Start with the problem
Panels solve echo, harsh speech and muddy sound inside a room. They do not fix noise that comes through walls. Before you place anything, clap your hands and listen. A sharp ringing or flutter means hard parallel walls, and a boomy, unclear sound often means bare corners. The fix for each is different, and our guide on whether soundproof panels work explains the limits.
Find the first reflection points
The first reflection points are the spots on the side walls and ceiling where sound from your speakers or voice bounces to your ears. Sit in your usual position. Ask a friend to slide a mirror along the side wall, and mark every spot where you can see a speaker in the mirror. Treat those spots first, at ear height, with a panel wide enough to cover the marked area.
How much of the room to cover
Cover roughly 15 to 30 per cent of the wall area, depending on how hard the room is. A bare room with tile floors needs the upper end. Add panels in stages and listen between each step. Too many panels make a room sound dead and tiring, while too few leave the echo untouched.
| Room | Where to start | Typical coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Home office | Side walls at ear height, wall behind the desk | 15 - 20% |
| Meeting room | Back wall and one side wall | 20 - 30% |
| Home cinema | Side walls, rear wall, corners | 20 - 30% |
| Podcast room | Walls around the microphone | 20 - 30% |
| Living room | A feature wall and one opposite | 10 - 20% |
These are starting points. Adjust by listening.
The rear wall, corners and ceiling
The wall behind the listener or the speaker creates strong reflections, so thick panels there help. Low frequencies build up in corners, so thick foam or fibre blocks in the corners calm a boomy room. A ceiling reflection point above the seating area is worth treating in a cinema or studio, but check the ceiling can carry the weight.
Choose the panel for the place
Use decorative acoustic panels where they will be seen, such as a lounge or office, and acoustic foam panels where looks matter less, such as a studio. Thicker panels, around 50 to 75 mm, handle lower frequencies, and thinner ones, around 25 mm, handle speech.
How to mount acoustic panels
Panels can be glued to a clean wall, screwed through their frame or hung on a track or wire. Glue gives a flush look but is hard to remove. Screws and tracks hold heavier panels and allow changes. Pre-mark all positions with a level and tape before you fix anything, and keep fixings away from electrical cables.
- Mark the points with a mirror test and tape.
- Clean and prepare the wall, and check what is behind it.
- Fix the first panel level, then use it as the guide for the rest.
- Listen again and add panels only where the echo remains.
Common placement mistakes
- Covering only one wall, which leaves echo bouncing between the others.
- Placing panels too high or too low, away from ear height.
- Treating windows and doors with panels when the real problem is noise coming in.
- Over-treating, which makes the room sound dead.
- Ignoring the floor, since a rug often helps as much as a panel.
Getting the right amount
Send us your room size and a photo, and we estimate the coverage and panel type. We supply across Pakistan and fit in Lahore. The published ranges are on the acoustic panels page, and we give a written rate for your room.
Where to Place Acoustic Panels: Frequently Asked Questions
Start at the first reflection points on the side walls at ear height, found with the mirror test, then add panels to the rear wall behind the listener or speaker. These spots produce the strongest reflections, so treating them gives the biggest improvement for the fewest panels.
Most rooms need panels over about 15 to 30 per cent of the wall area, depending on how hard the room is. Add them in stages and listen between each step, because too many can make a room sound flat and tiring, while too few leave the echo.
Yes for the first reflection points, since sound reaches your ears from those spots at about head height when you are seated. Panels placed too high or too low miss the reflection. For standing rooms, such as a restaurant, spread panels across walls and the ceiling.
They can, and in cinemas, studios and open-plan spaces ceiling treatment helps a lot, especially above the main seating or desk. Check the ceiling can carry the weight and that the panels are fixed securely to a frame or track, not only with adhesive.
Often yes. Light panels can be glued or screwed to a wall by a competent person who has checked for cables and pipes behind it. Heavy panels, ceilings and large feature walls are better left to an experienced fitter for a secure, level result.
Send the room size, how you use it and a photo on WhatsApp. We suggest the panel type and coverage and reply with a written rate. We supply across Pakistan and fit in Lahore, and we confirm what is available for other cities before you order.