How Many Acoustic Panels do I Need?
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There’s no one size fits all answer to this question. The number of acoustic panels you need can vary greatly depending on several factors including room size, room purpose, and panel quality. However, a good rule of thumb is to cover 30 - 40% of the room in acoustic panels.
Number of Acoustic Panels Needed: Factors to Consider
Acoustic panels are incredibly useful but it can be difficult to figure out how many acoustic panels you actually need to achieve your desired acoustic environment. There are a few things to be considered when making this decision.
Room Type and Size
Room size alone doesn’t determine the number of acoustic panels needed but it can be an influential factor. A large, open plan space with high ceilings and a lack of furniture is going to need more acoustic panels than a small, closed plan space with little furniture - this is because in a larger space there will be more reverberation."Measure Your Wall Space"
Wall Space
The amount of space you have to put acoustic panels on will also help determine how many panels you will need. If you have fairly large and unobstructed walls then this will be less of a factor. However, if you have limited space it may be best to opt for smaller acoustic panels. Be sure to measure your your free wall space and find a panel that will work with what you have. If you require considerable acoustic treatment but are lacking in wall space, you may want to opt for another form of acoustic treatment such as acoustic rafts or acoustic baffles
"Ecophon Solo Square Acoustic Raft"
Noise Levels
The higher the noise levels in your room, the more acoustic panels you’ll need to dampen the sound. For example, a home office is only going to have the noises you make, whereas in a shared office you have to battle with the noises of others which can reduce productivity. This means a shared office is more than likely going to need considerably more acoustic panels than a one-person office.
Amount of Soft Furnishings
Hard surfaces reflect sound and create more reverberation whereas soft surfaces and furniture are better at absorbing some of the sound, reducing the chances of echo and high reverberation times. If your space is made up of hard surfaces and lacks soft furnishings, you may want to consider more soft acoustic panels to balance the ratio of hard to soft surfaces.On the other hand, if the contents of your space is predominantly soft furnishings, less acoustic panels will be needed as the soft materials will already be aiding in sound absorption.
Budget
The number of panels you can have in your space is also dependent on how many acoustic panels you can afford to install. If your project requires plenty of acoustic panels but your budget is relatively low, you may want to consider more cost-effective (but still high-quality) brands such as Fluffo. If money isn’t much of an issue, then budget doesn’t need to be considered as heavily."Fluffo Pixel Acoustic Panels"
Want Some Guidance?
Not 100% sure how many acoustic panels you need and want some guidance from the experts? We can help! As experts in all things acoustic, not only can we advise on how many panels you need, but we can also give guidance on what type of acoustic panel will work best for your space. Feel free to contact us, we’re more than happy to help!