How to improve acoustics in a courtyard or garden

How bad outdoor acoustics in a courtyard arise
Poor acoustics in a courtyard or garden are caused by high walls and fences that reflect sound. Because these hard surfaces are located close to each other quite some reverberation can arise. The higher the surrounding walls and fences are, the more reverberation and sound reflecting surface there are, and the worse the acoustics get.

How to improve outdoor acoustics in a courtyard or garden
In order to diminish reverberation, certain surfaces must be provided with a sound absorbing product, outdoor acoustic panels. You can determine which surface is best to mount absorbing panels to by standing in the middle of your courtyard, or garden, and loudly clap in your hands a few times. The surfaces that produces the most reflections should be equipped with a sound absorbing product. Covering the largest surface, wall or fence, will often be enough. In case it does not suffice, you can always choose to treat multiple surfaces.

Outdoor acoustic panels to use outside
Did you determine which surface you want to treat? If so, you are ready to choose the material:

• Stratocell Whisper
  Stratocell is resistant against various weather conditions, fungus, vermin and rotting, which makes it ideal to use outside. Stratocell is available in thicknesses of 30 and 50 mm. The less covering, the better the result. Sound needs to get inside the material as it were. Stratocell should be mounted with screws and washers or with insulation nails. Stratocell can be cleaned using a brush.
• Akotherm D40
  Do you have a veranda or some sort of covered outdoor area where you sit? In that case you can also opt for Akotherm D40. This is a moisture-proof polyester wool panel. We recommend to keep the product dry, or least out of the rain. Use the black product for "outdoor applications". Akotherm D40 can be mounted using Stauf Extreme Tack, both on wooden as well as against stone surfaces.

Testimonial of one of our customers
The courtyard of one of our customers was surrounded by three high walls. He chose to mount Stratocell Whisper to the longest wall that reflected sound between the house and that wall by following this step-by-step plan:

• Mount Stratocell Whisper to the wall by using insulation nails or screws and washers.
  
• Shield the top ends of the material by using some black plastic foil, preventing rain from penetrating. By blocking the water, the material's absorption value is preserved and damage by means of frost is avoided.
• Cover the Stratocell panels using a material of your choice. Our customer chose to use vertical wooden laths, allowing some of the absorption material to remain visible. The more that the material remains visible, the better the result!

The comment from our customer: 'In terms of acoustics, the result is very satisfying. The expected result is obtained, so we are content.'

Questions or product samples?
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