Do You Need 46 or 92 Panels? A No-Nonsense Sizing Guide

Panel counts sound like a spec you can just compare on a chart, and to be fair, we've got a chart below too. But the real answer to "how many panels do I need" comes down to your table, your inventory, and how much you're willing to carry, not just picking the biggest number.

Work backwards from your table, not the panel count

The panel counts on their own (46, 92) don't mean much until you attach them to actual table sizes. 46 panels (Shapeshift) comfortably covers a half table (90cm/3ft) or a full table (180cm/6ft) if you're not trying to build very tall. 46 panels in six shapes (Angled) covers the same full 180cm/6ft table and adds any-angle panels, which swing both ways and set at any angle, so you can build awnings, roofs and arches, not only right angles. 92 panels (Duo) is sized for a 360cm/12ft double table, corner spot, or full booth, with height stretching up to 350cm/138in for bigger, multi-section builds.

Ask yourself these three questions first

1. What's your actual table size at the shows you do most?

Not your dream booth, your actual, current, recurring show. If 80% of your events are a single 6ft table, buy for that and treat anything bigger as a rare exception you can handle with a partial build or a rented extra.

2. How much inventory are you actually displaying?

A print-heavy booth with 40+ distinct designs needs more wall space than someone selling a tight capsule of 10 sticker designs and a handful of keychains. More SKUs generally means more panels, but don't pad your count for inventory you're planning to have "eventually." Buy for what you're bringing to your next few shows.

3. Are you setting up alone, and how much can you realistically carry?

This one gets skipped a lot. 92 panels plus connectors, hooks, and a carry box is genuinely more to haul than 46 panels, especially if you're doing public transport, a small car, or flying with checked luggage limits. If you're a solo vendor without help for load-in, factor in that a bigger kit means more trips from the car, not just a bigger table presence.

A no-nonsense sizing table

When more panels doesn't mean a better booth

Bigger isn't automatically better. A booth crammed with more panels than your table or your inventory actually calls for ends up looking sparse and over-built, empty hooks and gaps read as under-stocked, not spacious. It's the display equivalent of wearing a coat two sizes too big. If in doubt, size down slightly and let your display look intentionally full rather than stretched thin trying to justify a bigger kit.

The one thing that should override all of this

Check your actual table dimensions and any height restrictions for your specific venue before finalizing anything. Most conventions cap booth height around 175cm (about 5 panels), but this varies, so confirm with your event rather than assuming. No panel-count guide replaces reading your own show's floor plan and rules email.

If you're still torn between two sizes after answering the three questions above, size toward your most frequent show, not your biggest one. You can always supplement a smaller kit for a rare oversized booth; it's a lot harder to justify hauling a huge kit to a half table every single month.

Curious what a Shapeshift kit actually looks like in person? Head to the Artist Booths homepage to see the full lineup and find the one that fits your table.