Vacuum membrane pressing, flat lamination or profile wrapping: which process do you need?
The same roll of decorative film can end up on a routed kitchen door, a flat wall panel or a long door frame. What changes is how the film is applied, and the process decides which film you should buy. Here is how the three processes work and how to choose, from the factory that makes the film.
Please note: Xingpai makes the decorative film only. We supply the film in rolls. We do not press, laminate or wrap panels for customers, and we do not sell machines. Each process below needs its own machine (a vacuum membrane press, a laminating line or a profile wrapping machine), which our customers, furniture, door and panel makers, run in their own factories.
The three processes at a glance
| Vacuum membrane pressing | Flat lamination | Profile wrapping | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical products | Kitchen cabinet doors, wardrobe doors, shaped furniture fronts | Cabinet fronts, wardrobe panels, furniture boards, wall panels | Door and window frames, mouldings, skirting boards, wall panel profiles, furniture edges |
| Shape of the part | Routed panel with grooves, raised panels and rounded edges | Flat board | Long part with a shaped cross-section |
| Machine (your own) | Vacuum membrane press | Laminating machine with rollers, or a flat press | Wrapping machine with rows of rollers |
| What gets covered | Face, edges and routed profile in one step | The face of the board; edges are finished separately | The visible faces of the profile |
| What the film must do | Soften with heat and stretch without tearing | Lie flat and even | Bend around tight corners without cracking or turning white, and keep the same color along long runs |
| Usual film | PVC | PVC, PET or PP | PVC or PP |
| Also called | PVC membrane foil, thermofoil | Lamination film, PVC laminate film, furniture foil | Profile wrapping foil |
1. Vacuum membrane pressing
This is the usual process for kitchen cabinet doors, wardrobe doors and shaped furniture fronts. The MDF parts are routed, sanded and sprayed with adhesive. The film is laid over them, heated in the press and drawn down by vacuum, so it covers the face, the edges and the routed profile in one step.
Which film: PVC softens when it is heated and stretches without tearing, so it can follow grooves, raised panels and rounded edges. This is why most vacuum pressing lines use PVC membrane foil. Doors made this way are called membrane doors, or thermofoil doors in North America. Our films for vacuum membrane pressing →
2. Flat lamination
Flat lamination is used for flat boards such as MDF, particle board and plywood: cabinet fronts, wardrobe panels, furniture boards and wall panels. The boards are coated with adhesive and the film is pressed on with rollers or a flat press. The edges are finished separately, for example with edge banding.
Which film: flat lamination works with PVC, PET and PP film, because the film does not need to stretch around shapes. PVC offers the widest choice of colors and surfaces. PET keeps a flat, even surface and contains no chlorine. PP is another chlorine-free option. Our films for flat lamination →
3. Profile wrapping
Profile wrapping covers long parts with a shaped cross-section: door and window frames, mouldings, skirting boards, wall panel profiles and furniture edges. A wrapping machine feeds the profile and the film through rows of rollers. Adhesive is applied, and the rollers press the film around the profile shape step by step.
Which film: the film has to bend around tight corners without cracking or turning white, and keep the same color along long runs. PVC film, often called profile wrapping foil, is the usual choice; PP is used too. Our films for profile wrapping →
How to choose your film
- Start with the product and your machine. Routed doors and shaped fronts go to vacuum membrane pressing. Flat boards and panels go to flat lamination. Frames, mouldings and skirting go to profile wrapping. You need the machine for that process in your own factory; we supply the film.
- Pick the material for that process. PVC for vacuum pressing; PVC or PP for profile wrapping; PVC, PET or PP for flat lamination. Our PVC vs PET guide explains the difference.
- Choose the look. Wood grain, solid-color soft-touch, stone and marble, fabric and leather texture, special effect or high gloss. Every series can be used for all three processes.
- Send us your specification. Your process, machine and product, plus the thickness, width and quantity you need. Our films range from 0.12 to 1.5 mm thick depending on the series, 1240 to 1420 mm wide, with a minimum order of 1,000 m per color.
- Test before mass production. Every machine and line is different. Run a sample on your own line before placing a full order.
Making doors, panels and frames that must match? Use the same color code for all of them and tell us when you order, so we can plan the colors together.
Questions
Do you press, laminate or wrap panels for customers?
No. Xingpai is a decorative film manufacturer: we make and sell the film in rolls. Vacuum membrane pressing, flat lamination and profile wrapping are done by our customers on their own machines. We do not sell machines either.
Can the same color be used for vacuum pressing, flat lamination and profile wrapping?
Yes. Every series we make can be used for all three processes. If doors, panels and frames must match, use the same color code and tell us when you order.
Which thickness should I use?
It depends on the process, the shape of the part and your machine. Our films range from 0.12 mm to 1.5 mm depending on the series. Tell us your process and product, and we will recommend a thickness.
What is thermofoil?
Thermofoil is the North American name for PVC film used in vacuum membrane pressing. Doors made this way are called thermofoil doors or membrane doors.
Can you match my sample?
Yes. Send us your sample and we can match the color and texture.
Not sure which process or film fits your product?
Tell us what you make and which machine you run. A sales manager will reply with a film recommendation, samples and price.