Acoustic Wall Panels

Slatted acoustic wall panelling is a decorative timber surface bonded to a felt backing. The slats stand proud of the felt, so sound entering the gaps between them is absorbed instead of being reflected straight back into the room. The result is a wall that looks like fine timber panelling and behaves like a soft furnishing, which is why this format has replaced plain foam tiles in most UK homes and offices.

How slatted acoustic panels reduce echo

Hard plaster, glass and tile reflect almost all of the sound that reaches them. In a room with several hard surfaces those reflections arrive at your ear a fraction of a second after the direct sound, which is heard as echo, flutter and a general loss of clarity. The 9mm sound absorbing felt behind each slat converts part of that energy into heat, so the reflection returning to the room is quieter and shorter. Speech becomes easier to follow, music loses its harshness, and video calls sound closer to a studio than a stairwell.

It is worth being clear about the limit. Absorption changes how a room sounds from the inside. It does not stop sound travelling through the structure into the next room. Blocking transmission needs mass, and in most houses the weakest point is the door rather than the wall. Pairing panels with a solid leaf from unglazed internal doors or a solid core option from internal solid fire doors does more for privacy than any amount of felt.

The Immerse range

Deanta Immerse veneered panels

Deanta Immerse panels use a real wood veneer over an engineered slat, mounted on 9mm acoustic felt and supplied ready to install. Standard panels carry 27mm wide slats. The Plus versions carry wider 47mm slats for a bolder, more architectural rhythm. Finishes run across Oak, Walnut, Light Grey Ash, Dark Grey Ash, Black and Midnight Blue, so panelling can be matched to internal oak doors, internal walnut doors or a darker scheme.

Doors2Floors Immerse wood effect panels

Our own Immerse panels use a wood effect finish rather than a natural veneer. They give the same Scandinavian slatted look and the same felt backing at a lower cost per square metre, and the finish stays consistent from panel to panel, which helps on larger walls where veneer variation would be noticeable.

Panel sizes and how many you need

Every full panel in this collection measures 2400mm high by 600mm wide by 21mm deep, made up of a 12mm slat on 9mm felt. That is 1.44 square metres of coverage per panel. To work out an order, measure the wall width in millimetres, divide by 600, then round up. A 3600mm wall takes six panels. A 2750mm wall takes five, with the last one trimmed. Ceiling heights above 2400mm need either a horizontal joint or a deliberate band of bare wall above or below the panelling.

Single slat lengths of 2400 x 27 x 12mm, or 2400 x 47 x 12mm on the Plus profiles, are listed alongside the panels. These are used to finish a cut edge, to wrap an external corner, or to add a few slats where a trimmed panel would otherwise end on a narrow sliver.

Where slatted panelling earns its place

The rooms that benefit most are the ones with the hardest surfaces and the most speech. Home offices and studies come first, because echo is the difference between a clear call and a tiring one. Media rooms and snugs come next, where absorption on the wall facing the speakers tightens the sound. Open plan kitchen diners, stairwells and hallways with hard flooring are the third group, and here panelling on a single wall is usually enough. Cafes, meeting rooms and reception areas follow the same logic at a larger scale.

You rarely need to line a whole room. Treating one reflective wall, normally the one opposite the main sound source, removes most of the flutter echo and keeps the cost sensible.

Fitting and finishing

Panels arrive ready to install. They are fixed to a sound wall with a grab adhesive, or screwed through the felt into battens where the wall is uneven. Slats cut with a fine tooth saw and the felt trims with a sharp knife. Plan the vertical joints before you start so the slat spacing reads evenly across the wall. Our installation information covers preparation and fixings, and the acoustic wall panel buying guide works through a full room by room example.

Skirting and architrave need to be considered at the same time. Panelling that stops on top of existing skirting looks unfinished, so many fitters run the panels down to the floor and return the skirting against them, or deepen the door architraves so the panel edge dies into the frame cleanly.

Acoustic panels or decorative wall panelling

If the goal is acoustic, stay in this collection, because the felt backing is what does the work. If the goal is purely visual depth, wall panelling and traditional wall panels cover Shaker, beaded and moulded formats that cost less per square metre and suit period rooms better. The wall panelling guide compares the styles side by side.

Common questions

Will acoustic panels soundproof a room?

No. They reduce reflection inside the room. Reducing transmission between rooms needs mass and sealing, starting with a solid door leaf and a well fitted frame.

Can the panels be cut down?

Yes. The slats cut with a fine tooth blade and the felt cuts with a knife. Cut edges are usually hidden at a corner or finished with a single slat length.

Are they suitable for bathrooms?

They are not intended for wet areas or direct contact with water. Keep them clear of shower zones and splash areas.

Can they be fitted to a ceiling?

Yes, using mechanical fixings into joists or battens rather than adhesive alone.

How are the panels delivered?

Panels are 2400mm long and travel on a pallet or a long vehicle, so see delivery for lead times and product care for cleaning. If you need a size we do not list, ask about bespoke options or contact us.