Ningbo, China · GMT+8 Mon–Fri 08:30–18:00

Clip-on or magnetic: choosing a retrofit wall system

Both systems are 38 mm and both are removable. The choice comes down to how often the wall has to be opened, and who will open it.

The clip system holds the module mechanically: a formed clip engages the module edge and the module is pressed home. It is fast, it is firm, and it gives a tight, consistent joint line. Removing a panel takes a tool and a deliberate action, which is exactly what you want on a public corridor where panels should not come off by accident.

The magnetic system holds the module with magnetic fixings and a top track that limits and locates it. It is faster still, needs no tool to open, and is the right choice where access is routine: riser shafts, electrical cupboards, access panels behind sanitaryware, plant rooms. The trade-off is that a magnetic fixing has a lower resistance to being knocked off than a mechanical clip, so it is not the right choice at trolley height in a hospital corridor.

Both variants share the same 33 mm module, the same 38 mm minimum thickness and the same 17 kg/m2, so the choice does not affect the wall's acoustic or fire performance; it affects only the access strategy. That means the decision can be made per wall, or even per panel, on the same project.

The practical rule: clip where the wall is public and permanent, magnet where the wall hides something that gets serviced. Draw the access strategy on the elevation — mark which panels open and how — and the maintenance team will use it correctly. Without that drawing, they will cut the panel.

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