20+ years of building for New Zealand conditions

Hydrapanel is a Hydrawood product

Hydrapanel is the brainchild of father and son Barry and Brad Smith. After years working in New Zealand’s timber, flooring and furniture industries, they recognised a clear need for truly water-resistant timber flooring. This insight led to the design of a composite timber flooring system featuring genuine New Zealand timbers, specifically engineered and manufactured for the local market. The concept centred on incorporating a waterproof core beneath a real-wood surface. The result was Hydrawood, a flooring system that was manufactured and introduced to the New Zealand market in 2007. Following continuous refinement of core materials and an ongoing search for better solutions, the team discovered magnesium oxide (MgO) at a trade fair in China in 2012. They began exploring its potential as the core for Hydrawood flooring. Drawing on years of laminating experience, they quickly realised that MgO panels would also be ideal for a high-performance shower lining system. After 3 years, developing a series of prototypes, Hydrapanel, a sandwich-construction panel combining magnesium oxide with high-pressure laminate, was created and officially introduced to the NZ market in 2015. Initial manufacturing took place in New Zealand and Australia. The core MgO material is sourced from China, which holds approximately 82% of the world’s magnesium oxide resources. Following extensive manufacturing trials, production was relocated to the source in China. Hydrapanel has now been manufactured under licence with the same MgO partner for the past 10 years. The original flooring range was gradually phased out in the early years of Hydrapanel. Today the business is 100% focused on premium wall and ceiling linings.