How to Remove Soundproof Panels
Updated
How you remove soundproof panels depends on how they went up: clip-hung panels lift right off and leave small anchor holes, pinned panels leave pinholes, and glued foam has to be cut free and the wall cleaned up. Gently lift one corner and look behind it before you pull.
- Z-clips or hangers: lift the panel up and off, unscrew the clips and spackle the anchor holes (ATS drills 3/16 in. for its drywall anchors).
- Impaling clips: pull the panel straight off the spikes. If the spikes were glued on, ATS says (opens in a new tab) the panel can't come off without damaging the panel or the wall.
- Glued foam: slice the panel off close to the wall with a sharp knife, then clean off the leftover adhesive with a citrus-based remover, the way the Auralex Tubetak Pro guide (opens in a new tab) describes.
Watch out: Auralex rates Foamtak and Tubetak as permanent and says removal "will require mechanical methods (sanding or scraping) which will damage the product and most wall surfaces" (adhesives spec sheet (opens in a new tab)). Plan on spackle, sanding and paint, and don't count on reusing the foam.
If you rent, patch every hole and touch up the paint before the move-out walkthrough. Next time, pick a mount that comes off clean. How to install acoustic wall panels compares them.
Taking panels down brings the echo back, but it won't change the noise from next door much, since absorption panels don't block a lot. The soundproof panels guide explains why, and the soundproof panels FAQ has more answers.