Acoustic panelling

Acoustic panelling can be a practical and attractive choice for your home, but what is it for, and how can you get the most out of it?

What is acoustic panelling?

Acoustic panelling is a layer of wood veneer strips on top of a sound-absorbing sheet. The 3D surface that the wooden slats create allows sound to vibrate between the gaps rather than bounce off a flat surface and back into the room. This sound is then absorbed into the felt backing, creating a more peaceful environment. To give you an idea of how effective these panels can be, 95% of sound bounces back from a concrete wall, but a wood acoustic panel can absorb up to 85% of the sound that hits it, bouncing only 15% back into the room.

What are the benefits of acoustic panelling?

Of course, this results in a quieter room. You’ll get less noise pollution around the home, which can make you more productive and more relaxed. It also helps to improve speech intelligibility, reducing echoes and making it easier to hear what someone is saying.
Panelling is super on-trend at the moment, with slatted acoustic panels really making their mark in interior design, and you don’t even have to paint them as the natural wood look can create a cosy feel that brings the outside in. Darker woods like walnut or oak will bring warmth to your home, and the clean, straight lines of the slats are perfect if you’re going for a minimalist design with some textural interest.
Acoustic panels are surprisingly easy to install. Many of our panels only require minimal tools for installation, and they’re really easy to cut to size. For the best sound absorption, it’s best to attach them to strips of MDF to create an air gap between the felt and the wall, but if you’re more interested in the aesthetics of slatted panelling you can screw them directly to the wall.

How to style acoustic panels

Whether you want to cover an entire wall with acoustic panelling, or just create a feature from a few panels, it can really elevate the look of your room. They fit in well with Scandi-style interior design as their clean lines and natural look are key elements of that trend. If this is what you’re going for in your home, pair them with cosy, soft furnishings and neutral shades of white and grey. It’s probably best not to cover all four walls of a room with acoustic panelling as this can be overpowering and will make the space feel smaller.

If you want to make a feature of your panels, you can cover part of a wall. You can do this by adding a vertical strip that works in harmony with some wall art, or as a faux headboard behind your bed. They’re even light enough to install on the ceiling, giving you the option to go beyond the wall and create a canopy effect.