Frequently Asked Questions
What are portable walls used for?
Portable walls or portable room dividers are mostly used as office partitions to divide office space, as classroom room dividers to create better learning environments and to reduce distractions or give privacy in any space.
How much acoustic benefit do portable walls really have?
This really depends on the layout of your space and how you are planning to set up the portable walls. Consider that the best way to “soundproof” a room division is by building a conventional wall and the further away you are from that the lower the acoustical benefits you will have, so consider hearing noise and conversations from the other side of the divider.
Fabric portable walls will absorb sound waves that impact the fabric surface to a good extent, dampening noise and reducing reverberation but because sound waves go anywhere air can travel it will not be a soundproof division especially if there are gaps between the portable room divider and the surrounding walls and ceiling.
If acoustic separation is the most important factor which portable wall room divider should I get?
First consider if a portable wall room divider is a good enough solution for you. If you need absolute soundproofing then a proper wall is the best way to go. Then the biggest portable wall that fills up most of the space and leaves less gaps will give you the best performance if it’s built with high absorbing acoustic materials. If you have a high ceiling and a big room one of our operable walls would be the best choice. Smaller portable or wall mounted room dividers will have less benefit if they don’t fully cover the space from floor to ceiling.
If visual separation is my main goal and some acoustic benefit is nice which portable wall room divider should I get?
If you don’t want to see through the portable wall and you want some noise reduction benefit at the same time then a fabric room divider like the 360 Degree portable fabric or a Telescoping fabric room divider is a good choice.
What are the end panels for?
End panels provide the stability that freestanding and wall mounted room dividers need. They also provide an extra tackable surface that can be used as a pinboard.
Why do you use full size end panels at the end of each partition instead of a simple frame or railing?
This is a safety as well as a performance decision. The full size end panels eliminate any tripping hazards and also cannot be climbed by those more adventurous children, eliminating the possibility of the partition tipping over on them.
Why do you use a 360 Degree hinge instead of a normal piano hinge?
Piano hinges only allow 180º of movement which limits the set up flexibility of the panels. They also create a safety hazard as fingers can be easily pinched by the hinge and louder noises when operated. Our 360 Degree hinge is a hinge that allows our panels to silently and smoothly fully rotate to any position while eliminating finger pinching concerns. The 360 Degree hinges also help for smoother and more silent transport of the partition.
Why are full end panels and lightweight materials important for safety?
The combination of full size end panels and a light aircraft aluminum frame reduce substantially the injuries that could happen in the unlikely case that the partition tips over on top of somebody.
This is beside the fact that full size end panels eliminate any climbing possibilities from the beginning significantly reducing the possibility of the partition tipping over.
After 8 years we have never heard one of our partitions tipping over even though our room dividers are in a huge amount of schools in Australia.
Do portable walls comply with australian fencing building codes (AS2820, AS2818 and AS1926)?
Partitions don’t strictly apply to fencing or gates building code specifications but we do relate to the spirit they have and it’s good to know that the distance from the floor to the bottom of the partition complies with that distance allowed by the fencing building codes which is 100 millimeters max. This distance takes care of children not sticking their head under the partition when crawling as well as providing the unit with a lower centre of gravity for extra stability.
It’s important to consider that other partition manufacturers usually work with a distance of 140 millimeters from the floor to the bottom of the partition.
How wide is each of your panels?
Each panel is 85 cms wide giving you more usable area, tackable surface and more length per panel.
Why are round edges important in partition panels
Round edges are generally safer than hard sharp edges. If someone runs into the partition and hits themselves with an edge a round edge will significantly reduce the level of injury when compared to a hard edge in similar circumstances.
How do you assure stability of the portable walls?
Stability equals safety and every decision we’ve made to design and engineer our partitions takes that into consideration. Lower floor to bottom distance, full size end panels, articulating hinges and non lockable middle wheels help stability (end wheels are lockable for the units to stay in place)
Can the colours of the portable walls be customised?
As manufacturers we can build a portable wall with any combination of colours that you want so it seamlessly combines with your space or branding as long as we use a combination of the fabric or polycarbonate colours we have available.
It is common for our customers to have alternate panels with different colours to add style, match office furniture design or branding of the space they will be used in.
Does the partition stay in place? Are the wheels lockable?
The end wheels of our partitions are lockable to help the dividers stay in place. The middle wheels are not lockable to allow the panels to move in case somebody crashes into the partition so it doesn’t lose stability.
This combination assures the maximum stability with the possibility of the partition of staying in place with its lockable end wheels.
Are your panels tackable?
Yes, all our fabric panels are tackable and our customers use them as pinboards, project boards and news boards. Polycarbonate panels aren’t tackable.
Can you connect multiple units?
Yes, you can connect as many portable room dividers together as you like to create a partition that is as long as you need. If you connect multiple 360 Degree portable walls you can easily create “rooms” by articulating them to any shape you need.
