MagnaPanel Starter Kit — Make an Invisible Access Panel Any Size You Want Every tile job has that one problem spot: a valve, a clean-out, or a junction box that code says you have to reach later, but that a plastic access-panel frame would ruin. MagnaPanel solves it. Invented in 1997 by a professional tile setter, this hardware system lets you build a flush access panel at almost any size or shape and hold it in place with high-strength magnets — no caulk, no visible fasteners, no off-the-shelf frame dictating your layout. You tile right over the panel, and it disappears into the finish until the day you need it. The method is genuinely simple, and a typical panel goes in inside of ten minutes. Using the included spade bit, drill a 1/2"-deep countersunk hole for each magnet in the framing behind the opening, thread a lag bolt into each, and seat a magnet on each bolt. A dab of epoxy transfers each magnet's position to the back of your panel, so the panel's magnets line up perfectly with the ones on the wall. Once the epoxy sets — about 30 minutes — you tile or finish the panel to match, snap it into place, and turn the lag bolts in or out until it sits dead flush with the surrounding surface. Because the magnets are far stronger than ordinary cabinet magnets, the panel holds solid for years without sealant or hardware holding it shut — yet it pops off in a second when you need access. This kit holds panels up to 30 lb; for a heavier panel or additional panels, add a MagnaPanel Contractor Kit to boost holding power in 30 lb increments. It works over cement backer board and tile, plywood, solid surface, and masonry, which makes it at home on everything from a whirlpool tub skirt to an entertainment center or a discreet hidden compartment. Why Tile Pros Choose It Any size, any shape: Build the panel your layout needs instead of the frame the store sells Truly invisible: Tile or finish right over it — no plastic frame in the wall Magnet-held: High-strength magnets hold with no caulk or visible fasteners Flush every time: Lag bolts adjust in or out to level the panel with the finish Ten-minute install: Fast enough to stop dreading the access-panel spot Works over anything: Backer board and tile, plywood, solid surface, masonry Scales up: Add a Contractor Kit's magnets for heavier panels, 30 lb at a time The panel nobody knows is there: Until you need it — which is the whole point Pro tip: Tie a length of string to a flat washer and epoxy the washer to the back of the panel where it won't hit the framing; feed the string into the perimeter caulk joint before you caulk. When you need in, a gentle pull on the hidden string breaks the panel free cleanly — no suction cups or pry marks on your finished tile.
