Autex Groove Wall Tiles Review: Designs, Uses and How They Compare

Autex Groove Wall Tiles bring a more flexible approach to decorative acoustic walls. Each 600 mm tile features a router-cut pattern that can connect with adjoining tiles, allowing designs to be repeated, rotated or combined.

This gives architects, designers and homeowners control over how subtle or expressive the finished wall becomes. The same modular system can create a calm linear treatment for a meeting room, a flowing hospitality feature or a more graphic residential wall.

In this guide, we’ll explore the six designs, where they’re best suited, how they compare with other acoustic wall products and what’s involved in planning and installation.

Autex Groove Wall Tiles: Our review at a glance

What are Autex Groove Wall Tiles?

Autex Groove Wall Tiles are lightweight, semi rigid acoustic tiles made from 100% PET, including recycled fibre. Acoustic Sound Products supplies the 12 mm version in 600 mm x 600 mm tiles, with eight tiles in each box.

The face of each tile is router cut with a 90 degree groove. These grooves introduce shadow, texture and movement without adding the depth of a heavily sculpted acoustic tile.

The result is a wall finish that sits somewhere between a flat acoustic panel and a three dimensional feature tile.

From a distance, the wall reads as a larger continuous pattern. Closer inspection reveals the texture of the PET material, the routed grooves and the bevelled divisions between each modular tile.

How Groove Wall Tiles create different patterns

Groove Wall Tiles aren’t limited to six finished looks.

Each tile can be turned through different orientations, allowing the same groove to connect with adjoining tiles in new ways. This means one style can create an ordered repeat, a flowing pattern or a more varied geometric layout.

There are three main ways to use the system.

Repeat one design

A consistent orientation creates a calm and structured wall.

This approach works particularly well with Rail, Track and Weave, where the repeated lines can reinforce the architecture of the room.

It’s a good option for:

• boardrooms

• professional offices

• corridors

• reception areas

• interiors with a restrained material palette

Rotate one design

Turning individual tiles creates more movement without introducing another style or colour.

This is one of the most appealing ways to use Groove Wall Tiles. The wall retains a consistent visual language, but it doesn’t feel like a simple repeating grid.

Intersect, Sweep and Switch are especially well suited to this approach because their lines can connect and change direction across several tiles.

Combine different designs

Several Groove designs can also be mixed within the same wall.

This gives designers more freedom to create:

• branching pathways

• large sweeping curves

• changes in direction

• framed zones

• more irregular geometric compositions

Mixed layouts are particularly effective on larger walls where the viewer has enough distance to read the overall pattern.

The designs are supplied in separate boxes of eight, so it’s useful to map the wall before ordering and count each design independently. This is less about making the process complicated and more about ensuring the selected tile mix supports the intended pattern.

The six Groove Wall Tile designs

The tile design affects the overall character of the wall. Some styles are structured and linear, while others create curves or more complex connections.

Intersect

Intersect creates rounded connection points that continue across neighbouring tiles.

Repeating the tile produces a structured geometric effect. Rotating selected tiles creates less predictable pathways across the wall.

Rail

Rail uses clean parallel lines.

It’s one of the simplest choices for customers who want texture and detail without making the wall pattern the dominant feature in the room.

Sweep

Sweep introduces curved lines that connect across several tiles.

It creates a softer and more flowing feature than a rigid square or linear pattern.

Switch

Switch changes direction within the tile and creates branching lines across the wall.

Turning the tiles can produce a more active and energetic pattern.

Track

Track uses nested lines and corner forms.

It can create an ordered repeated arrangement or be rotated to form larger geometric shapes.

Weave

Weave creates crossing lines that resemble a woven grid.

It works well as a repeated pattern and can also be mixed with the other linear tile designs.

Where Groove Wall Tiles are best suited

Offices and commercial workplaces

Groove Wall Tiles work particularly well in spaces where acoustic treatment needs to support the wider design concept.