Can you include windows so light can come through the top or security cameras can see through?
Yes, it’s common that we divide the partition and place a top clear polycarbonate or perspex area to allow light through.
Perspex that is completely transparent is helpful when security cameras need to be able to see clearly what’s happening at the other side of the partition.
Fluted polycarbonate allows light through while not being fully transparent and is great when light is important but privacy wants to be kept to a certain degree. A polycarbonate finish would not be recommended for security cameras to see through.
Can you hang artwork from the partition?
Yes. Not only can you hang artwork, our art gallery customers use our portable walls as movable gallery walls allowing them to create mobile exhibitions by hanging the artwork directly from the partition.
Using partitions allows them to increase the wall surface of their existing space at a very affordable price when compared to a custom built solution.
Our room dividers are also used in art shows, art fairs and pop up exhibitions as the wall where the artwork is mounted and displayed on.
Can you hang appliances from the partition?
Yes, some customers have hung TVs or projector screens to create additional training or teaching rooms using portable walls as classroom dividers
Are they easy to store?
Yes, our partitions fully collapse to a small size of 85 x 85 x height cm while staying assembled so they can be easily stored and then used again whenever necessary.
Can you see through polycarbonate?
You can see through our clear polycarbonate portable walls but you will only be able to recognise shapes and won’t be able to see details. The benefit is that light is allowed through.
Our coloured polycarbonates are not transparent although under extreme circumstances you might be able to see shapes behind it. This only happens when the partition is strongly backlit or something or someone is very close behind it.
When would you choose a wall mounted room divider over a Portable Wall Room Divider?
If you are going to use the divider in the same place position over and over again without moving it to different locations within the space or building then you would consider a wall mounted room divider.
If you are going to use the divider in different areas and want to have that ultimate flexibility then you would consider using a portable divider.
If you are unsure and you want to keep that flexibility you can always order a portable room divider and ask us to include wall mounting brackets. The divider itself is the same.
When would you choose a sliding divider over a folding room divider?
If you are certain you will never need to create a shape that is not a straight line then you would choose a sliding room divider over a folding room divider. You would also choose a Telescoping if there is no room for you to open a folding room divider that needs more space to open and close.
If you are unsure or you believe you might have different uses for the room divider then the flexibility of a folding room divider that can also be placed in a straight line would be the better choice.
Do Portable Walls require a lease or building permit to be installed
No. Portable wall room dividers don’t impact the existing surfaces of the space in any way.
Do your portable room dividers affect HVAC systems or airflow?
Most of our room dividers don’t reach exactly the height of the ceiling so HVAC systems and airflow is not compromised between the divided areas. Ultimately choosing a height that works for your needs is something you should consider when ordering the height of your room divider.
What’s the difference between an operable wall and a portable wall room divider?
Operable walls are used to divide bigger spaces with taller ceilings that portable wall room dividers aren’t big enough for. Most room dividers are portable and can be placed anywhere without the need to be fixed to a wall, operable walls need to be wall mounted.
When would you need a traditional wall over a room divider?
When a soundproof division is essential and you can get a building permit and assume the building costs, the space downtime, the higher cost and lengthy planning and quoting process.
Do I need any structural modifications or a builder for a portable wall to be installed?
No, anybody can install and assemble our portable walls. We’ve created simple instructions and even an assembly video that walks you through the assembly process step by step. Structural or space modifications are not required.
How tall can they be?
We have three standard heights: 1.83m, 2.02m and 2.29m in height.
How long can they be
Our portable walls start at 2.59m long and go all the way up to 7.62m in length for a single unit. You can also combine multiple dividers to create a partition wall as long as you like.
Do they fit in elevators or through doorways?
Standard australian doors and elevators are 2.04m high. If you are considering a portable partition that you will move to different rooms of a building through a doorway or using a passenger lift then the 1.83m or the 2.02m heights are the best options.
How long does it take to install them?
It should take around 30 minutes to assemble the panel
How many people do you need to install them?
One person is enough to do the assembly.
How much time until I get it delivered from the day I order?
We do our best to manufacture and despatch our room dividers the next day if you place your order before 10:00 am. Final delivery time will vary from 2 to 15 business days from ordering time depending on your location. Delivery times are based on regular freight times which you can find on our delivery page for your state. Refer to delivery page for better time estimates
Can they be used on carpet
Yes they can.
Do I need help to open or close the divider once installed?
No, anyone can open and close it on their own. They are lightweight and easy to move.
Where do you deliver?
We deliver Australia and New Zealand wide.
Can you come to our location and give us a quote?
We don’t do on site quotes because they are really not necessary and do not outweigh the cost of a visit.
In simple terms the only thing we need to know is how much wall you need (height and length).
Because we mostly make standard products you can also check our pricing and calculate shipping costs on any product page.