Engineered for Commercial and Multifamily Buildings

Innovation MgO Wall Panels offer the design and construction industry an innovative sheathing panel that outperforms wood-based, gypsum-based, and Portland cement panels on technical performance and overall value. Comprised of a proprietary magnesium oxide (MgO) cement, Innovation MgO Wall Panels are naturally fire resistant, provide industry-leading flexural strength and dimensional stability, and provide high durability as they withstand weather conditions better than the alternatives.

Innovation MgO 1/2″ Wall Panels are approved for exterior and interior use in all building types I, II, III, IV, & V and are easily installed using traditional tools and methods. One panel can be used in a multitude of exterior and interior wall applications and attaches easily to both metal and wood studs, reducing hassle, and saving both time and money.

Continue reading to learn about the technical merits of this unique product and contact us with your questions.

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Key Features & Benefits

Industry-Leading Fire Resistance

Innovation MgO Wall Panels offer a streamlined and effective method for extending the amount of time for safe evacuation of occupants and entry of emergency personnel during a fire event. Unlike fire-retardant-treated wood (FRTW) sheets, Innovation MgO panels will char, not burn, and maintain their structural integrity when exposed to fire. In a fire event, panels absorb large amounts of heat, contributing to a delay in fire and smoke spread.

Structural Strength & Stability

Innovation MgO Wall Panels are an ideal solution for multifamily, commercial, and industrial project teams that can benefit from the panels’ industry-leading flexural strength and dimensional stability. Specifying Innovation MgO Wall Panels with these attributes in mind enables architects and designers to save time and cost through innovative designs.

Durability & Weatherability

Whereas wood and gypsum-based panels will deteriorate, warp, bend, delaminate, and/or cup due to normal weather conditions on a jobsite, Innovation MgO panels withstand normal and extreme exposure to rain, wind, heat, and cold. Even in the harshest conditions, Innovation MgO panels remain dimensionally stable during normal construction.

Ease of Installation

Innovation MgO panels are installed by a single trade using traditional tools and methods readily available on job sites. Framing contractors that normally install plywood can install Innovation MgO panels with the same tools and methods they are familiar with. This is an advantage when compared to the installation of gypsum-based products, which oftentimes require specialized tools.

Water Resistance

Innovation MgO panels are highly durable and effective in resisting damage to water during normal construction conditions and for the life of a home or building. Like wood, gypsum, and Portland cement-based panels, Innovation MgO panels are not approved for permanent exterior use and exposure to the elements, instead serving as a structural base for the attachment of many types of finishes and claddings.

Approved for All Building Types

Innovation MgO ½” Wall Panels are approved for ALL building types I, II, III, IV, & V. This separates them from most other MgO panel products including some competitors whose products are only approved for Type III, Type V, or are limited to solely SIPS applications.

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Product Specifications & Technical Documents

Innovation MgO 1/2″ Wall Panels are noncombustible class A fire-rated with both 1 and 2-hour fire ratings as tested to ASTM E119. Panels do not burn at nearly 2200°F and achieved no flame spread and very low smoke development in ASTM E84 testing. Innovation MgO 1/2″ Wall Panels meet ASTM E136 acceptance criteria as a noncombustible material per IBC 2021. By carrying these fire ratings on their own, panels may be used in many types of wall assemblies approved to the NFPA 285 standard.

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Thickness

Nominal 1/2" (~12mm)
Sizes

4’ x 8’ standard
4’ x 10’ special order
4’ x 12’ special order
Weights

± 90 lbs (2.8 psf) standard
Uses

1 & 2-Hour Fire Ratings
Exterior & Interior Walls
Profile

Flat with square edges
Innovative Applications

Exterior load bearing fire-rated walls and interior fire-rated walls such as elevator shaft liners, demising/common walls, and stairwell walls.

Assembly Details

Innovation MgO 1/2" Wall Panel Assembly Details

Innovative Applications

Exterior Fire-Rated Walls

Innovation MgO 1/2" Wall Panels are an ideal material for exterior fire-rated walls that rely on both fire resistance and structural strength to meet code requirements, particularly in the event of a fire. Innovation MgO 1/2" Wall Panels truly do both – serving as a fire resistive barrier that slows smoke and flame spread while also contributing to the structural strength of the wall system, providing occupants and first responders with the time they need to evacuate a fire.

Interior Ceilings

Innovation MgO 1/2" Wall Panels are an ideal material for ceilings in commercial and multifamily buildings seeking added fire protection. Panels install similarly to traditional gypsum panels but provide superior fire protection and lasting durability. Innovation MgO 1/2" Wall Panels are far more durable than interior gypsum, enabling them to last longer and better resist damage from scratches, water leaks, biological degradation, and other unsightly issues that may occur.

Stairwell Walls

Innovation MgO 1/2" Wall Panels provide 1 and 2-hour fire ratings that are often required in stairwells while providing an additional benefit of superior durability when compared to interior gypsum and other traditional materials. Panels are highly scratch resistant and hard to the touch, enabling them to last longer in these high traffic areas. Innovation MgO 1/2" Wall Panels also resist damage from contact with water, fire, or other issues that may occur in these high traffic areas.

