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Building elements

Wall panel

A wall panel is a prefabricated section of wall: a timber or steel frame, often already fitted with sheathing, insulation, windows and services. It is built in a factory and assembled on site.

Also known as wall element, wall panels, open panel, closed panel

A wall panel (or wall element) is a complete section of wall produced off site. At its simplest it is a frame of studs with a top and bottom plate; a finished panel can also carry sheathing boards, insulation, a vapour barrier, cladding, and openings for windows and doors.

Panels are described as open when one face is left uncovered for services and insulation to be added later, and closed when the panel leaves the factory finished on both faces. Closed panels move more of the work indoors, into controlled conditions, and shorten the time a building is open to the weather on site.

Related terms
StudA stud is one of the vertical members that make up the frame of a wall panel. Framing stationA framing station is the machine that assembles studs, plates and noggins into a wall frame and nails them together. Panelized constructionPanelized construction builds a house from flat prefabricated wall, floor and roof panels that are assembled on site.
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