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Published 2026-02-10 · 10 min read

Acoustical Wall Panels: A Complete Guide

Wall panels are one of the best tools for killing echo and noise in commercial spaces. Here's how they work and what to spec.

Ever been in a restaurant where you couldn't hear the person across the table? Or a conference room where speakerphone calls were useless? The problem is usually the walls. Hard, flat surfaces bounce sound around the room, creating echo and noise buildup. Wall panels absorb those bouncing sound waves before they become a problem.

How They Work

Sound hits the panel and enters the absorptive material — usually fiberglass, mineral wool, or polyester felt. The porous material creates friction that converts sound energy into small amounts of heat. Thicker, denser material absorbs more low-frequency sound. The result: less echo, lower ambient noise, clearer speech.

Types of Wall Panels

Fabric-Wrapped Panels

The workhorse. Rigid fiberglass core (1" to 2" thick) wrapped in acoustically transparent fabric. Hundreds of fabric options — solid colors, patterns, even custom-printed graphics. NRC 0.80-1.05 depending on thickness and how they're mounted. Can be any size from small accent pieces to full-wall coverage.

  • NRC: 0.80-1.05
  • Cost: $8-20/SF installed
  • Best for: Conference rooms, offices, classrooms, healthcare

Wood Slat + Felt Panels

Natural wood slats bonded to acoustic felt backing. Sound goes between the slats and gets absorbed by the felt. These are everywhere right now — offices, restaurants, residential. They look good and they actually work, though not as well as fabric-wrapped panels.

  • NRC: 0.50-0.70
  • Cost: $15-35/SF installed
  • Best for: Modern offices, restaurants, retail

PET Felt Panels

Compressed recycled polyester — basically recycled plastic bottles. Lightweight, comes in dozens of colors, and can be laser-cut into custom shapes. Not as effective as fiberglass, but good enough for many spaces and the design flexibility is hard to beat.

  • NRC: 0.30-0.60
  • Cost: $10-25/SF installed
  • Best for: Creative offices, feature walls, design-forward spaces

Stretch Fabric Systems

Fabric stretched over a perimeter track with fiberglass or mineral wool behind it. Creates one smooth, continuous surface across the whole wall. No seams between panels. Good for large walls in theaters, boardrooms, and executive spaces.

  • NRC: 0.85-1.05
  • Cost: $12-25/SF installed
  • Best for: Large walls, theaters, boardrooms

Perforated Wood/MDF Panels

Precision-drilled panels with acoustic absorber behind them. You see wood; the sound goes through the holes and gets absorbed. Different drill patterns create different looks and acoustic profiles.

  • NRC: 0.60-0.85
  • Cost: $15-30/SF installed

Where to Put Them

Strategic placement beats wall-to-wall coverage every time:

  • Conference rooms: Cover 30-50% of wall area. Focus on the wall facing the screen and the two side walls at ear height (3' to 6' off the floor).
  • Open offices: Panels on columns, partition walls, and above workstation height. Combine with ceiling treatment for best results.
  • Restaurants: 25-40% wall coverage. Spread it around evenly. Focus on walls near seating areas.
  • Classrooms: Back wall and one side wall. Keep the front wall bare so the teacher's voice reflects toward students.
  • Gyms: 40-60% of wall area. Use impact-resistant panels anywhere a ball might hit.

How They Mount

  • Impaling clips: Metal clips screwed to the wall. Panel presses onto the clips. Secure, removable, no visible fasteners. Most common method.
  • Z-clips: Interlocking metal channels on wall and panel. Easy to level, strong hold.
  • Adhesive: Quick and clean but panels can't be easily removed.
  • French cleat: Beveled strips that interlock. Good for heavy panels.

How to Know They're Working

You'll hear the difference. Echo drops, background noise goes down, conversations become easier. Technically, this is measured by RT60 — how long sound takes to decay by 60 dB. Our Sound Absorption Calculator can estimate how panels will affect your room's reverberation.

Panels + Ceiling = Best Results

Ceiling handles vertical reflections. Wall panels handle horizontal reflections. Doing both gives you the most improvement for your money. A room with good acoustical ceiling tiles and strategically placed wall panels will sound dramatically better than one with just ceiling treatment alone.

Need wall panels for a commercial space? Elite Acoustics Inc installs all types across Sacramento and Northern California. Contact us for a free consultation.