Acoustic panels are fixtures that are primarily being used in order to control the sound in a particular space. This is the reason why these are commonly being installed in rooms like studios, auditorium, board or conference room, offices and the like. However, they have a secondary purpose, which has something to do with its design. For instance acoustic ceiling panels are now being installed, not just in order to provide soundproofing in a space, but to provide better visual impact or accent therein. So, if you are planning to install some of these too, you might want to know some important aspects first. These are specifically about the features and specifications of the panels or the area where they will be installed, as well as the performance rating of the product and even their limitations or other considerations.
Features and Specifications
One of these important aspects is about the features or specifications of the fabric acoustic panels that you are going to install. Firstly, you need to know that there are two (2) general types of these, which are the pre-finished system and stretch system. The former refers to the fabric that is wrapped in factories. The latter, in contrary, refers to the type that is covered with fabric materials in the field. You should pick the right type for your space since choosing an inappropriate one that does not match your particulars might only cause technical problems in the future.
Panel Performance
Another thing that you need to understand too is about the performance of the panel that you will be installing. There is a wide variety of these acoustic ceiling panels that you can choose from, which may differ according to their thickness and their corresponding sound absorption coefficients. In order to do these, the panels should undergo tests in laboratories that were approved by the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA). Full reverberation should be used in order to achieve a Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) of 0.85. What this coefficient means is that 85% of the sounds hitting the panel are being absorbed.
Limitations and Considerations
Moreover, it would also be prudent to know the limitations when it comes to installing the fabric acoustic panels for your room. These are the things that will make the full utilization of interior spaces more difficult. One of these is the noise levels. It could be unacceptably high for the panels to absorb most it. Hence, it might only turn out to be ineffective. Aside from that, distortion is an issue here too. This is because extreme reverberations may cause audio difficult to be heard in a clear manner. With these, the thickness of the panel should be picked appropriately.
John W Mayer is associated with Sontext, a timber industry based company and writes articles for acoustic ceiling panels systems. Get more information about ceiling panels systems and its benefits.
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Things You Must Understand About Acoustic Panels
