COMMERCIAL LAUNCH
See what inspired the Wilsonart Woodgrains™ Plain-Sliced Bookmatch Series, featuring no-repeat woodgrains.
For the HPL Commercial Launch, Wilsonart created 16 no-repeat bookmatched woodgrains that replicate hand-selected leaves of real wood. Designed for large-scale applications, these industry-leading woodgrains bring the authenticity of veneer to high-performance surfaces. Hear from a Wilsonart design expert to learn what makes them so unique.
No-repeat realism
Question: What makes the new Wilsonart Woodgrains™ so strikingly real?
Wilsonart Design Expert: “Traditionally, HPL has always had a repeat in it. Large bookmatched sheets without repeats, you can’t find that in HPL. Now we can do a 4x8 or 5x12 sheet of laminate that has no repeat in the width or the length, so you still have that uniqueness that you love in veneer.”
“You still have that uniqueness that you love in veneer.” |
Affordable luxury
Question: When it comes to luxury and affordability, how do the new woodgrains outdo wood veneer?
Wilsonart Design Expert: “In the veneer world, you can only work with whatever nature has provided. But the fun of being an engineered surfaces company is we can give our customers something that they would never have the time or budget to get.
So in the veneer world, if you spec AA-grade white oak, the standards would say you would get a six-inch leaf. We’re going to give them a 12-inch leaf. In wood veneer, that means a much bigger tree: much more expensive, much harder to find. We can give them that at prices and on a schedule that works with their projects.”
Designing the woodgrains
Question: How did you create the new woodgrains?
Wilsonart Design Expert: “We looked at what the market is asking for. Our goal was always to give architects and designers a range of options. So we went with four wood species: white oak, walnut, cherry, and maple. They’re the most used for doors and wall panels.
We went out and purchased real veneer. We handpicked those pieces and scanned them, so every inch of what you see is real. Just like real veneer, we bookmatched it out to find the perfect look and layout for the final product.”
“We went out and purchased real veneer. We handpicked those pieces and scanned them, so every inch of what you see is real.” |
Hand-selected wood leaves
Question: How did you select the wood that was used to design the woodgrains?
Wilsonart Design Expert: “Wood veneer shopping is always a fun experience, flipping through bundles to find the exact features you’re looking for. It's just like shopping, with a much bigger cart.
We were looking for the traditional, timeless looks. We were doing all plain-sliced wood, so we wanted a lot of cathedraling. We wanted to do 12-foot long panels, so I needed a certain length. We wanted high-end looks, so I was looking for wood leaves that were really wide.”
The beauty of wood veneer with better consistency
Question: What makes the new woodgrains easier to work with than bookmatched wood veneer?
Wilsonart Design Expert: “The beauty of high pressure laminate is it’s more durable as a finished product, which makes it perfect for applications such as doors, wall panels, and large conference tables.
In veneer, you like the uniqueness, but you also want consistency — especially of color. If I’m doing a large project and need 500 interior doors, I want to know all of those doors are going to look right, so I’m not going to have to go and spot check. When I order a Wilsonart laminate, I know they’ll be consistent.”
Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Discover beauty that can’t be repeated
The new HPL Commercial Launch reflects the natural character of wood like never before, replicating hand-selected leaves of real wood in a stunning plain-sliced bookmatch. Designed for large-scale applications, these full woodgrain sheets feature no pattern repeats. Also introduced in this launch are a range of soothing stones and solid colors inspired by the elements.
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