LOPO terracotta panel selection should follow the facade assembly, geometry, appearance, and support conditions rather than an old list of marketing names. Natural-fired, glazed, wood-look, grooved, printed, or engraved describe appearance treatments; they do not automatically define a different structural panel type. This guide provides a decision matrix for choosing between hollow rainscreen panels, solid terracotta tiles, standard profiles, and project-specific units while keeping the product and system boundaries clear.

Begin with the Product Family

The most important choice is whether the project needs a hollow facade panel for a ventilated rainscreen or a solid tile for a different wall build-up. These products can share a clay appearance but have different sections, weights, joints, support methods, and typical applications. Do not use the drawings, test data, or fixing assumptions of one family for the other.

Hollow Terracotta Rainscreen Panel

A hollow panel is the usual starting point for a modular ventilated facade supported on a mechanically fixed substructure. Review LOPO’s terracotta facade panel range when the design includes repeated panel modules, open or detailed joints, rails or clips, a cavity, and coordinated insulation and weather-control layers. Project engineers must define loads, supports, anchors, movement, drainage, fire strategy, and local compliance.

Solid Terracotta Tile

A solid tile is a thinner clay unit used as a wall finish with a project-designed adhesive, mechanical fixing, precast integration, or another approved approach. Review the terracotta solid tile range when the substrate and installation method suit that product. A solid tile should not be renamed a rainscreen panel merely because it appears on an exterior wall.

Terracotta Baguette Is a Separate Element

Long, narrow screening or shading profiles are normally treated as baguettes or louvers rather than wall panels. If the facade intent is an open linear screen, use the terracotta baguette and louver range and coordinate span, orientation, support points, impact risk, wind action, fixing access, and replacement separately.

Panel Selection Matrix

Select Geometry Before Surface Finish

Start with the facade module and interfaces. Flat rectangular panels are usually the simplest basis for rational setting-out. Grooves, ribs, waves, recesses, projections, curves, angles, and deep returns can add shadow and depth, but they may also change section thickness, tolerances, support locations, water flow, handling, packing, and the appearance of joints.

Treat Finish as a Controlled Layer of Selection

• Approve physical samples identified by product, body, finish, color, and date.
• Define the acceptable tonal, gloss, texture, or pattern range rather than expecting identical units.
• Review multiple units at the intended orientation, joint color, lighting, and viewing distance.
• Use a larger mock-up when repetition, pattern alignment, corners, or adjacent materials affect the result.
• Confirm whether cleaning, handling, replacement, or touch-up restrictions apply to the selected surface.

Coordinate the Support Method

Support is not an accessory decision made after panel selection. The product section and fixing interface must work with the rails, clips, anchors, brackets, substrate, tolerances, cavity, joints, and access. A standard panel may become unsuitable if the required span, orientation, edge distance, or corner condition falls outside its documented arrangement.

Use a Traceable Selection Workflow

1. Define the wall. Record the building location, facade zone, cavity or substrate, exposure, and responsible designers.
2. Choose the family. Separate hollow rainscreen panels, solid tiles, and open baguette elements.
3. Set the geometry. Coordinate module, section, orientation, joints, corners, openings, and replacement access.
4. Choose the surface. Approve color, texture, glaze, pattern, and acceptable variation through physical references.
5. Verify support and evidence. Match fixing information and test documents to the selected item and complete project design.
6. Confirm production and delivery. Record final drawings, quantities, inspections, labels, packing, spares, destination, and programme.

The LOPO item listing can identify candidate models and finishes. Treat listed information as a starting point and confirm current feasibility, dimensions, documents, and availability for the specific enquiry.

Information to Send for Panel Review

• Elevations, details, sections, schedules, and digital drawings where available
• Panel family, module, orientation, section, corners, returns, and special pieces
• Color direction, finish, texture, glaze, pattern, and sample requirements
• Proposed support concept, joints, cavity, substrate, interfaces, and replacement strategy
• Required standards, performance criteria, documents, mock-up, and inspection stages
• Estimated quantity, delivery country, programme, packing sequence, and site constraints

Frequently Asked Questions

Are glazed and natural-fired panels different panel types?

They are primarily different finish directions. The underlying product family, section, geometry, and support method still need to be identified. Glaze may introduce additional sample, appearance, handling, and replacement considerations.

Is a wood-look panel made from wood?

No. The term generally describes a surface appearance applied to a terracotta product. Confirm the actual clay body, panel type, pattern process, sample range, dimensions, fixing, and project-specific evidence rather than relying on the name.

When is a custom profile justified?

A custom profile can be useful for a deliberate facade rhythm, curve, corner, return, or interface that standard units cannot resolve. Its tooling, feasibility, tolerances, samples, supports, packing, replacements, quantity, and programme should be reviewed before approval.

Can the panel supplier approve the fixing design?

The supplier can provide product and interface information. The project’s qualified engineer should design and approve loads, anchors, brackets, rails, movement, safety provisions, and local compliance for the complete facade.

Select the System, Then the Look

A reliable LOPO terracotta panel selection moves in order from product family to geometry, support, finish, evidence, and delivery. This prevents a surface label from driving the wrong wall assembly. Send the application, drawings, preferred profile, finish, quantity, standards, and schedule through the LOPO project enquiry page for a product-specific review.