Acoustic Panel Sizing Guide – How Big Should They Be - Deco Sound

Acoustic Panel Sizing Guide – How Big Should They Be?

If you’ve committed to get the most out of your speaker system, then you know you’re going to need acoustic panels. But figuring out all the details can be intimidating. You might be considering making your own panels or buying them ready-made, but what about the size of the panels themselves?

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Although the size and shape of a room can have a big impact on the effectiveness of acoustic panels, a good rule of thumb is to target covering around 20% of the wall’s surface area with panels that are 2ft by 4ft, and at least 2in thick.

There’s a lot to unpack there. How do you know what 20% of your wall’s surface area even is? And can you get away with panels that are thinner than 2in? Calculate the number of panels you need for your room now.

Common Sizes for Acoustic Panels

As far as acoustic panel sizing is concerned, there are a few details you need to be aware of. There are some loose standards around the height and width of panels, though you can build custom panels or, indeed, special order them in any size. Then, there’s the thickness to think about.

Height/Width

The standard height/width of acoustic panels varies across the market. There are plenty of 2ft-by-4ft panels like the ATS Acoustic Panel (on Amazon) that are designed to get you a really good bang for your buck when it comes to wall coverage.

But there are plenty of smaller options on the market as well, like the DEKIRU Acoustic Foam Panels (also on Amazon) that comes in packs of 1-foot-square panels. These are nice because you have a little more flexibility in deploying your sound absorption if there are lots of speakers in the space. We have a separate article on how to think about acoustic panels vs. foam, so be sure to check that out if you’re trying to pick.

You’ll most likely want to get 2x4ft panels to cover the most surface area you can, with a few smaller panels scattered around to match irregularly shaped walls. Or, if you end up building your own panels, you can obviously set whatever size is right for you. But if you do want to make your own panels, be sure to reference our guides on how to pick the right insulation and fabric covering for the job.

Thickness

The thickness you need is based on the type of sound you need to treat your room for. Deeper wavelength sounds require thicker panels, but that’s not the whole story: placement matters too. Bass traps are typically put in the corner, but panels are mounted on the walls and/or ceiling.

The wall panels are typically there to address higher frequency sounds, like the dialogue in a movie, or music with lots of female vocals and a higher frequency sound in general. These panels are typically 2in deep, and that’s enough to get the job done.

But if you have a really nice sound system with one, or even more than one subwoofer, you’ll definitely need thicker panels to capture those longer wavelength sounds. This can be especially important if you’re considering your panels for a home theater system (our guide).

Bass traps can be much thicker, well over 2in. At their deepest point (they’re usually triangular in shape) it’s not strange for bass traps to be over a foot deep. And the placement: bass traps usually end up in corners, which match their wedge shape.

Things to Consider When Sizing Acoustic Panels

When sizing acoustic panels, there are a few things you need to consider. Below there are details about how the size and shape of your room, and how the purpose of your home theater setup can influence your decision. Ultimately, the amount of wall space available will drive some of your decisions here, especially about how large the panels ultimately need to be.

Room Size and Shape

The size and shape of the room have a big effect on the effectiveness of your acoustic panels. Not only can irregularly sized rooms complicate placement, but sloped ceilings, and/or light fixtures can be interesting to workaround if you’re putting in ceiling panels. You may also have furniture or artwork on the walls that limit where you can put acoustic panels.

For a “normal” square or rectangular room, the placement of acoustic panels is very straightforward. You’ll want some in the front, back, and on the sides, pretty much wherever you can put them. Even coverage on every wall should be your goal, with at least three panels on all the walls except for the one with the screen. And if you have a subwoofer, put a bass trap in one of the corners.

For much longer rooms, or a room with high ceilings or an open concept, things get a little messier. There will be some obvious surfaces opposite the speakers that need to be covered, but there will also be areas that you can’t really address. In cases like this, you’ll need to do what you can by addressing the space, maybe with ceiling panels.

The way you should think about this, though, is that wherever there are flat surfaces in the room, the sound will bounce off of it, and you don’t want that to happen. So even if the room is shaped in a way that you can’t get a panel right across from the speaker, it will still help to just start putting panels on flat surfaces. 

