3 Things to Know About Acoustic Panelling
If you want to use acoustic panelling to control noise in a room or area, then you need to do some preparation work. You have to choose the right kind of panelling for the job.
Before you start looking at products, it is worth thinking about the space you're working with and its noise problems.
1. Sound Frequency Matters
Any acoustic panelling will help control sound in a space. However, you get better results if you choose a product that can handle actual environmental conditions. For example, generic products might reduce noise to a certain extent; however, they might not give the best results. Plus, the wrong panels sometimes dampen some noise successfully but negatively affect the quality of other sounds which you don't want to lose such as speech and music.
So, it's important to choose a solution that works for the sound frequencies in the space. Your aim here is to create a balanced frequency that is neither too high nor too low.
2. Material Thickness Affects Performance
As you start to look at acoustic panels, you'll notice that many products come in different thicknesses. Thickness plays an important role in a successful panelling build. For example, if you have problems with low-frequency sounds, such as traffic noise, then thin panels might not work as effectively as you hoped. The panels won't be thick enough to completely absorb and contain sounds at this frequency.
Here, you would usually increase the thickness of the panels to improve their low-frequency performance. You would use materials with a higher density. This isn't always an easy process. While thicker and denser panels effectively dampen low-frequency sounds, you have to find the thickness sweet spot. If you go overboard, then any high-frequency sounds in the space might be amplified.
3. Less Is Sometimes More
While you sometimes use acoustic panelling all around a room or space, you don't always need full coverage. You might only need one large panel on a wall or a few smaller ones.
The type of noise you're dealing with also affects your build. For example, if you have echo problems in a large space, then you can usually dampen the echoing by putting panels on parallel walls. You don't need to cover all the walls, you simply need well-placed barriers that cut the echoes off.
For more advice about your project, contact a local acoustic panelling products service.