Free online tool
Acoustic Panel Calculator
How many acoustic panels does a room need? We work out the wall area, subtract openings, then show how many panels are needed for your chosen coverage — the same way an acoustic layout is drawn for studios, offices, schools and meeting rooms.
Your acoustic layout
For speech rooms (offices, classrooms, meeting rooms) 40-60% wall coverage usually gives a clear improvement. Studios and music rooms need bass control as well — ask us for a layout with corner bass traps.
Send the numbers to us
Tell us the room use and we will confirm the panel layout with you before quoting.
How it works
How the acoustic panel calculation works
An acoustic design is a coverage problem, not a decorating problem. The calculator follows the same logic an acoustic layout uses:
- Surface area = 2 × (length + width) × height for all four walls; or length × height for the back wall only; or walls plus ceiling for a fully treated room.
- Net area = surface area minus doors, windows and other openings.
- Treated area = net area × coverage target (40%, 50%, 60% or 75%).
- Panels = treated area ÷ area of one panel, rounded up to whole panels.
The result also shows what share of the four walls the panels actually cover, which is the number clients and acousticians check first.
Coverage versus panel count - worked example
For a 5 × 4 × 2.7 m room, the four walls total 48.6 m². With a 1200 × 600 mm panel (0.72 m² each), the panel count changes sharply with the coverage target:
| Coverage target | Treated area | Panels (0.72 m²) | Panels (1.44 m² slat) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40% | 19.4 m² | 27 | 14 |
| 50% | 24.3 m² | 34 | 17 |
| 60% | 29.2 m² | 41 | 21 |
| 75% | 36.5 m² | 51 | 26 |
Figures assume no openings. Doors and windows are subtracted by the calculator, which usually reduces the order by 10-20%.
Where to put the panels first
- First reflection points. The rear wall and the side walls opposite the main sound source carry the strongest early reflections - treat them before anything else.
- Ceiling cloud over the listening area in studios and music rooms, then the wall behind the speakers.
- Behind the mix position in control rooms and small studios.
- Flanking walls in classrooms and open-plan offices, where speech clarity matters more than music.
- Leave a 50-100 mm air gap behind the panel. Mounting straight onto concrete removes the low-frequency absorption the gap provides.
Choosing panels: felt, slat or perforated
| Type | Typical build | Absorption (NRC) | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Felt panel | 9-12 mm PET felt, 50 mm core | 0.5-0.7 | Studios, offices, treatment on a budget |
| Wood slat panel | MDF or WPC board + felt strip | 0.7-0.9 | Studios, hotels, reception and meeting rooms |
| Perforated panel | Perforated face + mineral wool | 0.8 or above | Cinemas, studios, public buildings |
| Polyester or bass trap | High density, corner mount | Broadband, low frequency | Corner bass control in every room |
Acoustic treatment checklist
- Measure the room as built, not on paper - measure at 1.5 m height and note ceiling drops.
- Add openings (doors, windows, glazing, projectors) before you calculate.
- Specify fire class for public buildings - ask for Class B1 or the local equivalent.
- Ask for the panel NRC value and the test report, not only the absorption coefficient at one frequency.
- For schools and offices, specify a durable finish and a cleaning instruction for the fabric.
- Confirm the mounting hardware: Z-clips, sliding rails or French cleat for a 1200-2400 mm slat panel.
Frequently asked questions
How much wall should I cover with acoustic panels?
Most room designs cover 40-60% of the wall area with absorber, starting with the first reflection points. The calculator turns your coverage target into a panel count for any room size and subtracts doors and windows before applying it, and also shows the percentage of all four walls your panels actually cover.
Do acoustic panels work on concrete walls?
Yes, but never fix them flat onto the concrete. Mount them on a batten or rail so there is a 50-100 mm cavity behind the panel - that air gap is what absorbs low frequencies. Screwing a panel straight onto a concrete wall gives you mid and high frequency absorption only.
How many acoustic panels does a home studio need?
A 3 x 4 m room with 2.5 m ceilings has about 35 square metres of wall area. Covering the rear wall and the first reflection points at 50% coverage takes roughly 24 square metres of absorber, which is about 34 felt panels of 1200 x 600 mm or 17 slat panels of 2400 x 600 mm, plus corner bass traps.
Do I need bass traps as well as wall panels?
For music rooms and studios, yes - broad wall panels handle mid and high frequencies while corner bass traps handle the 40-80 Hz range. If the room is a meeting room or classroom where speech clarity is the goal, panels on the first reflection points and ceiling usually deliver most of the benefit.
Where this calculator leads
Get acoustic panels quoted factory direct
We produce MDF wood slat wall panels and acoustic felt panels for studios, offices, schools and hotels, packed for container loading. Send the calculator result and we quote the exact panel count, hardware and packing plan.