Do the best you can by putting panels in the “right” spots, across from speakers, then put a few more up, and add even more if you’re still not happy with the sound. And double-check your plan against our placement guide for the best results.

Purpose of the Room

The purpose of the room should play into the logic behind your acoustic panels a lot. We have a separate article on when to use acoustic panels, but the basics are pretty simple.

If you’re primarily thinking of managing the sound in the room to get the most out of your home theater system, then you need at least a couple panels across from all of your speakers. But unless you’re going for the full theater experience, that’s probably where you can stop. Add a bass trap and call it a day.

Now, if you’re really going to emulate the full effect of a home theater, to the point that you have multiple subwoofers and a speaker system that is running Dolby Atmos sound, it’s probably going to be worth your money to add a few more acoustic panels.

Specifically, another bass trap and even ceiling panels should be on your mind. And if you’re worried about lights, don’t worry–you can cut ceiling acoustic panels to match your lights without reducing their effectiveness much. And we have a guide on installing acoustic panels on your ceiling if you’d like to try it.

However, if you’re in a studio space, or trying to acoustically treat a room to the point that you can do high-quality sound recordings or music production, then you’re in the next tier: you need sound absorption all over the place. This isn’t the 20% coverage that we mentioned as a rule of thumb for home theaters, it’s as near to 100% as you can get.

As you can see, the scale of how much acoustic treatment you need begins to slide up quickly based on the purpose of the room. Think of it in terms of the percent of your wall that’s covered: you could even choose to start at 10% and see if that is good enough for you, adding more panels as needed. But the purpose of the room should be considered when you’re deciding where to start.

Available Wall Space

Lastly, the amount of wall space available will heavily limit the number of panels you can hang. This is good in a way: less wall means less surface for sound to bounce off of.

But if you can’t use a panel because you have a picture on the wall, that’s bad news. The picture is still a flat surface that will reflect sound, and it’s limiting your ability to acoustically treat the room in the right spots.

So, you should consider how much of your wall is available, and how much you’d like to give up to acoustic panels because you can’t mount anything on top of them. We have another more in-depth write-up on how many panels you’ll need, if you’re trying to plan this number in detail.

The one other option here is that you can squeeze more acoustic treatment into the space by mounting acoustic panels on the ceiling, but these serve a somewhat different purpose: they’re not directly across from any speakers, so they’re not going to give you as much bang for your buck when it comes to sound absorption.

If you lack wall space because of furniture and decorations that are blocking where you can put panels, that’s just the way it’s going to be. You can likely still fit a bass trap somewhere, but short of moving speakers so that they’re aimed at “open” spaces of wall, you’re not going to be able to get much more sound quality out of the space.

Do Larger Acoustic Panels Absorb More Sound?

Larger acoustic panels will absolutely absorb more sound. The way an acoustic panel works is to trap sound within it, absorbing it by allowing the sound waves in, but never letting them out. So it stands to reason that the deeper a panel is, the more sound-absorbing material you have, and the better it will trap sound within because it has more room to get trapped in.

But it’s not just thickness that affects this, the overall size or surface area of the panel has an effect as well. A 1ft by 4ft panel that’s 1in thick will absorb less sound than a 1ft by 4ft panel that’s 2in thick, but a 2ft by 4ft panel that’s 2in thick will be better than both of them.

So how do you know? Since you can always add more surface area of panels (by adding more panels in the room), we recommend starting out with panels that are at least 2in thick. If you start too slim, you may end up having to replace those panels with thicker ones. But if you start with a decent thickness, you should always be able to “scale up” by adding more panels, not replacing the ones you already have.

What Now?

Maybe now you understand a little more about what goes into the question of how big your acoustic panels should be. There’s a surface area to target–at least 20%–but there’s also a thickness that you need to think about. 

And the unique configuration of your room may give you some limitations, but if you consider the purpose of your room and the goals you have for it, figuring out where you should start with acoustic panels should be a breeze.

Acoustic Panels 101: The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide

In the recording studio, acoustic panels are a cornerstone of any good acoustic treatment plan.

While they may not absorb the low end as well as your bass traps, they do perform the entirely separate task of killing standing waves between parallel walls.

