The office washroom is one of the most frequently used spaces in any commercial building and consistently one of the last to be properly specified. When a refurbishment budget is set, the washroom often gets what is left — which usually means tiling, exposed pipework and a maintenance headache that compounds over time. IPS and duct panelling offers a different approach: concealed services, seamless surfaces and access without destruction. This guide explains how it works and why it is increasingly the standard specification for commercial office washrooms.
Key takeaways
- IPS panelling (Integrated Panel Systems) conceals cisterns, pipework and service runs behind a flat, accessible panel surface. Duct panelling does the same for horizontal service runs and basin backs.
- The primary advantages over traditional tiling are: faster installation, better hygiene (no grout lines), easier maintenance access, and a cleaner finish.
- Solid grade laminate (SGL) is the standard material for IPS panels in office washrooms — fully waterproof, non-porous, resistant to cleaning chemicals and long-lasting.
- Maintenance access is the practical advantage that makes the biggest difference to facilities teams: a leaking cistern behind an IPS panel takes minutes to access; behind tiling it requires demolition.
- IPS and duct panelling can be manufactured to match any colour scheme or finish, making the office washroom consistent with the rest of the fit-out.
What is IPS and duct panelling?
IPS stands for Integrated Panel System. It is a framework and panel system that creates a false wall behind toilets and urinals, concealing the cisterns, pipework, isolation valves and service connections behind a flat, cleanable surface. Duct panelling does the same for the wall area behind washbasins and for horizontal service runs in the ceiling void or floor-to-ceiling columns.
Together, IPS and duct panelling remove all the exposed infrastructure from a washroom and replace it with a continuous panel surface that is easy to clean, visually clean, and — critically — accessible for maintenance without tools or demolition.
BRAC Projects manufactures and installs bespoke IPS and duct panelling systems for offices, schools, healthcare facilities and public buildings across the UK. We fabricate panels from solid grade laminate in our UK facility and install them as part of a complete washroom package.
Why offices are moving away from tiled washrooms
Traditional tiled washrooms have two fundamental problems that compound over time.
Grout deteriorates. Grout is porous. In a humid washroom environment, it absorbs moisture, becomes discoloured, and provides a surface where bacteria and mould can establish themselves regardless of how frequently the washroom is cleaned. Over time, grout lines in a busy commercial washroom become progressively harder to maintain to a presentable standard.
Access requires demolition. When a cistern leaks, a flush valve fails, or an isolation valve needs to be reached behind a tiled wall, the only option is to break out the tiles, fix the problem, and then try to match the original tiles for reinstatement — which is rarely possible exactly. The result is visible patches, additional cost, and the washroom being out of service for longer than necessary.
IPS and duct panelling removes both problems. There is no grout. And access to services is by removing a panel — not by breaking a wall.
How IPS panelling is installed
IPS systems are manufactured off-site and arrive at the project ready to install. At BRAC Projects, panels are fabricated using precision CNC machinery to the exact dimensions of the specific washroom, which means they arrive ready to fit without on-site cutting of the panel face.
The installation sequence is straightforward: a framework is fixed to the structural wall, the sanitaryware cisterns and service connections are made to the plumbing, and the panels are fixed to the framework. Because there is no wet trade work — no plastering, no tiling, no grouting — there is no drying time, and the sanitaryware can be fitted to the panel framework immediately.
This off-site fabrication approach means that IPS panelling installation in a commercial washroom is significantly faster than equivalent tiled construction. For a building refurbishment where the programme is tight, this difference matters.
The hygiene advantage: no grout lines
The hygiene case for IPS and duct panelling in an office washroom is straightforward. Solid grade laminate panels are:
- Non-porous — they do not absorb moisture, bacteria or cleaning chemicals
- Seamless at panel joints — the joints between panels are tight and sealed, with no grout line
- Resistant to cleaning chemicals — they can be wiped down with commercial disinfectants repeatedly without surface degradation
- Flat and continuous — no exposed pipes, no pipe clips, no difficult-to-reach areas behind cisterns
The cleaning team can wipe the entire wall surface with a single pass. There are no grout lines to scrub, no pipe runs to clean around, and no areas that require specialist attention. In an office washroom serving a large workforce, this practical hygiene advantage accumulates significantly over the life of the installation.
For office washrooms where the IPS panelling runs from the floor to ceiling height, the result is a surface that looks as clean as it is easy to clean — which matters for staff perception of the facility.
Maintenance access: the practical advantage
The maintenance case for IPS panelling is the one that most facilities managers find most compelling once they have experienced it.
