Acoustic Wood Panels: A Complete Guide

Wood veneer over a sound-absorbing backing. Here is what acoustic wood panels actually do, and how to spec them.

What slat panels are made of, what they sound like, and how to specify them for a real space.

What are acoustic wood panels?

In the simplest terms, acoustic wood panels are panels made from a series of wood veneer strips mounted on top of a sound-absorbing sheet. These panels combine the acoustic benefits of the underlying sound panel, often made of PET, with the aesthetic benefit of a wood veneer top. While most commonly installed on commercial or residential walls, they are lightweight enough to be installed in most ceilings too.

As an acoustically strong, aesthetically pleasing, and easily installed interior design solution, it is no surprise that acoustic wood slat panels are becoming a fixture in modern offices, homes, restaurants, and hotels.

Do acoustic wood panels work?

Loftwall's acoustic wood panels have a sound-absorbing NRC grade of 0.8, which means they absorb 80 percent of the sound waves they come in contact with. By contrast, standard wood panels have an NRC grade of around 0.1. So acoustic slat wood wall panels have eight times the sound-dampening ability of traditional wood sheets.

Slat wall panel sizes and finishes

While wood acoustic panels can be constructed in various sizes and styles, the most common offering is premade two-foot wide by eight-foot tall sheets of black PET backing with Oak, Teak, or Walnut wood slats on top. Oak is the most popular finish choice. Multiple slat wood panels can be field cut and installed next to each other to cover large areas.

Free wood slat wall sample box

Choosing the right finish matters. Sample boxes let you experience the textures, colors, and grains of different wood finishes firsthand, so the panels meet your acoustic needs and integrate with your interior design vision.

To order a free acoustic slat wood panel sample kit, get in touch with our team.

Order samples

Installing acoustic wood panels

When you are ready to install your wood slat wall panels, our team can walk you through wall mounting with screws, adhesive, or furring strips, as well as ceiling mounting with furring strips or into t-grids. Consult with a licensed contractor to confirm your office or home walls and ceilings can support the weight of slat panels.

Purchasing acoustic wood panels

Once you have picked your finish, our team is ready to help with your order. Visit the Arbor product page to learn more and request a quote.

Additional resources

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Specify Arbor

Bring warmth and quiet into the same wall.

Tell us your wall dimensions and finish preference. We will send back a quote and a sample box.

Talk to our team | See Arbor wood panels

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