EziBlank Blanking Panel Comparison: Which Panel Fits Your Rack?

Not every rack is the same, and not every blanking panel fits every rack. EziBlank manufactures blanking panels in four sizes across two mounting styles, each built for a specific rack type and airflow requirement. This comparison breaks down each panel so you can match the right product to your infrastructure.

EziBlank Blanking Panel Range at a Glance

EziBlank offers five blanking panel products across 19-inch, 21-inch, and 23-inch rack widths. Every panel uses flame-retardant ABS plastic (UL94-V0 rated), snaps in without tools, and is fully reusable. The difference between them comes down to rack width, mounting method, and the environments they are designed for.

Here is how they compare:

19″ 6RU Standard Blanking Panel (BKPNL01)

  • Rack width: 19 inches (EIA-310-D compliant)
  • Panel height: 6RU (snaps apart into 1U segments)
  • Mounting: Snap-on, requires square-hole rack rails
  • Colours: Black, white, grey
  • Price range: $145 to $186 AUD
  • Best for: Standard 19-inch server racks with square-hole mounting rails. Ideal for enterprise data centres and server rooms using a single rack type throughout the facility.

19″ 6RU Universal Blanking Panel (BKPNL01U)

  • Rack width: 19 inches (EIA-310-D compliant)
  • Panel height: 6RU (snaps apart into 1U segments)
  • Mounting: Universal snap-on, fits square-hole, round-hole, and threaded-hole rack rails
  • Colours: Black, white
  • Price range: $186 to $200 AUD
  • Best for: Mixed rack environments where rail types vary between cabinets. Colocation facilities, managed hosting providers, and any data centre that has inherited racks from multiple vendors over time.

New 19″ 6RU Universal Blanking Panel

  • Rack width: 19 inches (EIA-310-D compliant)
  • Panel height: 6RU (snaps apart into 1U segments)
  • Mounting: Updated universal design with improved snap mechanism
  • Colours: Black
  • Best for: New deployments seeking the latest iteration of EziBlank’s universal mounting system.

21″ 10SU Universal Blanking Panel for ETSI Rack (BKPNL02)

  • Rack width: 21 inches (ETSI standard)
  • Panel height: 10SU (ETSI rack unit sizing)
  • Mounting: Universal snap-on
  • Colours: Black, white
  • Price range: $240 to $250 AUD
  • Best for: Telecommunications environments running ETSI-standard 21-inch racks. Common in telco exchanges, ISP infrastructure, and carrier-grade facilities across Europe, Asia Pacific, and Africa.

23″ 6RU Universal Blanking Panel (BKPNL03)

  • Rack width: 23 inches
  • Panel height: 6RU (snaps apart into 1U segments)
  • Mounting: Universal snap-on
  • Colours: Black
  • Price: $250 AUD
  • Best for: Legacy 23-inch racks still in service at government agencies, military facilities, broadcast environments, and older enterprise data centres. These racks are uncommon in new builds but still require airflow management in active deployments.

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Standard vs Universal Mounting: Which Do You Need?

The most common decision point is whether to choose the Standard or Universal version of the 19-inch panel. The difference is in how the panel grips the rack rail.

The Standard panel is designed for square-hole rails only. It clips directly into the square mounting holes and holds firmly in place. If your facility runs a single rack vendor with square-hole rails throughout, this is the most cost-effective option.

The Universal panel uses a flexible mounting mechanism that grips square-hole, round-hole, and threaded-hole rails equally well. This matters in environments where racks have been sourced from different manufacturers over time, or where colocation tenants bring their own cabinets with varying rail types. The Universal panel eliminates the risk of ordering panels that do not fit a specific rack.

For most operations teams managing more than a handful of racks, the Universal panel is the safer choice. The price difference between Standard and Universal is modest (roughly $40 to $55 AUD per 6RU panel), and the flexibility avoids costly mistakes during deployment.

Choosing by Rack Width: 19-Inch, 21-Inch, or 23-Inch

Rack width is a non-negotiable specification. A 19-inch panel will not fit a 23-inch rack, and an ETSI 21-inch panel is only compatible with ETSI-standard cabinets.

