Acoustic Panels - DIY
Background
The idea here is to construct 2'x4' panels, which reduce sound reflections. Whether in a classroom, your home-theater, or an office environment, these can improve intelligibility and imaging of the sound-source(s). These panels are designed to be hung on a wall, verticall or horizontally.
Do you need these panels? Perform a simple clap-test: stand in your room, and clap your hands... if it sounds like you're in a tiled bathroom, then you need these panels ;-)
These panels cost ~$100 (Canadian) to construct, with Most materials coming from Home Depot (the polyester batting and burlap final wrap came from a fabric store).
Benefits
- Drastically lowers the ambient room noise
- Reduce reflections to improve soundstage and stereo imaging
- Reduce slap echoes
Construction Overview
We're going to build a box, 3.5" deep, with pegboard backing. We'll put fiberglass insulation into this box, then cover that with polyester batting (to keep the itchy glass fibers from escaping), and finally wrap it all with dyed burlap (to suit your decor).
Although I built 16 of these, I would suggest that 4 is a minimum to consider, for a 10'x10' room.
The 2'x4' pegboard was purchased pre-cut, but the remainder of the wood was processed in my basement workshop - when you plan your wood-handling, remember that you'll require 8' of in-feed clearance, and another 8' of outfeed-clearance.
Construction
Hangers
These are simple lengths of wood, with a 45-degree bevelled cut on one side. The plan is to attach a similar piece of wood to your wall, and hang the panels with no fuss.
Cut the hangers:
Attach the hangers by applying glue, and screwing from what will be the inside of the pegboard. