How Fastmount invisible clips work: guide

Technical guide · Fastmount system

How invisible clips work: a complete guide to the Fastmount system

By the Panelclip technical team · 6 min read · Specification and installation

Female on the structure, male on the panel. Click to fix, pull to remove. That is how elegant the solution that has replaced screws in demanding interior design is. The Fastmount invisible clip system is a simple concept that has been perfected for decades in the marine industry and has come ashore into interior design to stay.

In this article we explain, step by step, how the system works: where it comes from, how the two parts are fitted, why removal is the real revolution and which range suits each type of structure.

01The origin: marine demands

Fastmount was born in New Zealand, at the heart of the superyacht building industry. On a 40 or 50 metre yacht, interior panels must meet three demands at once: be aesthetically perfect (owners pay millions), allow immediate access to the services behind them (at sea you cannot wait for a carpenter) and withstand the constant vibration and movement of sailing without working loose.

No screw system meets all three conditions. Screws work loose with vibration, leave visible marks and turn every access into a problem. That is why the luxury marine industry adopted invisible clips before any other sector, and why Fastmount has decades of proven experience in the most demanding environments on the planet.

02The operating principle

The Fastmount system is based on a two-part concept. It is so simple that its elegance is sometimes underestimated, but that simplicity is precisely what makes it reliable.

Part 1: the female clip (on the structure)

The female clip is fixed to the permanent structure: the wall, the bulkhead, the timber substructure, the metal profile or the plasterboard. This part never moves: it is installed once and stays there for the whole service life of the space. Depending on the range, the female can be self-tapped into timber, surface-screwed onto any substrate or recessed into a plasterboard sheet.

Part 2: the male clip (on the panel)

The male clip is fixed to the back face of the decorative panel. The panel can be timber, MDF, plywood, metal, composite, upholstered or any rigid material with a minimum thickness sufficient to take the clip. When the installer offers the panel into position, the males line up with the females and engage with a clear, satisfying click.

“The first time you hear that click you know the panel is perfectly in place. No forcing, no checking, no level. The system self-aligns. After years of working with screws, it is almost magical.” — Alejandro Ruiz, certified installer, Madrid

03Step-by-step installation

Step 1: planning. The number and position of the clips are determined according to the size and weight of the panel. Fastmount recommends between 8 and 18 pairs of clips per square metre, depending on the range and the application. The clips are distributed evenly, with a greater concentration at the edges to guarantee a perfect perimeter closure.

Step 2: installing the females. The females are fixed to the structure. This is the only step that requires conventional tools: a drill or electric screwdriver. The exact position is marked with templates or with Fastmount's own alignment system.

Step 3: installing the males. The males are fixed to the back face of each panel. The position must match the females on the structure, but many Fastmount ranges include adjustment tolerance that forgives small deviations.

Step 4: fitting the panel. The panel is offered up to the structure, the parts are lined up and it is pressed. Click. The panel is fixed. Total time for this step: less than 60 seconds per panel.

04Removal: the real revolution

Fast fitting is already a considerable advantage, but Fastmount's real revolution is in removal. To take a panel off, you simply pull it or apply a glazier's suction cup to its surface. The clips release without excessive resistance, without tools, without marks and without any damage. The panel comes away whole and intact.

Behind the panel there is free access to the structure: pipes, wiring, air-conditioning ducts, electrical panels. The necessary work is done and the panel is put back. Click. Done. As many times as necessary, with no degradation at all: the clips are designed for an unlimited number of fitting and removal cycles.

05The Fastmount ranges

Fastmount is not a single product, but a family of specialised solutions. Each range is designed for a specific type of structure and application. Load capacity is not attributed to the panel but to the set of clips: in the Standard range, each clip holds up to 15 kg, and capacity scales with the number of clips (2 clips = 30 kg, 4 clips = 60 kg). The exact sizing depends on the weight, format and material, and must be validated with technical advice.

Standard15 kg/clip, scalable

Low ProfileThin panels

MetalLoad and fire

TextileCushions (~32 kg)

StratLockLarge formats

Panel ControlSeismic retention

Standard (PC): the reference range for timber structures. Self-tapping female, ultra-low 4 mm profile. Ideal for solid timber, MDF, plywood and melamine panels.

SLX: designed specifically for plasterboard walls. The female is recessed into the plasterboard sheet. The cleanest solution for refurbishments on drywall partitions.

Metal Clip (MC): 316 stainless steel (MC-SS) for exteriors and marine environments; nickel-plated (MC-NP) for fire regulations. Robust mechanical fixing with a screw.

Low Profile (LP): greater flexibility for upholstered panels and slightly curved surfaces. Minimal profile.

Very Low Profile (VLP): the lowest profile on the market, for applications where every millimetre counts.

StratLock: for large-format, heavy panels, with a built-in lock. Ideal for hotel common areas and commercial spaces.

The application images belong to Fastmount™. No acoustic values are claimed: all performance is referred to testing and the technical data sheet.