SM'art Decorative Panel Built for Both-Face Casework in Manhattan Finish
The SALT SM'art Epic panel is a 19 mm A/A thermally fused laminate (TFL) decorative panel finished on both faces in the Manhattan texture family, color SMM023 Epic. At 81-1/2 inch by 120-5/64 inch, it delivers a large sheet with both faces show-ready, making it the right choice wherever the back of a component is visible as well as the front.
Key Features
- 13-hour water-resistant core — a vendor test result, not a wet-area rating, and useful where spills and humidity are routine.
- 50% post-consumer recycled core — half the core content is reclaimed wood fiber.
- CARB2 compliant — meets the California formaldehyde emission limits that commercial and residential specifications ask for.
- CARB2 hardwood particleboard core — the substrate the decor is fused to.
- A/A Grade Construction: Both faces carry the same decorative finish, so open shelving, room dividers, and island end panels read consistently from every angle.
- Manhattan Finish Family: A defined texture and sheen shared across coordinating SM'art colors, allowing seamless joint transitions between panels in a mixed-color design.
- 19 mm Panel Thickness: Suits standard confirmat hardware and pairs with 23 mm matching ABS edgebanding for a clean, integrated edge.
- Large Sheet Format: The 81-1/2 inch by 120-5/64 inch nominal sheet size accommodates tall cabinet runs and full-height vertical panels with fewer seams.
- Thermally Fused Laminate Face: The decorative surface is fused directly to the core under heat and pressure, leaving no glue line to open at cut edges.
- Matching ABS Edgebanding Available: SM'art offers color-matched ABS banding in this decor so face and edge read as a single continuous surface.
Where This Panel Belongs in the Job
An A/A panel earns its place anywhere both faces of a component are exposed. Open kitchen shelving, glass-door cabinet interiors, freestanding island sides, back-to-back retail fixture panels, and walk-in closet dividers all demand a show face on the reverse. Specifying an A/A panel here avoids a secondary veneer or paint operation and keeps the job on schedule. The large sheet format reduces the number of pieces to handle and the number of seams to plan around on tall vertical work.
Surface, Core, and the Manhattan Finish
TFL fuses the decorative paper directly to the substrate, which means the finish bond is structural rather than adhesive. The Manhattan finish family gives this color its specific emboss and gloss level, and because the texture is consistent across every panel in the family, two Epic panels meeting at a corner or a miter carry the same surface character without a visible transition. Matching ABS edgebanding closes cut edges in the same decor, so the finished component reads as solid color from face to edge to back.
Who Reaches for This Panel
Cabinet shops producing open-frame or frameless boxes that ship assembled appreciate the A/A build because the interior face is already finished when the box comes off the saw. Commercial millwork firms specifying a contemporary neutral in a large-format run value the sheet size and the Manhattan finish family's compatibility with coordinating SM'art colors. Designers working on retail fixtures or hospitality casework where a panel may be seen from both sides can spec Epic with confidence that the second face is not an afterthought. The 19 mm thickness also keeps the panel compatible with standard European hardware layouts without any adjustment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does A/A mean on this panel?
A/A means both faces carry the same decorative finish to the same appearance standard. Either face can be the show face, which is what separates this from an A/B panel with a plain backer.
Is matching edgebanding available for SMM023 Epic in the Manhattan finish?
Yes. SM'art offers matching ABS edgebanding in this color. ABS banding is chlorine-free and is the preferred choice for specifications that restrict PVC.
Does SM'art have a matching high-pressure laminate for this color?
SM'art HPL is available in a 60 inch by 120 inch sheet, which lets you carry the same color onto a countertop or a surface the panel size does not cover.
Can I use this panel for bathroom or kitchen casework?
The core's moisture performance is not published for this collection, so plan around incidental splash rather than standing water. For applications under a sink or in a steam-exposed space, confirm the core spec before committing the job.
How does the Manhattan finish family coordinate with other SM'art colors?
Colors within the same finish family share the identical emboss and gloss level. Where two Manhattan-family colors meet at a joint, the texture transition is invisible even under raking light.
Both Faces Finished, One Less Step on the Floor
The SM'art Epic A/A panel in Manhattan finish ships ready to cut, band, and install, with no secondary finishing operation needed on the back face, which means the job moves faster and the finished piece holds up from every angle it will ever be seen from.