Common applications include:

• meeting room feature walls

• reception backgrounds

• breakout spaces

• collaboration zones

• executive offices

• video call backdrops

The slim 12 mm profile adds visual detail without taking up significant floor or circulation space.

A neutral Rail or Track layout can sit quietly within a professional workplace. Intersect, Sweep or Switch can create more personality in shared or creative areas.

Hospitality and retail spaces

Restaurants, cafés, hotels and retail environments often have large areas of glass, plasterboard, concrete, tile or timber.

Groove Wall Tiles can help reduce sound reflections while adding texture to the interior. They work well behind fixed seating, reception desks, counters and product displays.

The routed design means the acoustic treatment feels like part of the original interior rather than an item added later to address noise.

Residential interiors

Groove Wall Tiles are also well suited to homes where conventional studio style acoustic treatment may look too technical.

Potential applications include:

• home offices

• dining areas

• media rooms

• living rooms

• entrance halls

• stairwells

A single tile style in a neutral colour can add subtle visual interest. A rotated Intersect or Sweep pattern can create a stronger feature wall.

Education and creative environments

Libraries, staff rooms, administration areas, tertiary learning spaces and creative studios can all benefit from a more decorative acoustic finish.

Groove is particularly suitable when the wall is intended to feel permanent and architectural.

A pinnable product such as Composition Peel n Stick may be more appropriate when the wall also needs to hold learning materials, notices or artwork.

How Groove Wall Tiles compare with other acoustic wall products 

Groove isn’t the right product for every wall. The best option depends on the desired appearance, installation method and acoustic requirement.

Choose Groove Wall Tiles when:

• you want a modular patterned feature wall

• the visible tile grid suits the design

• the 600 mm format is easier for the site

• you want to create variation through rotation

• appearance and acoustic treatment are equally important

Choose Composition Peel ’n’ Stick when:

• simple installation is the priority

• the wall needs to be pinnable

• the surface will be used as a display or noticeboard

• you want to mix colours without planning routed lines

Choose full size Groove panels when:

• the wall is large

• fewer visible joins are preferred

• you want a more continuous architectural pattern

Choose Groove Duet when:

• colour contrast is central to the design

• you want the routed lines to reveal a different base colour

• a more premium layered finish suits the project

How to plan and order Groove Wall Tiles

Measure the wall

Each tile measures 600 x 600 mm and covers 0.36 square metres.

Each box contains eight tiles and covers 2.88 square metres.

Dividing the total wall area by 2.88 provides an initial estimate of the number of boxes required.

That calculation is useful for a simple wall using one design. It doesn’t show where partial tiles will be required or how many boxes of each style are needed.

It’s better to draw the wall as a grid of 600 mm squares.

A wall that’s 2.4 metres high and 4.8 metres wide can be shown as four tiles high and eight tiles wide. That gives a total of 32 tiles, or four full boxes when one design is used.

Map the tile layout

The layout should show:

• doors and windows

• internal and external corners

• power outlets and switches

• built in furniture

• skirting boards

• exposed wall edges

• areas that will require cut tiles

This helps determine the best starting point and prevents key sections of the pattern from being lost around an outlet or at the edge of the wall.

Calculate boxes by design

For a mixed wall, calculate the quantity required for each individual design.

Count the number of tiles per design and round each design up to a full box of eight.

Allow for cuts and spare tiles

Additional material may be needed when:

• the wall dimensions don’t align with the 600 mm grid

• the pattern continues around a corner

• there are several outlets or switches

• many edge tiles require cutting

• spare matching tiles are required for future replacement

A repeated layout using one tile style generally creates less waste than a complex wall using several designs.

How Groove Wall Tiles are installed

Groove Wall Tiles use a straightforward direct-fix installation method, but the routed pattern makes careful alignment more important than it would be with a plain tile. 

Small alignment or orientation errors can interrupt the routed pattern. These mistakes may become more noticeable as additional rows are installed.