And it’s this issue specifically, that is especially problematic in the small cubical rooms of most home recording studios.

So to help you tackle this challenge, in this ultimate guide I’m going to teach you everything you know on this all-important topic.

Commercial Acoustic Panels vs Homemade DIY Panels

What you may not know is, building homemade DIY acoustic panels is actually a lot more common than you’d imagine.

It does require some trips to Home Depot, and basic carpentry skills, but it can potentially save you a lot of money.

Commercially bought acoustic panels however, while pricier, have the main advantage of being performance tested.

So you actually know for sure that they’re doing what they’re supposed to.

Many newbie studio owners make the common mistake of using materials such as carpeting, cardboard cup holders, or egg crate foam, which absorb the higher frequencies while allowing the low ones to remain.

And all this does is make the room sound dull and bassy.

So here’s what I’d recommend. If this is your first time around with this stuff, just buy them online.

And I recommend this route, mainly because you need to first get familiar with the “sound of a studio”.

Gain a few years of experience first, so you know what a good room should sound like, and what a bad room sounds like. THEN, if you want to later, experiment on your own with homemade panels.

The 3 Key Features of Acoustic Panel Design

When you shop for acoustic foam online, there are 3 key features that you’ll have to consider.

First there’s the THICKNESS.

2″ is the industry standard. While 4″ is premium and more expensive.

Thicker is always technically better, but for their purposes, 2″ is good enough, and what I’d recommend. Later in this post I’ll show you a mounting trick to make them just as effective as the 4″ foam.

Next there’s the SURFACE PATTERN.

Panels typically have some type of 3D pattern on their outer surface. Wedged and Pyramid are the two most common.

These patterns do affect performance slightly, but the differences are minimal. So feel free to choose by aesthetics.

Next there’s the SQUARE FOOTAGE of the package.

The standard bundles normally come in packages of 6, 12, or 24. In sizes of 1ft², 2ft², or 2ft×4ft.

But the real number to pay attention to is the total square footage of coverage. A good starting point for most home studios is around 48ft².

This usually means:

48 – 1ft² panels

12 – 2ft² panels

6 – 2×4 ft panels

Any of these will work fine, but I’d generally recommend smaller panels because they are lighter and easier to mount with temporary adhesives that won’t damage your wall.

NRC Ratings vs SRC Ratings: What’s the Difference?

Product descriptions typically include a “Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) rating” between 0 and 1.

The higher the number, the greater the absorption.

While this number may seem important, the truth is…it’s pretty much worthless for recording studios. And here’s why:

The test to determine this number only measures absorption at 4 frequencies:

Hz

Hz

500 Hz

250 Hz

Which means that no measurements are done below 250 Hz, where virtually all problematic frequencies in the studio exist.

That is why a different metric, known as Sound Absorption Coefficient (SRC), gives a much better representation of true performance.

Because this number measures absorption at a specific narrow band of frequencies. Unfortunately, it’s pretty uncommon these days to see SRC numbers actually posted.

How to Build Homemade DIY Acoustic Panels

Maybe you already have some experience with commercial acoustic panels and you’d like to try something new.

Or maybe you’re just the handyman type and think it will be fun.

Or maybe you saw the prices in the previous section, and decided this is a better solution.

Regardless of your particular reason, you can easily build your own homemade panels with a little patience, and a few basic components.

So here are the tools you’ll need:

For more Acoustic Panel Dimensionsinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

Hammer/nails

 – to construct the frame

Glue

– to secure the insulation within the frame

Staple gun/scissors

 – to secure and trim the outer fabric

Mounting brackets

 – to mount the finished panel to the wall

Next, here are the materials you’ll need:

Wood

 – to construct a standard-sized 2ft by 4ft frame.

Fabric

– to cover up the exposed insulation and give the finished panel a nice look.

Owens Corning 703

– which is a special type of fiberglass that costs about 1/5th the price of acoustic foam and is just as effective

While the wood and fabric can be easily bought at any local home improvement store, Owens Corning 703 is not available everywhere, so you may have to order it online instead.

How to Mount Acoustic Panels in the Corners of the Room

Once your acoustic panels are built (or arrive in the mail), it’s time to mount them in your room.

