Compare
Porcelain wall panels vs. laminate (HPL) panels
Touchstone™ is a real fired-porcelain wall panel system, unlike laminate shower panels such as Wetwall (by Wilsonart) and Fibo, which are high-pressure laminate (HPL) — a printed surface bonded to a composite core. Laminate costs less. Touchstone is the genuine surface: harder, more scratch- and heat-resistant, with real stone-look depth instead of a printed image.
Side by side
| Touchstone | Laminate (HPL) panels | |
|---|---|---|
| Surface | Real 6mm porcelain | Printed high-pressure laminate over a core |
| Look | Real porcelain depth and movement | Printed pattern |
| Hardness | Hard, scratch- and heat-resistant | Softer laminate surface |
| Cost | Higher | Lower |
| Feel | Stone and tile | Laminate |
Where Touchstone wins
- A real porcelain surface, not a printed laminate
- Harder, more scratch- and heat-resistant
- Genuine stone-look depth rather than a printed image
The one tradeoff
Laminate wins on price alone. If the budget rules and a printed surface is acceptable, that's the trade.
Common questions
Touchstone has a real fired-porcelain face. Laminate (HPL) panels like Wetwall and Fibo have a printed image bonded to a composite core. Touchstone is harder and looks like real stone; laminate is cheaper.
On the surface, yes: Touchstone is a real fired-ceramic face, harder and more heat-resistant than a printed laminate. Laminate panels cost less, which is their main advantage.
Wetwall (made by Wilsonart) and Fibo are high-pressure laminate panels: a printed pattern bonded to a composite core, which keeps their cost down. Touchstone is real fired porcelain, so it is harder, more heat- and scratch-resistant, and has genuine stone-look depth instead of a printed surface.
The system
See the Touchstone porcelain wall panel system.
Real 6mm porcelain on a patented mechanical track. A full shower surround installs in a day, with no thinset, grout, or wet trades.