Elevator Shaft Liners

Innovation MgO 1/2" Wall Panels provide 1 and 2-hour fire ratings that are often required in elevator shafts without the addition of any tapes or sealants, which are required for gypsum-based products. Panels install similar to fire-retardant-treated wood (FRTW) sheets using traditional tools and methods. Traditional elevator shaft liner products can be hard to find during construction due to seasonal manufacturing in the U.S. Innovation MgO 1/2" Wall Panels are an ideal and reliable substitute.

Demising/Common Walls

Innovation MgO 1/2" Wall Panels’ unique combination of fire resistance, structural strength, and weatherability enables project teams to design and build demising/common walls differently. Traditional paper-faced fire-rated gypsum products require a roof covering during installation to prevent damage from weather and rain. Innovation MgO 1/2" Wall Panels provide the fire and structural performance required while not experiencing any damage from weather or rain during construction.

High Traffic Area Walls

Innovation MgO 1/2" Wall Panels are an ideal interior wall board for retail, restaurant, multifamily, warehouse, and other buildings where walls are in frequent contact with people, vehicles, and equipment. Unlike interior gypsum, Innovation MgO 1/2" Wall Panels are highly durable and able to resist damage from scratches, liquids, and impact. Like interior gypsum, Innovation MgO 1/2" Wall Panels are easy to finish with traditional paints and coatings, make them easy to work with.

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Innovation MgO 1/2" Wall Panels vs. Traditional Products

Flexural Strength & Structural Integrity

Innovation MgO 1/2" Wall Panels exceed the flexural strength and dimensional stability performance of wood and gypsum-based panels and Portland cement panels. Unlike FRTW sheets, Innovation MgO 1/2" Wall Panels maintain their structural integrity and properties in the presence of moisture or water in normal construction conditions. Panels hold up very well in cycles of wetting/drying and cold/hot until the time that they need to be covered by a WRB or cladding (180 days).

Enhanced Weatherability

Compared to fiberglass mat gypsum products, Innovation MgO 1/2" Wall Panels offer a wealth of benefits as they are structural, will not deteriorate in normal weather conditions or freeze/thaw cycles, and offer required 1 and 2-hour fire ratings in a single panel, compared to multiple for fiberglass mat gypsum products.

Durability & Weatherability

Whereas wood and gypsum-based panels will deteriorate, warp, bend, delaminate, and/or cup due to normal weather conditions on a jobsite, Innovation MgO 1/2" Wall Panels withstand normal and extreme exposure to rain, wind, heat, and cold. Even in the harshest conditions, Innovation MgO panels remain dimensionally stable during normal construction.

Cladding Attachment Strength

Innovation MgO 1/2" Wall Panels closely match the mechanical properties of engineered wood while well-exceeding those of gypsum-based products.

Dimensional Stability

Unlike wood-based products that can arrive to a job site with waves, imperfections, swell, and bend due to moisture, Innovation MgO 1/2" Wall Panels will not swell, delaminate, warp, or bend in the presence of moisture or water in normal use conditions.

Superior Strength

Innovation MgO 1/2" Wall Panels offer superior compressive and tensile strength when compared to Portland cement panels. Panels also exceed Portland cement panels in resistance to shear, impact, and bending forces.

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Innovating the Construction Industry

Innovation MgO 1/2″ Wall Panels passed ASTM E119 fire testing under full structural load (roughly 10,000 pounds) in March of 2024 to achieve both 1-hour and 2-hour fire ratings in many wall assemblies. Our panels passed these tests without the use of caulks, tapes, sealants, WRBs, or claddings. Oftentimes, fire-rated gypsum panels require the use of these products to enhance the fire performance of the material and obtain a 2-hour fire rating for the wall assembly. Innovation MgO 1/2″ Wall panels require no other components on the exterior side to obtain the 2-hour fire rating; our panels were simply fastened to the studs with fastener heads and joints left exposed.

This industry-leading combination of fire resistance and structural strength enables project teams to use any caulks, tapes, sealants, WRBs, or claddings they like and still maintain a 1 or 2-hour fire rating.

Project teams can build faster and cheaper by eliminating blocking and attach cladding directly. Panels are also approved for use in structural exterior wall assemblies due to their strong transverse and wind shear resistance values as tested to ASTM E72.

LEFT: Innovation MgO 1/2″ Wall Panels are shown at the completion of the ASTM E119 2-hour fire rating test having passed the furnace test and the hose stream test. Panels remain attached to the metal studs and no water from the fire hose passed through them.

Spec Details: Exterior & Interior Walls

Pricing & Availability

Contact a Distributor, Sales Representative, or us for pricing on 1/2″ (~12mm) Wall Panels. Visit our Resources pages for more information including installation, technical, and sales literature.

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