Are Acoustic Wall Panels Outdated?
Updated
Acoustic wall panels aren't outdated: a room with drywall, glass and hard floors echoes just like it always has, and panels are still the easiest fix. What can look dated is the version most people picture, bare foam wedges or plain fabric squares on a living room wall. These days panels come in finishes picked to work as decor:
- Wood slat panels: veneered MDF slats over a black PET acoustic backing. Primacoustic's ECOScapes slat wall (opens in a new tab) rates NRC 0.55 glued flat, and 0.95 with 2 in. of insulation behind it.
- Art panels: your own photo or artwork printed on the face. GIK Acoustics (opens in a new tab) says the print is "acoustically transparent" and sits over the same core as its plain panels, rated NRC 1.05.
- Felt and paintable panels: thin felt shapes, or faces painted to match the wall. They're compared in decorative soundproof panels.
Watch out: Pick for absorption first and looks second. A slat panel glued flat absorbs about half of what the art panel does (NRC 0.55 vs 1.05). So if your room has real echo, put insulation behind the slats or cover more wall. Wood soundproof panels compares the slat products.
Whether a panel looks dated in your room is a matter of taste. The practical drawbacks are a different story, and the disadvantages of acoustic panels lists them. The biggest one: no finish will make a panel block noise from next door. The soundproof panels guide explains what does, and the soundproof panels FAQ has more answers.