Home/Products/Flexible Special Texture/Shell
Flexible Special Texture Series · MB-BK
Shell Panel
Scallop shells, overlapped and pressed flat. Seven millimetres, the thickest sheet we make, and the only pattern in the series that is drawn in concentric fans.
Each scallop is about 55 mm across with 25 to 30 radiating ribs, overlapping the row below at roughly half its height. In white it behaves like carved plaster; the shadow under each fan does the work, and the surface goes from flat to strongly modelled depending on where the light comes from.
Seven millimetres is thick for a flexible sheet, and it is what the relief needs: the ribs are only 1 mm proud, and a thinner sheet would read as a print. The trade is that it is the least flexible product in the range, and it does not fold round a tight radius.
Twenty-five ribs per shell
The ribs are not straight lines — they fan, and they get slightly wider toward the outer edge. That irregularity is what separates this from a machine-cut fish-scale tile, and it is why the pattern only starts to repeat over about two metres.
Good for
- Bathrooms, spa areas and pool surrounds in a pale scheme
- Restaurant and hotel walls that want a coastal reference without a photograph of the sea
- Ceilings, where the fans catch uplight and form a pattern of their own
- Feature walls behind a bar or a vanity, at close viewing distance
Not for
- Tight radii under 400 mm, because of the 7 mm thickness
- Large exterior elevations: the sheet is heavier and the joints show
- Walls with strong raking light from one side, where the overlap shadow doubles
Specification
Everything below applies to the Shell as supplied. Samples and datasheets come with the first quote.
| Sheet size | 1200 × 3000 mm |
|---|---|
| Thickness | 7 mm ± 1 mm |
| Weight | 7.5 kg/m² ± 0.5 |
| Substrate | Mineral powder, sand and fibreglass, pressed in a steel mould |
| Fire | EN 13501-1 A2-s1,d0, on a non-combustible substrate |
| Fixing | Polymer adhesive, or mechanical fixings on a ventilated frame |
| MOQ | Stocked colours ship from stock, no minimum |
| Lead time | 3–5 days for stock, 20–25 days for production |
Fitting it
Four steps, and the third one is the one that goes wrong.
Questions we get asked
Why is this sheet thicker than the others?
Because the relief needs it. The fans are only about 1 mm proud, and at 4 mm the sheet flexes enough between the ribs that the pattern flattens under a hand.
Does it need a special adhesive?
A standard polymer adhesive, but a full-bed notch rather than dots, because the sheet does not bend to follow an uneven wall and voids will show as hollows.
Is it only white?
White is the stock colour and the one the pattern was designed around. Off-white and a pale sand have been made to order.
Can it go in a shower?
Yes, with a tanked substrate and a sealed face. The overlap holds water, so run the fans so they shed rather than cup, and wipe down after use.
What does it feel like?
Like a ribbed ceramic, but warm and slightly givey. The 1 mm ribs are clearly readable under a fingertip.
Sample of Shell
A4 offcut, posted from Ningbo, free. Ask for the colour card too — it has all seventeen textures in the series.
Same series