The right number of acoustic panels depends on the size of your room and what you use it for. Use the three steps below to get a panel count in about a minute.
Step 1: Measure your wall area
Multiply the length of each wall by the ceiling height and add the walls together. Leave out large windows and doors.
Example: a 12 ft x 10 ft bedroom with an 8 ft ceiling has (12 + 10 + 12 + 10) x 8 = 352 sq ft of wall.
Step 2: Choose your coverage
Acoustic treatment guides commonly recommend covering part of the wall, not all of it:
- Living room, bedroom, dining room: about 15-20% of the wall area to take the edge off echo.
- Home office, video calls, gaming: about 20-25% so your voice sounds clear on calls and streams.
- Podcast booth, vocal recording, home studio: about 25-40%, focused around the microphone and speakers.
Step 3: Convert to panels
Divide the area you want to cover by the area of one panel. A 12 x 12 in tile covers 1 sq ft; a 12 x 16 in panel covers about 1.33 sq ft.
Example: 352 sq ft x 20% = about 70 sq ft, which is roughly 70 square tiles or 53 panels of 12 x 16 in.
Where to put them
- First reflection points: on the side walls level with where you sit, halfway between you and your speakers or screen.
- The wall your microphone faces: it reflects your voice straight back into the mic.
- Ear height first: panels between about 3 ft and 6 ft from the floor do the most work.
- Spread them out: several smaller groups work better than one big block on a single wall.
Felt panels vs foam
Polyester felt panels and foam both absorb mid and high frequencies. Felt panels are denser, hold their shape, come in colours and shapes that work as wall decor, and are easy to wipe clean. Foam is cheaper but looks like a studio and can crumble over time.
Not sure? Send us your room size and we will suggest a layout.