19-inch racks are the global standard for IT server infrastructure. The vast majority of data centres, server rooms, and colocation facilities use 19-inch racks compliant with the EIA-310-D specification. Both the 19 inch standard blanking panel and the 19 inch universal blanking panel are purpose-built for this width.

21-inch racks follow the ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) specification, commonly found in telecommunications switching centres and carrier infrastructure. The 21 inch ETSI rack blanking panel is the only product in the EziBlank range designed for this rack type. Its 10SU height corresponds to the ETSI rack unit standard rather than the EIA rack unit used in IT environments.

23-inch racks are a legacy format that predates the 19-inch standard. They are still found in government, military, and broadcast facilities where older infrastructure remains in active service. The 23 inch universal blanking panel fills this gap.

Modular Design: Scale From 1U to Full Rack Coverage

Every EziBlank panel ships as a 6RU unit (or 10SU for the ETSI model) that snaps apart into individual 1U segments. This modular design means you order in 6RU blocks and break them down to fit whatever open spaces exist in your racks.

Need to fill 3U? Snap a 6RU panel in half. Need to fill 11U? Use one full 6RU panel plus a second one broken into 5U. This approach reduces waste, simplifies ordering, and eliminates the need to stock multiple panel sizes.

The panels also snap back together. If you reconfigure a rack and need to move blanking panels to different positions, they detach and reattach without damage. This reusability is a significant advantage over metal filler plates that bend, scratch, or require cage nuts and screws for every move.

Material and Fire Safety

All EziBlank blanking panels are manufactured from flame-retardant ABS plastic rated to UL94-V0. This is the highest flammability rating for plastic materials, meaning the panel self-extinguishes within 10 seconds if exposed to a flame source.

This rating matters for compliance with data centre fire safety standards, including NFPA 75 and NFPA 76. Metal filler plates do not carry a UL94 rating because they are inherently non-combustible, but they also introduce other risks: sharp edges during installation, cage nut injuries, and the weight burden of filling an entire rack with steel plates.

ABS construction keeps each panel lightweight (a fraction of equivalent steel panels), reducing the load on rack rails and making single-person installation practical even at height.

Which Panel Should You Order?

If you operate a standard 19-inch rack environment with square-hole rails and a single rack vendor, start with the 19″ Standard Blanking Panel. It is the most affordable option and fits reliably.

If you manage a mixed environment, run a colocation facility, or simply want one panel that works everywhere, choose the 19″ Universal Blanking Panel. The small price premium buys flexibility.

If you operate ETSI telecommunications racks, the 21″ ETSI Blanking Panel is your only purpose-built option.

If you maintain legacy 23-inch racks, the 23″ Universal Blanking Panel fills a gap that very few manufacturers address.

For help selecting the right panel type and quantity for your facility, contact the EziBlank team or visit the installation guide to see how fast deployment works in practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I mix Standard and Universal panels in the same rack?

Yes. Both mount into the same rack space and provide the same airflow seal. Some facilities use Standard panels on racks with confirmed square-hole rails and keep Universal panels in reserve for racks where the rail type is unknown.

Do EziBlank panels fit racks from all manufacturers?

The 19-inch Standard and Universal panels fit any EIA-310-D compliant rack, which covers virtually all server rack manufacturers globally. The Universal version adds compatibility with round-hole and threaded-hole rails for older or non-standard cabinets.

How many panels do I need per rack?

A standard 42U rack with 30U of equipment has 12U of open space. That requires two 6RU panels (12U total). Order based on your average open U-space per rack, multiplied by the number of racks in your facility.

Are the panels reusable when I move equipment?

Yes. EziBlank panels snap in and out without tools and without damage. They are designed for repeated installation and removal as rack configurations change over time.

What colours are available?

The Standard panel comes in black, white, and grey. The Universal panels come in black and white. The 23-inch and ETSI panels are available in black. Most data centres standardize on black for a uniform rack appearance.