What is a Balancing Backer?
PolyBak is most widely recognized as a balancing backer. When assembling a decorative panel, there are three main parts: the decorative face, the substrate in the middle, and a balancing backer on the bottom. When each of these three components is present, your panel is considered balanced.
Why is it important to have a balanced panel?
Let’s consider that you’ve laid up a decorative panel, but you only applied the decorative face on your substrate. As the humidity begins to change with weather fluctuations, the veneer face will begin to expand and contract - this will put stress on the substrate and, over time, lead to warping. By applying a balancing backer to the bottom of the substrate, the backer will expand and contract with the face, helping to absorb some of the stress on the substrate and, therefore, balancing the panel.
Why PolyBak in this application?
The simplest way to balance a panel would be to put the same material on the bottom that you’ve put on the face. Because they’re the same, they would be equal in thickness and grain: a perfectly balanced panel. However, if you’re using a wood veneer and the bottom will not be shown in the final product, it’s an expensive choice to use a decorative piece for both the top and the bottom. PolyBak is an ideal option here because of its lower cost than veneer and its benefits in this application.
PolyBak benefits as a balancing backer.
PolyBak comes in several different thicknesses and can balance a variety of laminates. We have a backer to match whatever is being used on the face.
Our extensive sizing options are consistent with standard panel sizes, and for projects that require unusual widths and lengths, we offer custom sizing to eliminate customer waste.
PolyBak comes in sanded 1-side and 2-sided versions, which provide additional grip when bonding to the substrate. Its smooth service is also extremely paintable.
PolyBak has the UL Formaldehyde Free Emissions Certification, meaning that the amount of formaldehyde emissions in our product doesn’t exceed those found in nature. If you’re looking for a product that will assist you in constructing environmentally friendly panels, PolyBak is what you need.
PolyBak is made with no banned chemicals. This can be verified by viewing PolyBak’s Declare Label, which has met their Red List Free criteria.
PolyBak is made using a unique manufacturing process that uses less energy than alternatives, because of this it has extremely low embodied carbon.
What to Consider When Selecting a Model
When using PolyBak as a balancing backer our standard recommendations are: PB42-13, PB69-28 & PB90-28, but choosing the perfect model is dependent on many different factors. Here are some things to consider when selecting a model:
What is the thickness and grade of your decorative face? You will want something that is comparable to ensure an equal balance.
Is there extra hardware on the bottom side of the final panel that will reinforce the backer? If this is the case, you may be able to go with a thinner backer because additional strength from the hardware will assist in creating balance.
What about your substrate? If you’re using a thick substrate instead of a thin board, you may also be able to select a thinner backer, as the board is more robust and less likely to warp. Also, consider the type of wood that is being used. Some woods are softer than others and are more likely to be affected by surrounding temperatures and changes in humidity.
We recommend talking to a member of our team and performing tests before you make a final decision. If you have additional questions about using PolyBak as a balancing backer, feel free to reach out to our team at 616-243-2700 or sales@richwoodind.com