbon footprint.
Our High Pressure Laminate (HPL) Ranges:
Select
T-Line
Skyline
Senator
Harlequin
Melamine Faced Chipboard (MFC)
Excelsior also use Melamine Faced Chipboard (MFC) for cubicles. MFC is made by applying melamine-impregnated decorative paper to both sides of a chipboard core. It is a widely used, cost-effective material for cubicles, furniture, and interior fittings — especially in dry environments.
MFC is one of the cheapest cubicle materials available and is therefore ideal for budget-sensitive projects such as small offices, cafes, or temporary installations. Also, being lightweight and easy to cut and install, it is an easy material to work with.
Unlike SGL and HPL, MFC has no water resistance and cannot be installed in wet environments including pools, gyms, showers, or high-humidity public toilets. Furthermore, the melamine surface is thin and easily scratched or chipped. At Excelsior, we would not advise installation of MFC in the following areas due to its low durability: schools, public transport hubs, stadiums or high-abuse areas.
Process:
The top melamine decorative layer is printed paper (woodgrain, solid colour, or pattern) is impregnated with melamine resin. The chipboard core is an engineered board made of wood chips, sawdust, and resin.
The wood waste is compressed into panels under heat and pressure. The balance layer is a matching or neutral melamine layer applied to the underside. This is similar to the decorative layer but without a printed design. It ensures balanced pressure during lamination and prevents bowing.
All three layers (decorative paper + chipboard + balance layer) are sandwiched and fed into a short-cycle press. Pressed at 180–220°C and high pressure for a short time (20–30 seconds). The heat and pressure bond the melamine paper to the chipboard, curing the resin and producing a finished, rigid board.
Our Melamine Faced Chipboard (MFC) Ranges:
Option
FAQs
What is the strongest material for a toilet cubicle?
Excelsior would recommend Solid Grade Laminate for projects that need an installation that is durable and hard wearing. Particularly in wet or high traffic areas, SGL is tough and impact resistant, making it the suitable choice if a strong installation is needed.
Our SGL ranges include Skyline, Planar, Mariner, HydroSq, T-Line, Senator, Harlequin and Peardrop.
