Looking to add a modern touch to your living space? Installing slatted wall panels is an excellent way to create a stylish focal point, perfect for living rooms, bathrooms, or lounge areas.

While often seen in restaurants and hotels, slatted walls are unique in home settings, adding distinct character to any room. Plus, with prefabricated panels, the installation is more straightforward than you might think. Here’s everything you need to get started!

Tools and Materials

• Screwdriver
• Saw (circular or foxtail)
• Screws and wall plugs
• Timber battens
• Mineral wool (approx. 45mm thick)
• Spirit level
• Pencil
• Tape measure
• Knife

Step 1: Prepare the Wall

It's important that you're working on a clean and blank space before starting any installation jobs. Therefore, make sure to remove any obstacles that may be sticking out of the wall, such as picture hangers, screws, nails or other bits. If there are any minor gaps and dents within the wall, then these can be filled using drywall joint compound. With a putty knife, apply a small amount of the drywall compound to the dent making sure to fill it. Once dry, it can then be sanded for a smooth and flat surface.

Another point to consider is the level of the wall and whether it is completely straight or not. Sometimes, an uneven and wavy wall might mean that you are unable to use this particular wall for panelling.

Step 2: Plan Your Slatted Wall Design

Firstly, it's important to consider the particular design and effect that you are wanting to achieve. Specifically, you may wish to install your panels so that the slats are running either horizontally or vertically. This is completely your choice and the materials and construction used to install them will be exactly the same - just that the battens will be fixed perpendicular to the slats.

With horizontal slatted walls, the room tends to feel more open and spacious making it perfect for smaller sized rooms and hallways. Vertical slatted walls provide a feeling that the ceilings are higher and taller than what they actually are.

Next up, is planning your materials and specifically how many panels you will need to complete your slatted wall. So within this blog, we are assuming that the slats will be running vertical and so the lengths of the panels are running from the floor to ceiling.

Now to work out how many panels are needed, you'll need to measure the width of your wall and then divide this measurement by the widths of the slatted wall panels that you are using to determine the correct quantity. For example, if the width of your wall is 3.90 metres and the width of the panels are 0.6m, then you will need 7 panels (3.90÷0.60=6.5).

Now, in terms of the height, many of the slatted wall panels are manufactured in lengths of 2.4 metres. Therefore, you may need to cut the panel down to the height of the room or if the wall is taller than the length of the panel, you'll need to install another panel on top and cut this one down to the correct size.

Step 3: Install the Battens

The next task is to mount the battens onto the wall - this provides a frame which you can then drill the screws through the panels and into the battens. It's also so that you can insert mineral wool in between the battens, which means that the wall will obtain Sound Class A, the highest attainable sound dampening class. 

To fix the battens, you need to ensure that they are the correct length and so you may have to cut down to the correct length - using either a hand saw or circular saw.

Then, put your battens in place up against the wall, spacing them out 60cm between each one. Make sure that the distance is equally the same at the top and the bottom to ensure a straight batten. Use a spirit level at this stage to ensure this is the case.

Pre drill holes equal distances apart, into the battens and through to the walls. Add wall plugs to the pre-drilled holes before drilling the screws into these holes and fixing the battens in place.

Step 4: Inserting the Mineral Wool Between the Battens

The next job is to put the mineral wool in between the battens. The wool should be very similar thickness to the battens to ensure a good fit. The wool can be cut to the correct size and then clamped onto the battens. 

Step 5: Attach the Slatted Wall Panels

Starting at one end of the wall, start to fix your slatted wall panels onto the battens using approximately 35mm black screws. Make sure not to screw these through the slats on the panel but through the felt back drop and into the timber battens behind. We would recommend using 15 screws per panel to ensure a secure and tight fit. 

It's important to remember that when you're installing your panels, the edges of the panels will need to match up correctly to the next one for a seamless finish. So where one panel finishes with felt, this will need to join to another panel that starts with a slat on the edge to ensure a continuous finish.

Step 6: Trim the Panels for a Perfect Fit

It's very likely that you'll need to cut the last panel down to the correct size in order to make it fit into the required space. Now, if your panels aren't cut correctly, they can be very easily damaged and not able for use.

If you're wanting to cut the panel width ways going with the slats, then its important that you cut your panel through the felt in between the slats. Therefore, start by measuring the required size of the end panel and marking this measurement on the panel. Also ensure that you're cutting the right side of the panel because one side will need to meet flush with the fitted panel so make sure not to take this off! You can then use a knife to cut through the felt to make the panel the correct size.

If you're wanting to adjust the height of the panels, then you'll need to use a circular saw or foxtail saw to do so. Mark the correct height on the panel and saw on this line for the correct height.

And you're done! Hopefully now you have a new and improved wall that provides a modern and contemporary design to your home. If you've followed this guide yourself and have fitted your own slatted wall, please send us some photos or tag us on social media using our socials.