How to Cut Wall Panels — Simple, Clean Cuts Every Time

A practical guide to cutting PVC and acoustic wall panels at home. Follow these steps for a clean, professional finish — no chipped edges, no wasted panels.

Cutting PVC Panels Cutting Acoustic Panels

Before You Start — Measure Twice, Cut Once

A few minutes of prep saves you a whole panel.

  1. Measure your wall carefully. Height, width, and any obstacles (sockets, switches, windows). Use our free Panel Calculator to work out how many panels you need.
  2. Mark the panel accurately. Use a pencil, straight-edge and a set square. Mark on the back face of the panel where possible.
  3. Support the panel fully. Never let the cut end hang off a workbench — the panel will flex and split. Use trestles or two sawhorses at either side of the cut line.
  4. Apply masking tape along the cut line (both sides). This prevents chip-out and keeps the visible face clean.
  5. Wear eye protection and a dust mask. Both PVC and MDF dust are irritants.

How to Cut PVC Wall Panels

Our PVC panels come in 5mm, 8mm and 10mm thicknesses. All are hollow-core or foam PVC — lightweight, easy to cut with common tools.

Best tools for PVC panels

Fine-toothed handsaw32+ TPI. Slow, controlled strokes give the cleanest cut.
HacksawIdeal for smaller cuts and cutting around sockets.
JigsawUse a metal-cutting blade (fine teeth). Cut at low speed.
Utility knife (5mm only)Score along a straight edge 3–4 times, then snap the panel over the edge of a table.

Step-by-step

  1. Lay the panel face-up on a supported surface. The visible side should face you.
  2. Mark your cut line with pencil and straight-edge. Apply masking tape over the line.
  3. Cut slowly using long, even strokes. Fast cuts melt PVC and cause a rough edge.
  4. Keep the panel supported on both sides of the cut so the offcut doesn't snap and tear.
  5. Remove the tape and check the edge. Deburr any rough bits with fine sandpaper (120–180 grit).
Cutting around sockets and switches: mark the cutout with pencil, drill a starter hole in each corner, then use a jigsaw or padsaw to complete the cutout. Take your time — you can always sand slightly larger, but you can't fill an oversized hole.
Do not use a circular saw at high speed — it melts the PVC edge and can leave a fused, ragged finish. Use a fine handsaw or jigsaw at low speed instead.

How to Cut Acoustic Slat Wall Panels

Our acoustic panels are wooden slats (real wood veneer) bonded to a black felt backing on an MDF board. Cut cleanly by treating the felt and MDF separately.

Best tools for acoustic panels

Fine-toothed handsawIdeal for straight cuts across the full panel. Look for 10–12 TPI.
Jigsaw with wood bladeFine teeth (T101B or similar) and cut with the panel face-down to prevent tear-out on the veneer.
Mitre sawCleanest cross-cuts. Use a fine wood-cutting blade (60+ teeth).
Sharp utility knifeTo score through the felt backing along the cut line before sawing.

Step-by-step

  1. Measure and mark your cut line on the MDF back of the panel using pencil and straight-edge.
  2. Score through the felt backing along the pencil line with a sharp knife — firm, single pass, don't cut into the MDF yet. This stops the felt tearing when you saw.
  3. Apply masking tape across the wooden slats on the front face along the cut line. This protects the veneer from chip-out.
  4. Cut the MDF cleanly using your chosen saw. If you're cutting slats individually with a handsaw, cut each slat carefully one at a time, then trim through the MDF between them.
  5. Remove the tape and sand cut edges lightly with fine sandpaper if needed.
  6. Cutting lengthwise (removing slats to narrow the panel): the slats and felt can be trimmed — use a sharp utility knife along the natural gap between slats, then peel and cut through the felt backing.
Removing individual slats: to trim the panel width, use a sharp utility knife to cut along the space between the slats, then peel the felt away from the MDF backing on the slat you're removing. Cut through the remaining felt cleanly.
Never cut face-up with a jigsaw — the up-cutting blade will tear the wood veneer. Always cut face-down when using a jigsaw, or use a mitre saw / handsaw face-up.

Cutting Around Obstacles — Sockets, Pipes, Windows

  1. Mark the obstacle precisely on the panel back using measurements from the wall.
  2. Drill a starter hole in each corner of the cutout (5mm bit works well).
  3. Use a jigsaw or padsaw to cut between the starter holes.
  4. Test-fit before final installation — dry-fit against the wall to check the cutout aligns.
  5. For round pipes, use a hole saw of the correct diameter.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Cutting too fast. PVC melts; acoustic slats splinter. Slow, controlled strokes always win.
  • Not supporting the offcut. A dangling offcut snaps at the end of the cut and takes a chunk of your panel with it.
  • Skipping the masking tape. Two minutes of prep prevents ugly chip-out on the visible face.
  • Cutting face-up with a jigsaw on acoustic panels. The up-cutting blade tears the veneer — cut face-down, always.
  • Not scoring the felt on acoustic panels first. The felt tears and looks messy at the cut line.
  • Using a blunt blade. A sharp blade is safer AND leaves a cleaner cut. Change it if in doubt.

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