Modern IPS panel systems use concealed hinges, spring clips or magnetic catches. When a plumber needs to access a cistern — for a routine service, a flush valve replacement, or a leak repair — they open the panel, carry out the work, and close the panel again. The panel is undamaged, the wall behind is undamaged, and the washroom is back in service the same day.
Compare this with the equivalent situation behind tiling. Breaking out tiles is destructive, slow, and messy. Finding matching tiles for reinstatement is frequently impossible with discontinued ranges. The repair is visible, the cost is significant, and the disruption to the washroom — and therefore the workforce — is extended.
In our work at Newham Hospital and Barnet Hospital, IPS panel systems were installed specifically because of the maintenance access requirement in live clinical environments — where the ability to carry out rapid, non-destructive maintenance is not optional.
Aesthetic flexibility: matching the office fit-out
Solid grade laminate for IPS panels is available in a wide range of colours, finishes and textures — plain colours, stone effects, wood grains, and bespoke RAL colours. This means the washroom panelling can be specified to match the office fit-out rather than being limited to whatever tile ranges are available.
Where an office has a specific colour scheme — for example, matching the reception desk, kitchen cabinetry or meeting room joinery — the IPS panelling can be fabricated in the same material and finish. This creates a washroom that feels like a designed part of the building rather than a utility afterthought.
Wall-hung sanitaryware, which is supported by the internal steel frame of the IPS system, leaves the floor completely clear. This makes the washroom feel larger, and gives the cleaning team unobstructed access to the floor — a practical benefit that standard back-to-wall installations do not provide.
IPS and duct panelling: office versus other sectors
The benefits of IPS panelling described above apply across most commercial environments — offices, schools, leisure facilities, healthcare and public buildings. The specification decisions that vary between sectors are primarily material and fixing method.
In offices, solid grade laminate in a clean colour finish is the standard specification. In healthcare environments, the same material is specified alongside specific requirements around joint sealing and service access that are driven by infection control protocols. In schools and custodial settings, the fixing method is specified to prevent panel removal without tools.
For offices, the standard commercial IPS specification — solid grade laminate panels on a steel framework, with hinged access to cisterns and service runs — is appropriate for the vast majority of projects.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between IPS panelling and duct panelling?
IPS (Integrated Panel Systems) typically refers to the vertical panel systems behind toilets and urinals that conceal cisterns and vertical service runs. Duct panelling refers to the horizontal panel systems behind washbasins and along corridor columns that conceal horizontal pipe runs and other services. In practice, both use the same panel materials and installation approach, and a complete office washroom installation usually includes both.
Is IPS panelling more expensive than tiling?
The material cost of an IPS panel system is typically higher than basic tiling, but the total installed cost is often comparable because IPS installation is faster and requires fewer trades. Over the life of the installation, IPS panels are significantly cheaper due to lower maintenance costs — no grout resealing, no tile replacement when services are accessed, and simpler cleaning.
What material is used for IPS panels in commercial offices?
Solid grade laminate (SGL) is the standard specification for IPS panels in commercial office washrooms. It is fully waterproof, non-porous, impact-resistant and resistant to the cleaning chemicals used in commercial environments. It is solid all the way through — no absorbent core — which makes it appropriate for washroom use in a way that standard laminate on MDF is not.
Can IPS panels be installed in an existing office washroom?
Yes. IPS panelling can be retrofitted into an existing washroom as part of a refurbishment. The existing sanitaryware is disconnected, the framework is installed against the existing wall, new connections are made, and the panels are fitted. This is typically faster than removing existing tiling and retiling, and produces a better long-term result.
How long do IPS panels last?
Solid grade laminate IPS panels correctly installed in a commercial washroom should last fifteen to twenty years — matching the service life of well-specified toilet cubicle panels in the same material. The limiting factor is usually the hardware (hinges, clips) rather than the panel material itself.
Do IPS panels work with wall-hung toilets?
Yes. IPS panel systems are typically designed specifically to work with wall-hung sanitaryware. The internal steel framework of the IPS system carries the weight of the wall-hung toilet or urinal, and the panel sits in front of the cistern. This is one of the design advantages of IPS systems — wall-hung sanitaryware with the floor kept completely clear.
Specifying IPS and duct panelling for your office washroom
IPS and duct panelling is not the cheapest option at point of installation. It is the most practical option across the life of the washroom — faster to install than tiling, simpler to clean, non-destructively accessible for maintenance, and consistent in appearance for the life of the building.
For offices where staff perception of the washroom matters, where facilities management budget is constrained, and where the washroom needs to perform without constant attention, IPS and duct panelling is the correct specification.
BRAC Projects manufactures and installs bespoke IPS and duct panelling systems for office washrooms across the UK, as part of complete washroom packages that include cubicles, vanity units and full installation. To discuss a project, see our commercial sector work or get in touch.