Omni Materials Section – link to description and specs for each

Standard Materials

Core Materials make up the structure of each panel used in Omni products.  They are the substrate to which laminates and veneers are applied.

Particle board, also known as chipboard, is an engineered wood product manufactured from pressing wood chips, saw mill shavings, or even saw dust, with a resin.  in addition to its tensile strength qualities, Particleboard is a sustainable and renewable composite material, with 50% post industrial waste content.  Durable and versatile for many applications, particle is Omni’s standard core material for table tops and casegoods.  Although other manufacturers leave particleboard exposed to cut material costs, Omni products are engineered to never expose particleboard.

MDF
Medium Density Fiberboard is an engineered wood product formed by breaking down hardwood or softwood residuals into wood fibres, and then refining the pulp and combining it with wax and a resin binder which can be formed into panels by applying high temperature and pressure. The result is a man-made wood material with much finer composition than particleboard, making MDF’s smooth sanded surfaces the best core material for thin wood veneers and gloss laminates.  However, MDF’s poor screw holding ability makes it unsuitable for most casegoods.

Plywood
Plywood is a manufactured wood panel made from thin sheets of wood veneer.  Light and flexible, Plywood can be used for casegood construction, but is not suitable for tops unless reinforced.  Used often in modern designs, plywood is distinctive when left exposed at the edges and can be finished for a rich wood aesthetic at a much more competitive price than wood veneer.  

-High Pressure Laminate – HPL is a very durable and cost effective high performance material for use in commercial, healthcare, education, and institutional applications.  Also referred to as plastic laminate, it is made from fusing  a decorative paper print with other layers of compressed paper and resins at high pressure and temperature.  The result is a material that is both attractive and durable, resistant to water (except at seams), and easily cleaned and maintained.  HPL performs well on both horizontal worktop and vertical decorative surfaces, and is Omni’s most common and preferred surface material.  

Laminates are available in hundreds of finishes and textures from many manufacturers.   Recent advances in technology have given laminate manufacurers the ability to create stunning woodgrain print laminates with textures that look very realistic, in an ever increasing amount of textures.

Nearly all laminates are greenguard certified for indoor air quality.
    Formica
    Pionite
    Wilsonart
    Nevamar
    Arborite
    Abet Laminati

Comprehensive list of Standard vs. Premium Laminates and explanation of price difference.

Melamine – Also known as Thermofused Laminate or “low pressure laminate”, melamine is a laminate surface that like HPL, is applied to a particleboard or MDF core material.   Unlike HPL, melamine is pre-applied to the core material as a liquid spray and later cures to a hard smooth surface.   Melamine is easily cleanable and well suited for surfaces designed to undergo low to medium wear, making it Omni’s standard material choice for casegood construction, shelving, doors and drawer fronts, modestly panels, and partitions.

Melamine is available in many different finishes, including solids, patterns, and woodgrains.  

The melamine coating is much thinner than HPL, making it less suitable for countertops and worksurfaces, although many other manufacturers cut costs by using melamine surfaces for tops.  

Premium Materials

-Solid surface – Commonly referred to as “Corian” or “Faux Stone”, solid surface is a man-made non-porous countertop material made from marble dust, bauxite,  and acrylic or polyster resins.  Used primarily for countertop surfaces, it can be fabricated to be “seamless” when joining multiple pieces.  Solid surface sinks can be also be joined to the countertop surface with no gaps, which eliminates areas for water to collect and bacteria to grow, making the material highly effective for infection control in healthcare environments.  Engineered composites have a gel coat surface finish which makes them impervious to bacteria, staining and most of the problems inherent in natural stone.

Because the material is solid throughout, it can be easily repaired by our skilled fabricators if scratched or broken, and countertops that have undergone years of wear and tear can be refinished to look brand new.

    Formica
    Corian
    Meganite
    Samsung

-Phenolic – Phenolic is a solid, non-porous, ultra high performance material with incredible strength, durability, anti-bacterial and anti microbial qualities, and water resistance.  Phenolic is identical to HPL in chemical composition and manufacturing process, but is available in thicknesses up to 1” and does not need to be applied to a core material like HPL.  

 Phenolic’s unique characteristics make it suitable for many applications in Scientific and Laboratory applications, wet applications, and high abuse or institutional enviroments.  Even though the material is a solid black color throughout, phenolic is available in a variety of finishes including woodgrain prints that are extremely abrasion and graffiti resistant, making them particularly suitable for bathroom partitions and educational or institutional environments where vandalism is a concern.

    Trespa
    Wilsonart
    
Stone – Natural stone is a beautiful and durable counter material.  Granite, marble, quartz, and other composite stone materials have the highest material cost, but also incredible durability and aesthetics.  Stone counters are most commonly used in residential and high end commercial applications, but can also be used education, and institutional projects, although the material is usually cost prohibitive.  The porousness of natural stone often makes it unsuitable for healthcare or other projects that require increased resistance to microorganisms or chemicals.  However, engineered quartz composites such as Silestone products offer bacteriostatic protection and maximum hygiene on their surfaces.

    Composite Solid surface
    Granite
    Marble
    Quartz

Specialty HPL
    Chemsurf
    ESD?
    Hard Coating
    Metal Decorative Laminate – “metal laminate” is actually HPL pressed with a thin metal foil outer surface, and sometimes covered with a protective coating.   Metal HPL offers an attractive metal appearance for surfaces, and it is less expensive and much easier to cut and fabricate than sheet metal.  However, because the metal foil surface is so thin, metal HPL is not nearly as durable as standard HPL and is only recommended for vertical decorative surfaces that will not be subject to impact or high wear.

Melamine – Also known as Thermofused Laminate or “low pressure laminate”, melamine is a laminate surface that like HPL, is applied to a particleboard or MDF core material.   Unlike HPL, melamine is pre-applied to the core material as a liquid spray and later cures to a hard smooth surface.   Melamine is easily cleanable and well suited for surfaces designed to undergo low to medium wear, making it Omni’s standard material choice for casegood construction, shelving, doors and drawer fronts, modestly panels, and partitions.

Melamine is available in many different finishes, including solids, patterns, and woodgrains.  

The melamine coating is much thinner than HPL, making it less suitable for countertops and worksurfaces, although many other manufacturers cut costs by using melamine surfaces for tops.  
    Solids
    Woodgrains

Metal Fabrication
 

Hardwoods

Reclaimed woods

Bio Foam Core

New Wood

Decorative Materials (vertical surfaces)
    3form
    Lumicor
    Chemetal
    Frosted Acrylic