Honeycomb Core Cleanroom Panels: Paper and Aluminium
Honeycomb panels are cleanroom wall and ceiling panels with metal faces and a paper or aluminium honeycomb core. They are light, which helps on tall walls and ceilings. We make them in our own factory in Tianjin, and buyers compare the core, faces and joints before they order.
Best for
- Cleanroom walls
- Cleanroom ceilings with a support design
- Pharmaceutical, food and electronics clean areas
- Hospital and laboratory rooms
Video
Made in our factory
Specifications
Typical specification
| Core options | Aluminium honeycomb or paper honeycomb |
|---|---|
| Handmade panel thickness | 50 mm standard |
| Handmade panel width | 1,180 mm standard |
| Handmade panel length | 100–6,000 mm cut length |
| Paper honeycomb panel (separate catalogue configuration) | 50 mm thick, 1,150 mm wide, 1,000–3,600 mm standard length |
| Faces | Colour-coated, galvanized or stainless steel |
| Joints | Centre aluminium connection or male-female |
| Edge frame (handmade) | Galvanized steel frame strips and corner fittings on all four edges |
| MgO-faced versions | MgO board layers with aluminium honeycomb, or with paper honeycomb, confirmed on the assembly drawing |
| Ceiling use | Core and thickness do not set a walk-on rating; request load and deflection data for the assembly |
Options
What you can specify
- Aluminium honeycomb core
- Paper honeycomb core
- Colour-coated, galvanized or stainless steel faces
- Centre aluminium or male-female joint
- Cut lengths to your panel schedule
- MgO board layers under the steel faces
- Honeycomb door leaf core for matching cleanroom doors (paper or aluminium)
Paper or aluminium honeycomb?
They are separate core selections, and their specifications are not interchangeable.
| Paper honeycomb | Aluminium honeycomb | |
|---|---|---|
| Core | Hexagonal paper cells bonded between two facings | Aluminium cells bonded between two facings |
| Sizes we list | Handmade family 1,180 × 50 mm, 100–6,000 mm long; or the separate paper honeycomb configuration 1,150 × 50 mm, 1,000–3,600 mm long | Handmade family 1,180 × 50 mm, 100–6,000 mm long |
| Sensitive to | Humidity and fire, unless treated | Confirmed on the quotation |
| Ask for | Paper type, impregnation, humidity range, fire treatment, sealed edges | Cell size, foil thickness, bonding |
| Fire class | Only the report on the finished panel decides | Only the report on the finished panel decides |
Paper honeycomb wall and ceiling panels: what to check
Paper honeycomb is light, but paper reacts to moisture and fire. Two published studies show why the core needs its own checks:
- A review in *Materials* (2020, 13(9):2058) reports that the compressive strength of paper cell cores in humid conditions can fall to 25% of the dry value. That was a test of cores, not of wall panels.
- A 2010 paper in the *Journal of the Korean Institute of Fire Science and Engineering* compared four fire treatments for honeycomb paper. Impregnation with flame retardant performed best; a surface film delayed ignition but worsened heat and smoke release.
So ask the supplier, for the exact panel offered:
1. What paper the core is, and whether it is impregnated. 2. What humidity range the core is rated for. 3. How the core is fire-treated. 4. Which fire report covers the finished panel. 5. How cut edges and openings are sealed. EU GMP Annex 1 (para 4.7) asks for room materials that can take repeated cleaning and disinfectants, so a liquid must not reach the core.
Walls and ceilings are different jobs
Walls. The light core makes tall walls easier to stand and fix. Openings for doors, windows and pass boxes are planned with the panel layout, and our door and window frames are listed for 50, 75 and 100 mm walls.
Ceilings. A honeycomb core or a 50 mm thickness does not make a ceiling walkable. For a ceiling, send support positions, spans, penetrations for FFUs and lights, equipment loads and maintenance access, and ask for load and deflection data for the exact assembly. See cleanroom ceiling systems.
How to choose a honeycomb core
Aluminium honeycomb and paper honeycomb are separate selections. Their specifications are not interchangeable. For either one, ask for the core specification, the cell dimensions with units, the face sheets, the backing and the bonding.
For paper honeycomb, also ask for the core treatment, the sealed edges, and the cleaning and moisture-use limits. Compare assembly drawings, panel mass per m2 and the fire-test report for the exact build. A core name does not set fire rating or moisture resistance.
What to specify in an enquiry
Send wall and ceiling schedules separately. Give the destination, the preferred core, dimensions, face requirements, joint details, the cleaning agents used in the room and the reports you need. For ceilings, add support positions, spans, penetrations, equipment loads and maintenance access. State the packing, shipping and installation scope you want priced.
Quote checklist
| Send | Why |
|---|---|
| Core: paper or aluminium | Separate products |
| Family: handmade 1,180 mm or paper honeycomb 1,150 mm | Counting with the wrong width gives the wrong quantity |
| Wall schedule and ceiling schedule, separately | Ceilings need a support and load check |
| Faces: metal, grade, thickness, finish | Colour-coated, galvanized or stainless |
| Joint: centre aluminium or male-female | Changes trims and sealing |
| Room humidity and cleaning agents | Decides paper suitability and edge sealing |
| Ceiling supports, spans, FFU and light openings | For the load and deflection check |
| Reports you need | Fire report naming the core |
| Destination and installation scope | Packing, freight and site support |
What goes wrong on site
Two sizes are listed. The handmade family is 1,180 mm wide; the separate paper honeycomb configuration is 1,150 mm wide. Mixing them gives wrong quantities.
A honeycomb core or a panel thickness does not make a ceiling walkable. Ask for load and deflection information for the exact assembly. Ask for fire and other performance reports for the exact faces, core, backing and thickness offered. The panel core does not set the room's cleanliness class.
Cleanroom panel selection: core materials compared
Questions
Common questions
Should I choose aluminium or paper honeycomb?
They are separate core selections and are not interchangeable. Ask for the core specification, cell dimensions, face sheets, backing and bonding for either one, then compare assembly drawings, panel mass per m2 and the applicable fire-test report.
What are the standard honeycomb panel dimensions?
The handmade family lists 50 mm thickness, 1,180 mm width and cut lengths from 100 to 6,000 mm. A separate paper honeycomb configuration lists 50 mm thickness, 1,150 mm width and 1,000 to 3,600 mm length. Confirm the offered size in the quotation.
Can honeycomb ceiling panels be walked on?
A core or a thickness alone does not give a walk-on rating. Send support positions, spans, penetrations, equipment loads and access needs, and ask for assembly-specific load and deflection data.
Which faces and joints are available?
Colour-coated, galvanized and stainless steel faces, with a centre aluminium connection or a male-female joint. State the metal grade, thickness, finish and the cleaning agents used in the room.
Is a paper honeycomb panel suitable for a humid or wash-down room?
Ask for the core's humidity rating and how cut edges are sealed. A 2020 review found paper cores can lose up to 75% of their dry compressive strength in humid conditions. For wash-down rooms, compare a mineral core such as rock wool before you decide.
Do you make doors with a honeycomb core to match?
Yes. Our cleanroom door leaves can have a paper honeycomb, aluminium honeycomb or rock wool core, with frames for 50, 75 and 100 mm panel walls. See cleanroom doors.
Project enquiry
Send what you have
A room list, a floor plan or only the floor area is enough to start. After you submit, send drawings by email or WhatsApp.
We reply by email within one working day. We can sign an NDA before you send drawings.
WhatsApp +44 7962 561184 is our UK number for export enquiries. The factory is in Tianjin, China.
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +44 7962 561184