FRP Panels

What Is FRP?

FRP stands for Fiberglass Reinforced Panels (sometimes called Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic). These are thin, hard, smooth-faced panels made from polyester resin reinforced with fiberglass strands. They're designed for wall and ceiling surfaces in areas that need to be washable, moisture-proof, and sanitary.

If you've been in a commercial kitchen, fast food restaurant, or public restroom in the last 30 years, you've seen FRP. It's the shiny, pebble-textured wall material that goes behind grills, above sinks, and in wet areas. Health departments require it in most food prep environments.

Commercial Applications

• Commercial kitchens — Behind cooking equipment, above prep surfaces, on walls and ceilings in the kitchen area. Required by health code in most jurisdictions.
• Restaurants — Kitchen, dish pit, walk-in cooler, and storage areas. Basically any back-of-house wet surface.
• Food processing plants — Walls, ceilings, and column wraps in processing areas. Easy to sanitize for USDA and FDA compliance.
• Public restrooms — Walls behind toilets and urinals, shower surrounds, locker rooms.
• Car washes — Walls and ceilings in the wash tunnel. Handles constant water exposure.
• Clean rooms — Smooth, sealed surfaces that can be wiped down and sterilized.
• Grocery stores — Deli, bakery, butcher, and produce prep areas.

Benefits

• Moisture-proof: FRP doesn't absorb water. Period. It won't swell, warp, delaminate, or grow mold in wet environments.
• Easy to clean: Smooth surface wipes down with soap and water or chemical sanitizers. Hose it off if you want.
• Health code compliant: Meets NSF, USDA, and most local health department requirements for food prep and service areas.
• Impact resistant: Tough enough to handle bumps from carts, mops, and equipment. Won't crack like tile.
• Affordable: Much cheaper than tile or stainless steel for large wall areas. Installs faster too.
• Chemical resistant: Handles commercial cleaning chemicals without degrading.

Installation

FRP installs over drywall, concrete block, plywood, or existing wall surfaces. We apply FRP adhesive to the wall substrate, then press the panel into place. Panels are typically 4'×8' or 4'×10' sheets. We cut them to size on site with a circular saw or jigsaw.

Joints between panels get sealed with FRP molding strips — H-moldings for panel-to-panel seams, inside corners, outside corners, and J-moldings at the top and bottom edges. Every joint gets sealed with silicone to prevent moisture from getting behind the panels.

The key to a good FRP install is surface prep. The substrate needs to be clean, dry, and flat. Any bumps or dips in the wall show through the panel. We skim-coat drywall joints and fill any imperfections before paneling.

A typical restaurant kitchen FRP job takes 1-2 days for a two-person crew.

Specs

• Thickness: 0.090" (standard) — about the thickness of a credit card
• Panel size: 4'×8', 4'×10', 4'×12'
• Surface: Smooth, pebble texture, or embossed
• Colors: White (most common), almond, gray, and other standard colors
• Fire rating: Class A or Class C depending on product
• Temperature range: -40°F to 200°F

Manufacturers

Marlite and Crane Composites (Sequentia) are the two main FRP producers. Marlite panels tend to be the architect's spec on most commercial projects we see. Both make high-quality products. We stock standard white FRP and can order specialty colors with a few days' lead time.

FRP vs. Tile vs. Stainless Steel

Tile costs 2-3x more than FRP installed. Grout lines collect grime and need maintenance. FRP has no grout. For food prep areas, FRP wins on cost and maintenance.

Stainless steel is the premium option. It's tougher than FRP and preferred in high-end commercial kitchens. But it costs 4-5x more. Most restaurant kitchens use FRP on walls and stainless on work surfaces.

Get a Quote

Opening a restaurant? Renovating a commercial kitchen? FRP is probably on your health department's requirements list. Contact us for a free estimate. We also have an FRP calculator to help you estimate materials.