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Brewery Wall Panels: Why Vinyl (PVC) Beats Fiberglass (FRP)

27 July, 2021

Fiberglass wall panels are the old holdover, first introduced in the 1950s as a means to craft low-maintenance wall panels for places where liquids are at play and leaks are troublesome.  FRPs worked well enough for the time; that is, until more and more stories appeared about the life of the material. Plenty of stories exist about the eventual loosening of the glue which keeps fiber-reinforced panels together.  At minimum, this leads to crevices on the surface that negates any waterproofing; at worst, this leads to cracking, which leads to expensive repairs.

PVC has been the answer to this problem for decades, but it has become the replacement for the mainstay in the last twenty or so years. This blog explores the reasons why wall panel buyers and manufacturers–especially those dealing with breweries–are making the change.

 

PVC versus FRP

The following are the straightforward reasons why vinyl is superior to fiberglass for breweries:

The word ‘fiber’ in fiberglass gives some indication about its composition, which presents a problematic risk for any business owner who must maintain a standard of purity in their working environment. Unlike vinyl, fiberglass panels release fibers into the atmosphere if they are ever ruptured. These fibers can contain any number of contaminants which taint the outcome of a brewing operation without obvious evidence this is happening, which can also be harmful to people working nearby.  Beyond the lowered quality, there is genuine liability regarding consumer and employee safety.  

PVC materials can last decades, whereas the life of an FRP panel is subject to varied manufacturing processes which make it difficult to even assess its longevity. What is known is that manufacturers went away from FRP in the 80s and 90s after its standards failed the requirements of heavy production. PVC has since solidified its place as the go-to material for pipes, with peripheral components like wall panels not far behind.

The homogeneous (made of one material) surface of PVC is resistant to damage from external sources, meaning it won’t fade or suffer water damage like FRP.  For a brewery operation, this means less maintenance and long-term savings.  It can be argued that FRP is cheaper than PVC, which would explain why it still competes despite inferior marks in all the numbers that matter. However, this is a scenario where the cheaper option is really just cutting corners, where you’re actually putting the business’s continued success at risk to save a few dollars in upfront costs.

 

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Our panels are ASTM certified and FDA compliant; also quality checked. We ensured Kevin that the kitchen would be free from the fire outbreak. The panels have a -hour fire grade also chemical resistant.

Duramax is a top wall panel supplier in the USA. Visit our website for a free sample, get a free consultation and request a quote.

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