Assuming you already have bass traps, and have mounted them according to the recommendations in this post…

The next step is to make sure the area directly behind your studio monitors is covered, especially if those monitors have a rear-facing bass port.

The third step is to cover the open dihedral corners (shown in the picture as blue lines) with acoustic panels.

With commercial foam, fold your panels around the corner as shown below, remembering to leave an air gap for added low-end absorption.

With homemade panels, position them diagonally across the corner like this:

Make sure you don’t use them all just yet though, because there’s still more area to cover on the walls.

How to Position Acoustic Panels for Maximum Wall Coverage

Depending on the severity of a room’s acoustic problems…the ideal wall coverage could vary anywhere between 20-80%.

And the only way to know for sure, is to constantly re-test the acoustics after each new panel, using the clap test as described in this post.

It’s entirely possible that you may not even need every panel to reach the sound you’re after.  

Because at a certain point, adding more panels than you need will only make the room sound uncomfortably dead.

In most cases though, home studios have fewer than the ideal number of panels. So to get maximum results from a shortage of panels, here’s what you do:

When covering an area of one wall, leave its reflection point open on the opposite wall…because one panel is sufficient to kill standing waves in that spot.

And if those instructions are too confusing, check out the diagram above, and it’ll be crystal-clear.

How to Mount the Panels Without Ruining Your Wall

In home recording studios, where acoustic foam installations are unlikely to be permanent, there’s always the big worry of damaging your walls.

You also want to avoid damaging the acoustic foam itself, in case you ever want to take them down and sell them.

So the challenge here is to find an adhesive strong enough to support the weight of the foam, yet weak enough to be cleanly removed at any time..

Unfortunately, since every wall/paint job is different, there is no single solution that works in all cases.  Which is why so many products exist to solve this one problem.

3 Adhesive Strength Options for Mounting Your Acoustic Panels

Auralex more so than any other company, has developed a wide variety of adhesives to choose from for this one purpose.

Here are their 3 options:

Auralex TubeTak Pro – (Amazon/B&H/Thomann)

Auralex FoamTak – (Amazon/B&H)

Auralex EZ-stick – (Amazon/B&H)

TubeTak is the strongest, but can be difficult to remove.  EZ-stick is the weakest, but may not always hold well.

So FoamTak in my opinion, offers the best compromise between the two.

But the problem with FoamTak or any other spray-on adhesive, is that it leaves a big mess behind once everything is removed.

A DIY Hack I Discovered Through Years of Trial and Error

First, cover both the wall and the back of the foam with clear packaging tape.

Then spray the FoamTak or similar adhesive in between them.

With this method, you’ll be able to mount your panels while leaving ZERO adhesive residue on anything.

HOWEVER…If you try this idea, proceed at your own risk. Because like I said, every wall and every adhesive is different.  

So test the tape on a small area of the wall first to make sure it can be removed later without damage.

And if all this stuff seems way too complicated, there’s one final option you can try which may be the best of all.

Rather than using an adhesive, you could instead try impaling clips, which screw into the wall, and are used to hang your acoustic foam by “impaling” them.

Your 101 Guide on How to Hang Acoustic Panels in Large Spaces

Acoustic panels are an excellent way to balance acoustics and improve the sound quality of large spaces. They can be used as a ceiling acoustic treatment to reduce aural imperfections like reverberation and resonance and increase speech intelligibility. They can also be used as an aesthetic solution that can also amp up your interior decorating scheme.

But to truly maximize their potential, you need to know the finer aspects of how to hang acoustic panels. With the right tips, you can fine-tune the acoustics in your space faster than the speed of sound. Keep reading for everything you need to know.

Preliminary Step: What To Consider Before Purchasing Acoustic Panels

The first thing to consider when selecting an acoustic treatment for your space is where and how the product will be installed. Although many panels are quite versatile and can be used on either the walls or the ceiling, there may be hardware or wall panel attributes that come into play that limit what you can put in different locations in the room. Ceiling type, lighting, fire suppression sprinkler systems, available wall space, and other similar factors are just a few examples.

The next consideration should be the aesthetic you want or need for the space. Some products can be custom-made for size, shape, and color. Others have very limited options for sizes and colors.

Finally, the use of your space, the way you want the room to sound when you’re done, and the type of sound you want to absorb should all be considered. Are you going for a room that sounds a particular way, or are you just looking to take the edge off the echo and make the room more comfortable? Are you cranking up dance music in the space, or is the sound in the room simply a number of people talking? All these factors are important to ensure you get the right acoustic panel for your room.

We can answer the question “How many panels do I need for my room?” at another time.

Choosing and Hanging Acoustic Panels 

Once you’ve researched the different types of acoustic panels available and narrowed down the many options to a handful that interest you, we suggest you request small samples of your frontrunners from the provider. With samples in hand, you’ll have a better insight into which styles will get the job done. Of course, working with an acoustics expert is always a good idea to improve your room’s sound quality.

Wall or ceiling panels with adhesives

Different types of sound dampening panels have different processes for installation. Some panels are installed onto the walls or the ceiling with two different adhesives used together. For these types of panels, a spray adhesive is used for a quick but temporary bond, and a construction adhesive is also used for long-term adhesion. If only the spray is used, some panels will start to delaminate over a few weeks or months. Construction adhesives are not always sticky right away and often take a while to set up, so if a spray adhesive is not used, they may fall right away.

Wall or ceiling panels with hardware

Some types of acoustical panels utilize different hardware or mounting systems to attach to the structure. You can install acoustic wall panels made out of compressed fiberglass (wrapped with fabric) with an impaling clip, and a small metal spike plate used to hold the weight of the panel while a construction adhesive dries. The impaling clip is screwed or glued to the wall surface with the spikes pointing out, and the wall panel is pressed onto the spikes.

There are also two-part clip systems where one of the clips is attached to the wall and the other to the acoustic wall panel, which are great for a wall application but not really a good choice for a ceiling. There are also other systems that work by screwing an insert into the back of the panel and installing a corresponding “plug” on the ceiling or wall that locks into place while pushed together.  

A few sound dampening panels are installed by screwing straight through the face of the panel and into the structure. The fasteners for these types are visible, but the degree to which one will see them will vary based on the sound panels and the hardware used. These types of installations, as well as some of the hardware options mentioned above, allow for easy panel removal if needed.

Ceiling panels with hardware

Stick pins are often used for overhead applications. A stick pin is a thin, perforated piece of flat metal with a spike (much like a nail) coming out of the plate. The plate is screwed or glued to the ceiling in specific locations, and the panel is pushed onto the nail – so that the sharp point of the nail sticks all the way through the acoustic ceiling panel. A retention washer is then pushed onto the nail, and the extra nail length is snipped off.  There are also decorative caps that can be added if needed.

Wood Framed Panels 

Some acoustical panels use a soft core that is not rigid enough to wrap directly with fabric, so many people choose to build wooden frames for their panels––much like stretchers for canvas paintings. Because the most common acoustical core for these types of sound panels is not rigid, many people back the acoustic wall panel with a thin piece of wood and adhere the panels to the backer.

These types of panels can be hung like a picture for a wall application or toe nailed or screwed through the frame directly to the structure for either a ceiling or a wall surface.  

Ceiling baffles or clouds

Hanging acoustic baffles or ceiling clouds in a space can be an extreme way to introduce a lot of sound absorption into the room and are great for large rooms with high ceilings. As long as the panels will not interrupt the fire suppression sprinkler system, lighting or impact the HVAC system, baffles and clouds are hung from various types of wires hanging down from the ceiling.  The installation contractor will select the right type of eye screw for the ceiling and the type and thickness of the wire based on the weight and size of the baffle or cloud.

Most acoustic baffles will have factory-installed grommets for the other side of the wire. Hanging clouds will also usually come with a fastener or point of attachment from the supplier.  There are also fasteners for baffles or clouds that allow for VERY easy leveling of the product making a clean, level and consistent height installation quite easy.

Acoustical Surfaces, Your Audio Design Specialists

From questions about installing all types of acoustic panels to how to soundproof a ceiling in ways that best serve your audio needs, turn to Acoustical Surfaces. Our team of soundproofing design experts is available to answer all of your questions.

