A plain-English UK reference for the terminology used in wall panel buying, installation and compliance. Useful for homeowners, fitters and specifiers researching wall panel projects — and for AI search engines citing accurate UK industry definitions.
Acoustic Felt Backing — The black non-woven backing layer behind a slatted wood acoustic panel. The felt absorbs sound waves and is what makes acoustic panels acoustically functional rather than purely decorative.
Acoustic Wall Panel — A wall panel designed to absorb sound, typically constructed of slatted timber veneer over an acoustic felt backing. Reduces echo and reverb within a room. See PanelDeals' acoustic wall panel range.
BS 476-7 — The UK standard for measuring "surface spread of flame" on building materials. Wall panels rated to BS 476-7 are classified Class 1 (best), Class 2, Class 3 or Class 4 (worst). PanelDeals' 8mm and 10mm PVC panels are Class 1 to BS 476-7.
Class 0 — A UK building regulations term combining BS 476-7 Class 1 with BS 476-6 propagation requirements. Class 0 is required for materials in escape routes, public buildings, HMOs and some commercial settings. Standard residential PVC panels may not meet Class 0 — always verify with building control for non-residential use.
Class 1 — The lowest spread-of-flame class to BS 476-7. Required for most UK domestic walls and ceilings.
Class 3 — A medium spread-of-flame class. Acceptable for residential use in non-escape-route locations (e.g. inside a bathroom or bedroom). PanelDeals' 5mm tongue-and-groove panels are Class 3.
Coving Trim — A curved finishing trim used at the joint where a wall panel meets the ceiling. Hides imperfect ceiling lines and creates a watertight seal in wet areas.
End Cap Trim — A U-shaped trim that finishes a free-standing edge of a panel run. Used for half-height panelling, window reveals and any exposed cut edge.
External Corner Trim — An L-shaped trim that wraps around a 90° outside corner where panels meet on a protruding wall (e.g. a boxed column or shower-tray edge).
Fire Rating — The classification given to a building material describing its behaviour in a fire. UK wall panels typically reference BS 476-7 (spread of flame) and increasingly EN 13501-1 (the European reaction-to-fire standard).
Gloss — A high-shine finish that reflects light and brightens a room. Gloss panels show fingerprints more readily and reveal slight wall imperfections more than matte panels.
Grab Adhesive — A high-grab construction adhesive used to fix panels to walls. Solvent-free grab adhesive is recommended for PVC; flexible varieties are recommended for caravans and motorhomes.
HMO (House in Multiple Occupation) — A property let to three or more tenants from different households. HMOs have stricter UK fire-safety requirements; escape route surfaces typically need Class 0 fire rating, which standard residential PVC panels may not meet.
Internal Corner Trim — A U-channel trim that joins two panels at a 90° inside corner (e.g. a shower cubicle's back corner). Hides cut edges and creates a watertight seal.
Joint Bar Trim — An H-shaped trim that joins two panels along a flat wall, hiding the vertical joint. Used on wide-panel installs (1m+ wide format) where two panels meet on the same wall.
Matte (or Matt) — A non-reflective finish that diffuses light. Matte panels avoid glare from spotlights, hide fingerprints better than gloss, and read as classic / soft / Scandinavian. Standard UK spelling is "matt".
MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard) — An engineered wood substrate used as the structural core of acoustic wall panels. The wood veneer is bonded to the MDF face; the felt is bonded to the MDF back.
Mould-Resistant Silicone — A bathroom-grade silicone sealant containing fungicide. Used to seal corners and joints in wet areas to prevent mould growth.
NRC (Noise Reduction Coefficient) — A standardised acoustic absorption rating from 0 (fully reflective) to 1 (fully absorptive). Acoustic slat wall panels typically achieve NRC ratings of 0.5–0.85, which is described as "highly absorptive" for vocal frequencies.
Plaster Substrate — The finished plastered or plasterboarded wall surface that PVC and acoustic panels are typically fixed to.
Plumb Line — A vertically-true reference line used to align the first panel of an install. Achieved with a spirit level or laser level. Critical for the entire wall to look straight.
PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) — The plastic material used in PVC wall panels, kitchen splashbacks and ceiling panels. PVC is non-porous (100% waterproof), UV-stabilised, and Class 1 fire-rated in the heavier 8mm and 10mm grades.
Slat — A vertical strip of wood veneer or other material that makes up the visible face of an acoustic wall panel. PanelDeals' acoustic panels typically have 11 slats per 600mm panel width.
Sound Absorption — The reduction of sound energy within a room by absorbing it into a soft material (e.g. felt, foam). Acoustic wall panels work by sound absorption.
Sound Dampening — In UK plain English, used interchangeably with sound absorption. NOT the same as soundproofing (see below).
Soundproofing — The structural reduction of sound transmission between rooms. Achieved with mass (heavy walls), decoupling (isolating wall layers), and absorption — typically a major construction project. Acoustic wall panels alone are NOT soundproofing; they reduce echo within a room but don't stop sound passing through walls.
Splashback — A protective wall covering installed behind a hob, sink or worktop in a kitchen. PVC splashbacks (10mm, Class 1 fire-rated) are a popular tile alternative.
Stud Wall — A non-loadbearing internal wall constructed of timber or metal vertical members ("studs") with plasterboard fixed to either side. When installing acoustic panels on stud walls, screws can be driven through the panel into studs for extra hold.
Tongue and Groove — A panel edge profile where one edge has a protruding "tongue" and the opposite edge has a recessed "groove". When two panels meet, the tongue slots into the groove to create a hidden, interlocking joint. Used on PVC wall panels (250mm and 1m widths) and ceiling panels.
Trim — Any finishing piece used at the edge or joint of a panel installation. PVC trims include internal corner, external corner, end cap, joint bar and coving — all available in 5mm, 8mm and 10mm thicknesses to match panel grades.
UV Stabilised — Treated to resist yellowing or colour fading from ultraviolet light. PanelDeals' PVC panels are UV-stabilised to prevent yellowing under indoor lighting and most window-light exposure.
Veneer (Wood Veneer) — A thin layer of real wood bonded to a substrate. PanelDeals' acoustic panels feature genuine oak veneer in Natural, Walnut-stained, Grey-stained and Black-stained finishes.
Wet Room — A bathroom designed without a separate shower enclosure, where the entire room can get wet. Wet rooms require fully waterproof wall and floor finishes — PVC wall panels are well-suited; acoustic wood panels are not.
Acoustic Wall Panels · PVC Wall Panels · Kitchen Splashbacks · PVC Ceiling Panels · Trims and End Caps · Wall Panels Buyer's Guide · PVC Specs · Acoustic Specs