Slatwall Information

Slatwall Information

Slatwall is a panel wall material widely used in retail stores to display products and merchandise. Slatwall has routed grooves (or slots) to allow for placement of hooks, brackets and displays. It is a commodity sheet good, like plywood or paneling, comes in 4' by 8' sheets, and is 3/4" thick. Standard slatwall panels are 4' high by 8' wide and have a horizontal groove (or slot) every 3" inches on center. A 4' high by 8' wide slatwall panel has a 1/2 groove at the top and bottom to allow the panels to be installed one above another without a seam.

Slatwall panels are also available, by special order, in 8' HIGH by 4' WIDE. This is called a vertically oriented slatwall panel (shown on the right). The slatwall grooves (or slots) are still horizontal, but the panel is 8' HIGH and 4' WIDE.


The Slatwall Groove (or Slot)

The slatwall groove is approximately 3/8" high by 1/2" deep and is shaped like a short letter "T". Generally, slatwall panel grooves are standardized and most slatwall accessories will fit into any slatwall panel. Standard slatwall grooves are unfinished and do not match the color of a finished, laminated slatwall panel.

PVC plastic slatwall Groove inserts are available to add a finishing color to the slatwall groove, and to cover installation hardware.

Metal groove inserts are also available to add considerable strength to the slatwall groove and panel. Metal groove inserts (or extrusions) are a separate piece of aluminum contoured to the shape of the slatwall groove. A slatwall panel with metal groove inserts is routed differently than a standard slatwall panel. The slatwall groove is routed larger to accept the metal groove insert, which is installed when the panel is manufactured. Metal slatwall inserts are normally added to slatwall being used to display extremely heavy materials such as large quantities of heavy clothing, shelving with heavy merchandise, concrete or masonry products, etc.


Slatwall Panel Core & Finish

The slatwall panel itself is made of Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF). This is a high quality engineered timber product made with hardwood/softwood fibers and should NOT be confused with particle board (a low density product).

Most industry standard slatwall is finished with a durable, attractive, solid color or patterned Melamine Low Pressure Laminate (LPL) finish. Specialty finishes such as real wood veneer, acrylic mirror, and High Pressure Laminate (HPL) are also available.

Slatwall Installation Techniques

We recommend professional installation of slatwall panels, by a licensed and insured General Commercial Contractor. However, if you chose to install panels yourself, following are some helpful tips.

Always consult your local and regional building codes and obtain the proper permits.


Preparation

Cutting Panels

Slatwall panels can be cut very easily. For straight cuts use a table saw and cut the panel face UP, or use a circular saw and cut the panel face DOWN. Use a sharp blade with 60-80 teeth.

For irregular shaped cuts, use a jig saw with a medium blade, approximately 10 teeth per inch.


Installation

Drill screws THROUGH the slatwall grooves INTO the studs. It will be necessary to locate and mark the lateral position of the wall studs prior to installation. Use a minimum of 24 screws, spaced evenly for each panel. For a more permanent installation, also use a general purpose panel adhesive, applied to the back of each slatwall panel.

If your slatwall panel has metal groove inserts, use 2 1/2" to 3", #6 or larger, pan head screws. It will be necessary to first pre-drill a pilot hole through the groove insert.


Masonry Walls