Autex’s installation guide is written to assist suitably experienced tradespeople. A simple rectangular feature wall may be manageable for someone with relevant installation experience, but larger or more complex walls require greater precision.

The quality of the finished result depends on four main things:

1. preparing the wall correctly

2. mapping and dry fitting the pattern

3. choosing the right starting point

4. applying and rolling the Tek7 correctly

Prepare and mark the wall

Autex recommends installing the tiles onto a surface that’s:

• flat

• dry

• structurally sound

• free from dust and contaminants

• finished to at least Level 4

An uneven wall may prevent complete adhesion and create air pockets behind the tiles.

The treatment area should be measured and marked before installation begins. Level reference lines are important because even a small error in the first row can become more obvious as the wall progresses.

Dry fit the pattern

Autex recommends laying the tiles out on the floor and dry fitting them before they’re attached to the wall.

This lets the installer check:

• the orientation of every tile

• how the routed lines connect

• the position of each tile design

• where cut tiles will sit

• how the pattern meets corners

• the location of exposed edges

• the placement of outlets and switches

Dry fitting is particularly important for directional designs such as Sweep and Switch.

Once Tek7 has been applied and the tile has been rolled into position, changing the orientation may be difficult.

Install the tiles with Tek7 or SpinFix

Autex recommends Tek7 for the adhesive installation of Groove Wall Tiles, and it’s available from Acoustic Sound Products.

Apply a continuous 5 mm bead of Tek7 around the perimeter of each tile. Position the bead approximately 25 mm in from the edge.  Then apply nine internal dabs, each approximately 20 mm, at intervals of around 200 mm.

Hold the tile at an angle to the wall and place one edge first. Lower the rest of the tile into position, then roll it evenly and firmly to achieve full adhesion.

Each following tile should be placed tightly against the previous one.

Once the installation is complete, roll the full wall again and check that every tile has bonded properly.

SpinFix can also be used as an alternative fixing method. Projects using SpinFix should follow the separate Autex SpinFix installation instructions.

Cutting Groove Wall Tiles

Groove Wall Tiles can be cut on site, but the cuts should be planned so they don’t unnecessarily interrupt the pattern.

Autex recommends using:

• a sharp snap blade knife

• a straight edge

• a flat cutting surface

• several controlled passes through the tile

Several passes will usually produce a cleaner cut than trying to cut through the full tile in one movement.

Cut edges are best placed against corners, ceilings, skirting boards or other finishes where they’ll be less noticeable.

Working around internal corners

A simple lap join can be used when the tiles continue onto an adjoining wall.

When a patterned tile needs to be trimmed into an internal corner, Autex recommends beginning from the opposite end of the wall.

The final tile is flipped 180 degrees to mark the required cut. It’s then trimmed and returned to its correct orientation.

This leaves the factory bevelled edge against the neighbouring tile and positions the cut edge inside the corner. It helps maintain a cleaner visible join and keeps the pattern facing the correct direction.

Working around external corners

Tiles can finish at the outside edge of a wall or wrap around onto the adjoining surface.

Autex recommends beginning the installation from the external corner when it’s the most visible edge. This helps keep the prominent section aligned and allows final cuts to be placed in a less noticeable position.

Power outlets and switches

Tiles can be cut around power outlets and light switches.

The outlet is secured through the tile and into the wall substrate.

Electrical, plumbing, fire safety and related fittings should only be removed and reinstalled by an appropriately qualified person.

Our verdict: who should choose Groove Wall Tiles?

Groove Wall Tiles are best suited to projects where acoustic treatment needs to become part of the interior design. They offer more pattern flexibility than a standard flat tile while maintaining a slimmer and more understated finish than a deep three-dimensional system.

Use one style in a consistent direction for a restrained result. Rotate the same design to introduce more movement, or combine selected styles to create a larger custom composition.

That ability to move from quiet repetition to a highly individual feature wall is what makes Groove Wall Tiles a useful addition to the acoustic wall category. Acoustic Sound Products can also help with colour selection, layout quantities and installation planning before you order.