Archive for category: General

Now following on from our previous blogs, and for those who know the benefits of Spapanel, you can start to understand why Tilers would hate us.

But to break it down, into a quick but simple explanation, the following are benefits to using Spapanel over tiling:
– No need to Sheet Walls
– No need to Waterproof Walls
– No need to Tile Walls
– No need to Grout Walls

So you can start to see why tilers hate us, we take away 4- 5 days of labor, charged at high rates, because generally and traditionally clients had no other alternative to tiling.

BUT with Spapanel, there is no need for all the above as it is completed in One Day, yes One Day.

Builders love us, because we are on site in the morning, and gone by the afternoon, they receive their progress payments quicker and their clients receives a completed project a lot faster.

Developers love us, because not only do we save time on their installation, time is money, developers get to turn over projects quicker using Spapanel, and the product comes with a 15 year warranty.

Clients love us because, we provide a product that is Grout – Free, easy to clean, removing harsh chemicals from the home and in the meantime using a sustainably sourced product that doesn’t have the embodied energy that tiles do.

Now Tilers don’t need to hate us, they can become apart of the revolution as well. We aren’t here to take jobs away, we are here to create opportunities for anyone in the bathroom industry, to be more efficient and reliable with the products that they use. To complete more jobs more often, so that they can get onto their next project.

To become apart of the Spapanel revolution and become a WAS Certified Installer AND/OR wholesaler follow the link, enter your details and we will be in touch to see how Spapanel can best suit your business.

The common issues that constantly occurs with the proposal of using Spapanel over tiling to Clients, Builders and Architects is the following:
– Spapanel is made of Plywood Timber (Marine Grade Plywood timber)
– Spapanel is a supposed “cheap” finish
– Spapanel is an imitation product, its not natural stone.

The above queries are fair enough issues to be brought up BUT the dismissal of the product before any attempt is made to understand the product is a true show of arrogance in an age of evolving technologies, why can’t the pre-historic bathroom evolve aswell?

To start Spapanel has been tested and approved fro use in Australia by BRANZ in their appraisal process, so it has been scrutinised on paper and in the lab! https://www.branz.co.nz/Appraisal/906
Spapanel is manufactured from timber yes, BUT do you think we would put an unsuitable product into a wet area?

Again Spapanel is manufactured from sustainable sources in Europe and is treated to make it Marine Grade, yes Marine Grade Plywood. (Jack from the Titanic would be wishing Spapanel was used in the bathrooms then, so he could of found something reliable to float and fit on )

The next hurdle that we are constantly baffled by is the notion that Spapanel is a cheap finish product.

( I bow my head everytime, again the arrogance)

Spapanel is a high pressure plastic laminate that is source across Europe from countries such as Italy, Germany and the U.K.

The laminates used are scratch resistant, very easy to clean, do not build up mould or mildew, crack, delaminate, theres even a 15 year warranty to ensure this.

What tile comes with that warranty? Exactly zero

The final common issues that is brought up about Spapanel is

“Its an imitation product, i want Calcutta or Carrara marble stone from the depthS of the earth where in 3 years time there will be none left”

Spapanel is a product where if you were to base your tile budget between 1 & 10, 1 being cheap, cheap.

Spapanel aims to be in the 3-8.5 Range of finishes and market appeal.

The product is there to provide customers with tight budgets and also generous budgets the option to try something new, that is sustainable, that is grout free, hygienic, set price for all finishes, no need to run around to 100 tile stores to get the best quote.

A product that gives you piece of mind, that the tiler won’t stuff it up and install the grain the wrong way.

The fact is that we have been using imitation tiles for years and people are still set on spending $300 + a sqm on PORCELAIN tiles!! its a manufactured product with a high embodied energy, its an imitation of the tax man, just you willingly spend the money on it.

Why substitute your tiles for look alike tiles when at the end of the day your still spending alot of your budget to look alike tiles, which at the end of the day will have grout lines and need constantly cleaning.

Spapanel is the luxury alternative to tiles that needs to be nurtured into the consumers mind, not to fight against the natural choice of tiles but to provide an option between the use of tiles or Spapanel.

Spapanel is a cost effective, time effective and hygienically superior option to tiles with a high quality finish that comes with a 15 Year Product Warranty as well as a 15 Year Installers Warranty…..No tile, or tiler will give that warranty.

The product is set to be used in POD bathrooms that Lend Lease will use in its future developments.

Atleast one big company see’s the big picture