Probably all of us have once in a while been in a room where the acoustics hasn’t been so good. You might have noticed that there’s been a kind of echo which disturbed conversation or concentration. Not a nice feeling especially if you need to work and concentrate in a place like this or if you’re having a dinner party but cannot hear properly what the people around the table are talking. In many cases this sort of noise can be reduced with special acoustic panels.

What is an acoustic panel?

Acoustic panels reduce, correct or absorb noice pollution. They are often used in restaurants, reception halls and offices, and also in homes. Panels come in different shapes, colours, sizes, fixings etc so there’re options for every taste. Sound absorbing panels can be placed on walls or ceiling to control noise and eliminate echo. They also improve sound quality.

Composed of mineral wools, foam or peat acoustic panels absorb sound waves to reduce general noise and clarify speech. The aim is not to block noise totally, just to make it more comfortable to be in that space.

When to use acoustic panels?

As mentioned above when the noise level in a space is unpleasant acoustic panels can be a solution as they help mitigate sound transfers preventing that sound travels from one end of the room to the other. Background noise for example in an open-space office can be lowered to an acceptable level. For these purposse you can choose freestanding panels, ceiling-suspended panels or wall-mounted panels.

Where to place acoustic panels?

Whether you want to limit sound transfers, reduce background noise and reverb time, it’s crucial to determine the location of the acoustic panels to achieve the best performance. Finding the ideal positioning depends on several factors, including room type, the activity of the space, existing furniture, materials in the space (glass, wood, metal)

In small spaces such as meeting rooms, designated areas, and offices, sound waves will typically first bounce against the walls as they are usually the hard surfaces closest to the sound source. As a consequence, you should be looking into using wall-mounted acoustic panels. These will help absorb the sound, reducing the number of waves that are sent back into the room.

In bigger spaces sound waves behave differently. In larger spaces, less sound energy is bouncing back into the room as the original sound sometimes drops dead before even reaching a hard element.Yet, often sound waves do hit a hard surface before dropping dead—typically the ceiling rather than the walls. In these cases, horizontal ceiling-suspended acoustic panels can help improve the sound of the space considerably. When suspended from the ceiling, horizontal panels absorb undesired sound waves. For improved acoustic performance, install the panels in different suspension heights. The air pockets between the panels will capture sound waves, preventing them from traveling even further in spaces with high ceilings.

Ecological acoustic panels

A Finnish company called Konto produces ecological acoustic panels made of peat fibre. These Konto panels stands moisture extremely well and are mould resistant. They also make a very good thermal insulation material. Konto panels are light and easy to fasten. You can have them painted with any colour you prefer or even have photos printed on them.

Why peat?

Peat has been used for different purposes including insulation for hundreds of years and is well suited for indoor use. Peat products do not affect indoor air wherefore Konto’s acoustics products are safe to use. This has been verified through tests conducted by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. In addition to this recycling of products is easy. Panels made of peat are generating a comfortable atmosphere in a safe and soft ecological way.

I found this information in English on Konto’s website Konto.fi If you want to know more in Hungarian click here Konto-akusztika.hu

Design

Acoustic panels can be a fabulous part of any interior. It is easy to create a statement piece on a wall with the colours and shapes you prefer. For an office, store, restaurant, hotel or any business choose the colours of your brand. In a home pick up neutral tones if you want the panels to blend smoothly to the rest of the interior or be bold and use striking colours to create a statement piece.

You can also play with the forms. With squares and rectangulars is is easy and simply to create harmonious compositions. Round forms are playful and make a space interesting. Of course, the shape can like a cloud, leaf, bunny, what ever fits to your space best. Only sky is the limit what comes to the shape and colour of acoustic panels.

Acoustic panels in brand colours and round forms in a groovy office.

You can have acoustic panels in a shape and colour you prefer and fits to your brand or home.

You can have a picture printed on an acoustic panel.

Natural silence - ecological acoustic panels.

A sketch for wall with different lengths of acoustic panels.