Cubicle panels are available in a wide variety of styles, sizes and materials. There are systems of cubicle panels designed to create rows of cubicles for large work places as well as individual pieces made for small offices to divide a single desk area from the rest of the space. The panels may be budget or deluxe as well as straight or curved or tall or short.
Curved cubicle panel designs are often sold individually. Many of them are padded and covered in cloth. They may have either metal or wood feet to keep these free-standing panels upright and sturdy. The padded fabric may be a solid color or an overall print. A padded cubicle often has the advantage of being able to be used as a bulletin board with the use of push pins to hold notes and papers onto its inner wall.
Straight panels may be padded or made of metal or laminate. Laminate is the synthetic coating that is on many inexpensive kitchen cabinets. It's a popular and durable material that is usually easy to clean with just a damp cloth or sponge. White laminate panels have a utilitarian, or plain, look, yet can help brighten up darker office spaces with their light color. As an alternative to light laminate panels, dry erase board cubicle walls can be used; these can be both fun and functional for a creative, modern office space as workers can write on each wall, erasing as they go.
Some kinds of cubicle panels have transparent or semi-transparent window-like spaces around the top of the walls to filter in more light. These can look quite attractive, yet the glass or acrylic window parts don't buffer sound as well as other cubicle panel materials. Materials such as foam padding and cork can make excellent sound buffer walls for cubicles.
A power supply panel may have electrical wires through it that are connected to run computers and telephones. Another common alternative is a pole system of electrical power located in the ceiling to connect office machines. Electricians create both types of power supply panels for safety and to hide the cords as well as possible. In addition to different widths, panel designs are also available in varied heights. Lower cubicle panels allow workers to see and communicate face to face, while higher panel designs offer more privacy as well as sound-absorbing qualities.