Outlet panel is a distributor for Whirlwind Building products and other manufacturers We offer steel panels from 29 gauge farm profiles to 16 gauge roof decking and steel shapes from 20 gauge flashing to 1" thick hot formed shapes.
Steel and fiberglass panels can be made to order in a variety of colors if there is sufficient quality. All stock items are available on a first come basis. Steel is stocked in mill finish, galvanized, galvalume, and some colors. Fiberglass panels are stocked in translucent white, green, clear, and opaque gray.
FRP panels are manufactured using various types of thermo set resins and glass fibers. The type glass and orientation of the glass fibers determine the strength of the finished laminate.
STRENGTH- The type reinforcing determines laminate strength. Continuous glass reinforced panels can be manufactured with higher glass contents, leading to much higher mechanical properties.
COST- type and percentage of reinforcing is a large factor in the finished cost of the product. For example: Panels reinforced with chopped glass are less expensive to produce than panels reinforced with continuous glass fibers.
All FRP laminates are a combination of fibers (FR)a plastic resin (P). Panels offered on Outletpanel.com are manufactured using polyester thermo set resins and glass fibers.
Panels offered on outletpanel.com are generally manufactured with high quality thermoset polyester resins. The type polyester may vary, but most will be general purpose orthophthalic, isophthalic, or a combination depending on application. Resin may be selected with RESOLITE panels, but B grade panel resins cannot be changed.
Resins used in the panel industry come in two types, thermoset, and thermoplastic. Below is a very unscientific, but understandable explanation of the difference.
Thermoset resins (polyester) are liquids that react with a catalyst to form a solid, and cannot be returned to their liquid state. A good comparison is a boiled egg, it starts liquid, heat is applied, and it forms a solid that cannot be made liquid again without destroying it.
Thermoplastics resins (PVC) are also liquids that become solids. But unlike thermoset resins, thermoplastics are softened by application of heat or other catalysts. Thermoplastics can be heated, reshaped, heated, and reshaped over and over. A good comparison is JELLO gelatine. It starts liquid, solidifies as it cools, then melts when heated, hardens again when cools.
Fiberglass panels are translucent, glass is transparent. Both transmit light, but you can not see details through a translucent panel like you can glass or thermoplastic sheeting. Likewise, you do not get direct sunlight, glare, or as many UV rays through a translucent panel.
Translucent panels are light transmitting. OPAQUE panels are non light transmitting. However, no fiberglass panel should be considered to be light excluding (such as for darkrooms) as glass fibers always have the potential of allowing small amounts of light through. Opaque FRP panels may contain specific fillers to insure low light transmission.
Fiberglass panels can be made with fire retardant resins and specific fire retardant additives, resulting in a lower "flamespread" rating than non fire rated resins.
RESOLITE panels are offered in fire retardant and FM approved resin systems.
B grade panels sold by outletpanel.com are not tested, certified, or in any way verified to be fire rated panels.
A fire rated panel has been tested in a small scale test chamber compared to Red Oak flooring and Asbestos and assigned a number that relates only to that test, such as FS 25. No full scale tests have been performed on FR panels.
An FM approved panel, like RESOLITE RFM, has been tested by FMRC in a large scale test chamber consisting of a mock wall and roof under strict guidelines. FM approved panels may often be used in unsprinkled applications where typical FR panels might not be allowed.
Outletpanel.com wants your business and will do everything possible to provide materials that meet your requirements.
WE guarantee satisfaction with panels you purchase or your money back.
BUT, outletpanel.com makes no warranty, offers no warrant of suitability, and does not guarantee any B grade panels sold for weight, resin, structural integrity, fire rating, chemical resistance, or any other specific classification. All B grade panels are sold as is, where is.
