Last reviewed: 2026-07-17 · Checked against the standards it cites · Editorial policy
A flat acoustic panel presents a continuous, unbroken face fixed to a wall. A slat panel's face is cut into evenly spaced slats over an acoustic felt backer, so the felt is exposed in the gaps between them and the face reads as ribbed rather than continuous. The two differ in appearance, in how the surface is jointed, and in whether the absorbent layer is reachable by sound at all — but not in any documented figure, since we hold no test report.
- A flat panel's face is one continuous plane with no gaps; a slat panel's face is a run of separated slats with the acoustic backer visible between them.
- The gaps are the functional point of a slat panel: they are what lets sound reach the felt behind the face. A continuous face has no such path.
- We supply the slat type — a 6 mm MDF face cut into vertical slats over a 3 mm acoustic felt backer, as stated by our manufacturing partner. We do not stock a flat, continuous-faced panel.
- Slat width, gap width and pitch are not confirmed to us, so we do not publish them.
- Neither construction has a published sound-absorption or fire-classification figure here — see the honest position on this in our about page.
Face construction: continuous surface vs open slats
A flat acoustic panel presents a continuous decor face — one uninterrupted plane, with no visible gaps. Whatever sits behind that face is sealed off from the room by it.
A slat panel instead presents a run of narrow slats, evenly spaced, over an acoustic felt backer. The gaps between the slats are not decoration: they are the path by which sound in the room reaches the felt. On a continuous face, no such path exists — which is the single most consequential difference between the two, and the reason the distinction is worth understanding before you specify either.
The panel we supply is the slat type: a 6 mm MDF face cut into vertical slats over a 3 mm high-density acoustic felt backer, giving a 9 mm panel, with the felt visible in the gaps. That construction is as stated by our manufacturing partner. The slat width, gap width and pitch have not been confirmed to us, so we do not state them — see the product page for the specification we do publish.
| Flat acoustic panel | Slat panel (what we supply) | |
|---|---|---|
| Face | Continuous, unbroken surface | Timber slats over an exposed felt backer |
| Look | Smooth and minimal | Linear and textured — a feature wall |
| Felt | Covered by the face | Exposed in the gaps between the slats |
| Jointing | Joins between boards can read as a line | Slat spacing runs unbroken across the joins |
| Both | Absorb reflected sound in the room | Absorb reflected sound in the room |
Installation and jointing
Flat, continuous panels are typically butted edge-to-edge so a run reads as a single seamless surface, with the joint line the thing the installer works to hide.
Slat panels are more often direct-fixed or mounted on battens, with the slat rhythm carried across joins so the repeating pattern, rather than the panel edge, is what the eye follows. Our panel is an exception to the usual batten approach: our manufacturing partner states it is fixed with silicone or a mounting adhesive.
Appearance and where each tends to suit
A flat, continuous decor face suits interiors wanting a calm, uniform surface — a single block of colour or texture rather than a linear rhythm. A slat face gives a more textured, directional look, and is the format most associated with the current architectural timber aesthetic.
What this page cannot do is tell you which performs better, because we publish no performance figure for either — see what no test report means when buying panels for why, and what to ask any supplier who does quote one. See our decor and size comparison for the specification we do publish.
What we currently supply
We supply the slat type only: the Colour Series acoustic slat wall panel, in 18 decors and two width/length combinations — see the product page for the full specification. We do not stock a flat, continuous-faced panel. If that changes, this guide will be updated to describe a real, specified product rather than a general category.
Frequently asked questions
Which absorbs sound better, a flat panel or a slat panel?
We can't answer that with a figure, for either construction, because we hold no acoustic test report. What can be said plainly is the mechanism: a slat panel's gaps let sound reach the absorbent backer, and a continuous face does not. That is a structural difference, not a measured one — how much it amounts to in a given room depends on the specific felt, the slat spacing and the mounting, and is only meaningful against a named test report for that exact build-up.
Do you sell slat acoustic panels?
Yes — that is what we supply. The Colour Series panel is a slat panel: a 6 mm MDF face cut into vertical slats over a 3 mm acoustic felt backer, in 18 decors. We do not stock a flat, continuous-faced panel.
What is the slat width and spacing on your panel?
We have not published these. Slat width, gap width and pitch have not been confirmed to us by our manufacturing partner, so we do not state them. They will be published once confirmed.
Is one style easier to install than the other?
They install differently rather than one being simpler. Flat panels butt edge-to-edge for a seamless run; slat panels are typically direct-fixed or battened with the slat spacing carried across joins. Our panel is fixed with silicone or a mounting adhesive, as stated by our manufacturing partner. Neither style requires materially different tools or skills.
Specifying acoustic panels?
Order finishes to see and hear, model the room with the reverberation calculator, or send us the spaces and targets for panel selection and a quote. We publish no performance figure we cannot evidence — what that means for your project.