Acoustical Surfaces is taking the guesswork out of engineering perfect acoustics in any space.  Whether you’re considering adding fixtures like soundproof windows or a soundproof door to your space, connect with our experts today to learn what’s best soundproofing materials and acoustic panel mounting hardware for your project.

Acoustic panels work by turning sound energy into heat through microscopic friction inside the material.

When a sound wave travels through air, it behaves as a pressure fluctuation. Upon reaching a surface, three things can happen:

1. Reflection – Part of the wave bounces back into the room. This causes echoes and reverberation, which shape how long sound lingers in a space.

2. Transmission – Part of the wave passes through the material. This is the pathway for noise traveling between rooms or floors.

3. Absorption – Part of the wave enters the material and loses energy. In porous or fibrous structures, this energy is converted into heat through microscopic friction, reducing the overall sound level.

Absorption occurs when the pressure wave enters a porous or fibrous structure. As air particles are forced through the small gaps between fibers, their kinetic energy is transformed into heat by viscous friction. A process too small to be felt as warmth, but powerful enough to reduce the strength of the sound.

The efficiency of absorption depends strongly on the relationship between frequency and material thickness. Low-frequency sound waves have long wavelengths and require thicker or denser structures to be effectively dampened, while high frequencies with short wavelengths can be absorbed by thinner materials. This is why an acoustic panel that performs well in the speech range of 500– Hz might need additional thickness to tackle the rumble of ventilation systems or bass-heavy environments.

Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) is a single-number rating that describes how effectively a material absorbs sound, expressed on a scale from 0.0 to 1.0.

An NRC of 0.0 means no absorption (the panel reflects all sound), while an NRC of 1.0 means total absorption. In practice, most acoustic materials fall between 0.3 and 0.95, depending on their composition and thickness. This rating is especially useful for designers and architects because it condenses complex frequency data into a simple number that can guide material selection.

The NRC value is determined through standardized laboratory tests across the frequency range of 250– Hz, as described in acoustic testing standards. This range covers the majority of human speech and everyday noise. The result is an average absorption coefficient across these bands. For example, if a panel is rated NRC 0.85, it means the surface absorbs around 85% of the incident sound energy within that range – dramatically reducing reverberation and improving clarity.

However, one limitation of NRC is that it provides only a single average, while real-world performance often varies across frequencies. Two materials can both have NRC 0.80 but behave very differently. One might absorb low frequencies poorly but excel at high frequencies, while another has a more balanced profile. That distinction can be critical when designing offices, restaurants, or performance spaces where different types of noise dominate.

Sound absorption improves the sound quality inside a room, while soundproofing blocks sound from entering or leaving it. Although the terms are often used interchangeably, they describe very different acoustic mechanisms and lead to very different design outcomes.

Absorption is about managing what happens to sound energy after it is generated in a room. Acoustic panels absorb a portion of the sound waves that strike them, preventing repeated reflections and reducing reverberation time. The result is a calmer, clearer acoustic environment where speech is easier to understand and background noise feels less fatiguing.

Soundproofing, on the other hand, addresses transmission by reventing sound from passing through walls, floors, or ceilings. This requires mass, airtight construction, and often multiple layers of dense materials. A lightweight wall with decorative acoustic panels may reduce echo inside the room, but it will not stop traffic noise or a loud neighbor from being heard. To achieve that, engineers rely on barrier design, heavy partitions, and resilient connections that break vibration paths.

Scientific research underlines this distinction. Studies on acoustic metamaterial sandwich panels show how advanced multi-layered systems can achieve high sound transmission loss by combining resonant elements with traditional mass-barrier approaches. These structures are optimized to block specific frequency ranges, demonstrating how soundproofing is an engineering problem of controlling vibration and transmission paths, not surface absorption.

For end-users, the key is setting the right expectations. Acoustic panels are not ‘miracle modules’ that make noise vanish – as we also explain in our article on do soundproofing panels work. Instead, they transform the experience of sound within a room by reducing harsh reflections, making speech more intelligible, and lowering the mental load of constant background noise. In many cases, panels form part of a larger strategy:

Absorption for comfort, soundproofing for isolation.

