How to make acoustic panels

How to make acoustic panels
If you can't find any acoustic panels you like, why not make your own acoustic panels? This tips page tells you all the ins and outs on how to make acoustics panels in your own style that fit your interior as well. We describe how to make the panels and which sound insulation, or sound absorbers, you should use. The images are send to us by a customer, he made acoustic ceiling panels for his living room. You can use this example for wall mounted acoustic panels as well obviously.

Step 1: Making a frame
The thicker you make the frame for your acoustic panel the thicker the acoustic filling can be. We recommend an acoustic filling with a thickness of 40 mm. In the image you see an example of a wooden frame made of L-shape profiles, available at DIY store. Connect four wooden profiles with steel brackets and you have a base frame. When you make acoustic panels larger than 150 cm wide it is recommend to add some extra support so the panel doesn't flex to much.

If you make acoustic panels to mount from a ceiling you should use brackets with holes in them to mount some cables or chains to them. To keep the panels from swinging when there is some draft, use mounting brackets every 60 cm or so. Tip: to add some extras to your acoustic ceiling panel, add some LED lighting on the back of the acoustic panel. Make sure your frame gets a closed back with some plywood. Add this after the last step.

Step 2: Acoustic filling
Now the frame is ready you can add an acoustic filling. We recommend Acoustic Cotton because of the absorbing properties and because of the fire safety classification of the product. If you want to use a white or very thin fabric as a covering you might want to use white Akotherm D40. In this case you also might paint the frame white.

Order enough sheets so you can fill the whole panel with Cotton Wool. Cut the material to size with a sharp knife or an (electric) bread knife. Acoustic Cotton Wool is pretty dense and tough so make sure you have a long and sharp knife. In this image you see white Akotherm D40 place inside the frame. If you make a large acoustic panel make sure to use extra support slats to keep the acoustic filling from bending. You can also use a plywood backing on the panel, this way you can glue the acoustic filling in place and attach mounting brackets too.

Step 3: Fabric covering
As for the fabric covering the of the acoustic panel, use a fabric that lets air through. The easier air can reach the acoustic filling the better the acoustic panel will perform. When more air can to pass through, the more sound can get absorbed. In case of thin and white fabrics, pay attention to the translucency, underlying acoustic filling and frame can become visible. Painting the frame in the same colour as the fabric reduces this. Examples of fabrics are linen, polyester or trevira. Canvas, the material on which photos are printed, is too dense in terms of texture, placing an acoustic material behind it will therefore reduce the absorbing properties.

In order to cover the frame with textile, stretch the cloth on one side of the frame and staple it. Then stretch the cloth on the opposite side and staple it here as well. Make sure that the fabric doesn't fold and is evenly stretched across the entire frame. Staple the other two sides in the same way. After the cloth is stapled to the back of the frame, you can crop it.

Step 4: Mounting the acoustic panel
The acoustic panel is now finished and ready to be mounted to a wall or ceiling, depending on what you've mad. In the image the panel is hanging from the ceiling with cables, adjustable in length. Wall or ceiling panel, in both cases you want to see if you can keep a little space between the wall or ceiling. This will increase the performance of the panel even more, since it can absorb sound from the front as wel as on the back.

Questions?
If you have any questions about how to make acoustic panels or if you like to receive a product sample, please contact us, we are happy to help.