Slat Wall is an MDF board with grooves that have been routed in a parallel direction then inserted with either aluminium or plastic sleeves to give the MDF board added strength that is then used as a wall system to hold hooks, racks, and storage bins. It has a gorgeous wood effect, multiple colour panels with slots or slats grooved into their surface. These grooves are designed to be a regular distance apart, giving them a beauty and regularity that can create more space in any environment. This solid panel design makes them ideal for freestanding shelves, or against walls and other flat surfaces. Shelves and storage tubs can then be attached. It’s variety of colours means that it can be used almost anywhere, as a complimenting or contrasting shelving system – it’s sturdy enough to attach glass shelves to, and can carry plastic or moulded boxes without losing its understated style.
Slatwall is one of the more ‘traditional’ newer shop fitting materials, allowing greater regimented design. As a consequence, it’s the most common material in small shops building custom shelves and designing shelving units – it’s the easiest of all of the shelving support materials to use, and has a lovely, unique look. It’s made of MDF, pressed into shape, then coated with the final finish – grooves are then created by both carving them out and optionally placing a lining, such as metal or plastic, or by inserting the plastic or metal along its length before final pressing. This makes Slatwall a sturdy, yet cost effective product that can be used in a variety of environments.
It’s also historically used as the underlying structure of chests of drawers, customised shelving units and other furniture that requires regimented shelving. This regular structure means that it’s ideal for designing drawers or shelving around, giving it unparalleled flexibility and design opportunity.
Slatwall can be used in a variety of environments – upscale shop fitting and design, to home displays. It can be formed into structures and designs that are customisable via a variety of accessories that can let you build it into solid furniture structures. Its beauty is its rigidity – and it makes the perfect structure for regimented shelves, such as in comic book, book stores, or shoe shops. It can also be used to make bespoke furniture, and is designed to make a statement wherever it’s on display. Because it is manufacturer from MDF board, you can use it in almost any environment – in custom shelving units for the home and shops. Crucially, it can also be built into solid structures, using the slats themselves, giving it a flexibility that solid materials normally don’t exhibit. This makes it ideal in places that need a solid and firm material to build onto – in places with weak or uneven walls for example. Another common use for slatwall is slatwall gondolas which are a freestanding slatwall store fixture.
Slatwall’s beauty is it can be used anywhere, and gives a professional finish to any environment. Sturdy enough to be freestanding or attached to walls, its formal structure allows for a vast array of customisations – and this is one of the most important aspects of the system and design you choose.
As its solid MDF, it can be used in places where you need a little bit more reinforcement, or can be designed to reinforce and hold itself up, as shelving units. But it can equally line walls, and attach via wall brackets – your options can be discussed with your shop fitter or designer or supplier.
A wide array of options allows for vast customisation of SlatWall – which means you can design your shelving or displays any way you choose – and this flexibility applies to the furniture that this fabric is used in building. Ideally designed for building drawer units, this material can be used in custom or unique items of furniture alongside more traditional pieces.
It’s solid enough to be used in the storage of toys, so makes an ideal material for designing a storage system that’s designed around your children, though it should be attached well to the wall behind with brackets or other attachments. Once anchored to your wall, you can use the Slatbox range of plastic boxes, shelves, and plastic storage bins to store and display toys, books and more.
In the UK, you can buy Slatwall from a variety of places, including Crown Shop Fittings – http://www.crowndisplay.co.uk/ – they sell Slatwall with a variety of accessories and accessories, including shelf accessories, and profiles (plastic covers to make the corners and edges look smoother and remain guarded.
At Slatwall displays http://www.slatwalldisplays.co.uk/ there is a range of accessories, styles and colours of Slatwall, giving you unbeatable flexibility and options. They have the widest range of accessories on their website that you can use with Slatwall and are well worth inspection.
In Australia, you can purchase Slatwall from a variety of places – http://www.asionline.com.au/ is the best place to buy from – having won awards and more in recent times for their work with Slatwall and other items.
In most markets around the world any MDF board that is grooved with a slotted wall system is referred to as “slatwall” and there are hundreds of different manufacturers who use similar designs who have their own brand names associated. However in Australia the name “slatwall” is a registered trademark of Trishul Pty Ltd.