With Master Oak, Unilin Panels has created a decorative surface that looks and feels just like oak, adding definition and detail and textures that go deeper than ever before to make the panels a true interpretation of nature…
At the heart of this innovative product, giving Master Oak its impressive feel, lies Unilin Timber Touch Technology. Regular HPL and melamine-faced panels only have around three or four depth levels which limits how much texture can be applied the surface. The new press plate behind Unilin Timber Touch Technology allows for 64 different depth levels for 20 times more texture than regular surfaces. This is what gives the product the touch of real oak – from rough to smooth and everywhere in-between – the technology is also responsible for its uniquely matt finish with almost absent shine levels for a natural ‘unfinished’ effect.
It is not just the surface of Master Oak that is extraordinary; Unilin’s digital printing technology is also unique in the industry. A patented coating applied to the digital paper ensures that Master Oak has more colour-play and depth, as well as better sharpness and contrast. The end result is a decorative surface that looks exactly like oak. This print technology also allows for the largest pattern in the industry. Master Oak has an extra-large pattern of 5.8 square metres, which means an authentic look and fewer repeats.
As well as the durability and value advantages of using decorative surfaces over genuine materials, Master Oak is also a sustainable alternative. Unilin Panels uses 100 per cent recovered wood for Master Oak melamine-faced products. Recovered wood is rescued from incineration – a mix of wood waste from sawmills or wood-processing and from post-consumer wood such as old furniture. Master Oak chipboard panels use 90per cent post-consumer wood.
Using 100 per cent recovered wood in the making of Master Oak is made possible by the industry’s most advanced sorting and cleaning process. An ultra-modern machine sorts the post-consumer wood, using a mix of processes including magnets, wind sifters and centrifuges to remove impurities. Developing the technology over the past six years and through using wood that would otherwise have been incinerated, Unilin Panels gives continued life to more than 1,000,000 tonnes of wood every year.
Master Oak compromises on nothing for its authentic look. It remains just as easy to look after and just as durable as any other Unilin HPL or melamine surface. Compared to real oak, Master Oak is three times as scratch-resistant, more colourfast and more stain proof. It can be used on everything from desktops to shelves, doors, hotel furniture, storage, cupboards, partitions and more. Thanks to its excellent performance characteristics, the finish is also easy to clean and needs no specialist or ongoing maintenance.
Each of Master Oak’s six looks has been created by the in-house design team. Looking towards global trends and exploring how natural wood finishes are used in commercial interiors, they have put together a range of authentic oak looks that are versatile and usable in real world applications. Master Oak Elegant black and Master Oak Everest white are exclusively available in coloured in core high pressure laminate (HPL). This special construction ensures that the edges are the same colour as the Master Oak finish. Ideal for furniture and cabinetry construction, coloured in core leaves a smart edge.
Master Oak is a product suited to a broad range of interior applications. Everywhere from retail, cafés and bars, hotel and offices to schools and hospitals can enjoy the comforting and relaxing look of natural oak.
Unilin Panels is one of our Recommended Suppliers and regularly features in our Supplier News section of the website. If you are interested in becoming one of our Recommended Suppliers, please email Katy Phillips.
Main image credit: Unilin Panels
