What Is An Access Panel?

A key feature of building design, access panels are fitted into a void in the wall or ceiling in order to provide access to services in buildings. They are designed to fit subtly into the wall or ceiling surface, with doors often able to be painted over to blend into the surface for minimal noticeability.

In most buildings, the space between drywall, ceilings, and floors is not often empty, with essential utilities like plumbing and electrical wiring running through these spaces. Concealing these components helps both the space’s aesthetic appeal, as well as its compliance to various safety standards. 

However, completely sealing off these systems is rarely a practical option, as any maintenance work or safety inspections that need access to them would require entire portions of the wall to be removed, costing you in both space down-time and money, especially if this is something you will need semi-regular access to. This is where access panels come in. By placing them during construction stages at strategic places along your surfaces, access panels act as direct Access Points to critical system points, allowing quick and easy access whenever the need may arise.

Here at Rapid Access, we offer a range of discrete access panels for every application. Our range comes in a variety of sizes, shapes and dimensions allowing us to deliver a solution perfectly customised to your needs. Whether you need regular access to smaller units and hubs, or large doorways allowing the passage of a person to restricted areas, we can provide your ideal solution.

These panels can be used in domestic properties and commercial buildings alike, with all our products offering certain levels of discretion. Our largest range of metal-faced access panels are perfect for wall or ceiling application and come with both picture and beaded-frame options for maximum design flexibility. As well as our standard metal-faced panels, our range also includes plasterboard and tile-faced options, for maximum camouflage with its surroundings. Get in touch with our team for more information.

As well as this, we also offer products with a variety of fire- and acoustic- proofing, which can be ideal for protecting against noisy components, or in the case of electrical hubs, can help contain any fire that may occur and prevent further damage. Riser doors also make up a critical part of our service as they form a critical safety component, particularly in high-rise buildings. Supplied with our rapid-fit hinge system, our products includes airtight, smoke tested, acoustic options, as well as up to 2-hours fire-rated.

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Visit our online panel builder to design an access panel that perfectly meets your requirements. We are specialists in the crafting of bespoke access panels to suit any and all specifications so get in touch today with your requirements. Email [email protected], call +44 (0) 24 7632 8811, or get in touch via our online enquiry form.