To work out how many 60 × 240 cm panels you need, draw the area you want to cover, choose the panel direction and calculate how the panels will fit across its width and height. Check that layout against sockets, corners and the position of each cut. Dividing wall area by panel area is a useful cross-check, but it can miss awkward shapes and unusable offcuts.
Ashlyn Concepts’ Metallic Gold acoustic panel is listed at 60cm wide, 240cm high and 1.5cm thick. The examples below use that nominal size. Always confirm the dimensions of the exact finish and variant in your order.
Draw the area the panels will cover
Start with a simple front view of the wall. Mark the ceiling, floor, skirting, door frames and any fixed furniture. Add sockets, switches and radiator positions. Measurements become much easier to check when each one has a place on the drawing.
Decide whether the panels will cover the whole wall or a smaller section. A wall behind a sideboard, for example, might only need panelling across the furniture and a margin on either side. Measure that intended section rather than automatically buying for the room’s full width.
Record the width at the top, middle and bottom. Measure the height at several points too. If the figures differ, keep all of them on the drawing; a single average can hide the need for a tapered cut.
Calculate a straightforward vertical layout
Imagine an unobstructed panelled area 300cm wide and 240cm high, with the panels fitted vertically.
Each panel is 60cm wide, so the calculation is:
300 ÷ 60 = 5 panels across.
The height fits one 240cm panel, giving a nominal layout of five full panels. This is an illustration of the geometry, before checking wall irregularities, required fitting details and potential cutting losses.
Each panel also has a nominal face area of 1.44m²: 0.6m × 2.4m. Five panels provide 7.2m², matching the example wall’s 3m × 2.4m area. Here, width and area give the same result because the dimensions fit neatly.
Allow for a wall that does not divide evenly
Now imagine the panelled section is 320cm wide and no more than 240cm high.
320 ÷ 60 = 5.33.
You need material from six panels to cover that width. The last 20cm could form one cut strip, but the best-looking layout may use cut panels at both edges instead. Draw both options and check how the slat pattern meets the boundaries.
If the wall is taller than 240cm, a single vertical panel cannot span it. A 260cm wall needs a planned join, a different panel size or a different treatment for the extra height. A favourable area calculation does not remove that join.
For help deciding where the panelled area should begin and end, see the guide to full walls and panelled sections.
Handle windows and sockets on the drawing
Do not simply subtract every opening from the total wall area and assume the remaining figure is your order quantity. A cut-out for a socket may remove only a small piece from a panel that you still need to buy.
Around a window, label each required piece with its width and height. Then see whether the offcuts from other panels can supply those pieces while preserving the intended slat direction and pattern. A short offcut is only useful if its dimensions and appearance fit the next location.
Numbering the pieces also gives an installer a clear cutting plan. Keep the original full-panel dimensions beside it so you can retrace the calculation.
Decide on spare material from the cutting plan
There is no single extra percentage that suits every wall. A plain rectangle with few cuts is different from a layout around two windows, an alcove and a corner.
List the pieces your plan needs, identify which offcuts can be reused, then decide whether to allow a spare panel for cutting mistakes or later repairs. Confirm the order unit too: a price per panel, a pack and a minimum order quantity are separate details.
For exposed ends, check the dimensions and compatibility of the acoustic wall panel end trims. Trims belong on the layout before you finalise the width.
Keep your measured sketch, panel count and cutting notes together. Use them alongside the feature-wall planning guide and the pre-order checklist so the quantity, fitting method and finishing details all describe the same project.