Our panels are designed for absorption, not soundproofing in its technical sense, and we emphasize the wellbeing benefits that come from better room acoustics.

One approach is the use of periodic structures, where panels are engineered with repeating patterns that scatter and redirect sound waves. Inspired by natural systems, these designs can target specific frequency bands, creating highly efficient absorption or insulation at narrow ranges. Bioinspired periodic panels show how structural optimization can increase insulation without necessarily adding bulk, making them an attractive field of research for architectural acoustics. Similarly, sonic crystals – arrays of regularly spaced elements – can create “band gaps” where certain frequencies are blocked, a principle borrowed from physics and adapted to acoustics.

Another well-established method is the use of porous materials, which dissipate sound energy by converting it into heat through friction within microscopic pores. Studies confirm that porous absorbers and double-panel configurations are proven to balance absorption efficiency and weight, highlighting how such materials can dramatically improve insulation when combined with structural layers, balancing lightweight design with effective absorption. These findings connect laboratory experiments to real-world product development, showing that porosity remains one of the most practical solutions for broad-spectrum absorption.

In practice, however, not every innovation translates smoothly into commercial or architectural use. Metamaterials and resonant systems can offer impressive performance in controlled laboratory conditions, but they are often complex, costly to produce, and optimized for narrow frequency bands.

That is why at Arturel we rely on engineered porous PET panels, a material that combines sustainability with acoustic effectiveness. Made from recycled polyester, our panels take advantage of porosity at the fiber level to provide broad, reliable absorption without the need for highly specialized designs. Ensuring that advanced acoustic science is applied in a way that makes sense for everyday spaces.

A central parameter is RT60, the time it takes for sound to decay by 60 decibels after the source stops. In practical terms, RT60 determines whether a meeting room feels crisp and intelligible or muddy and exhausting. Shorter reverberation improves clarity for speech, while longer reverberation can enrich music but quickly becomes disruptive in workspaces. Architects and acoustic engineers often use RT60 as the baseline metric for evaluating room quality, since it reflects the cumulative effect of absorption, reflection, and diffusion.

Equally important is the frequency balance. Acoustic panels are not designed to remove all sound but to manage how different frequencies behave. For example, low frequencies tend to linger, while high frequencies are more easily absorbed. Effective treatment ensures that no part of the spectrum dominates, creating a balanced and comfortable environment. A snackable fact to keep in mind:

Around 50% of speech energy lies between 500 and Hz, which explains why mid-frequency absorption is so critical for intelligibility.

In real-world projects, mistakes often stem from oversimplifying acoustics. The first is using too few panels. One or two absorbers in a large office will barely shift RT60. Too few panels or poor placement often leads to ineffective results – something we outlined in our guide on 7 signs your home has bad acoustics.

The second is placing panels incorrectly. Positioning absorbers only on one wall or too high above conversation zones can leave critical reflections untouched. Optimal layouts consider both coverage and distribution, targeting reflection points where sound bounces directly between people.

The foundation is a porous PET felt, made from 75% ocean-bound plastic. From an acoustic perspective, the porosity of the fibers enables sound energy to dissipate as heat. By aligning material science with waste reduction. This dual benefit means every panel contributes to both a healthier soundscape and a healthier planet.

Alongside PET, Arturel collaborates with Kvadrat to upcycle textile waste into acoustic solutions. The heterogeneous fiber structures create micro-channels that enhance absorption across a broad frequency range. In practice, this means panels derived from post-consumer textiles achieve measurable improvements in mid- and high-frequency absorption – precisely where speech clarity is most needed.

Performance is validated with hard data and Arturel panels consistently achieve an NRC of 0.85, which corresponds to absorbing 85% of incident sound energy in the measured spectrum. This level of absorption ensures reliable performance across offices, meeting rooms, and open workspaces where control of reverberation time is critical.

Finally, acoustic performance and sustainability are matched by aesthetic versatility. Our designs – such as Wave, Arch, and Stone – are inspired by natural forms, allowing architects and clients to integrate acoustic treatment as a visible part of interior design rather than a hidden technical fix. These shapes create diffusion as well as absorption, offering both functional and visual impact.

For more information, please visit Suyin Group.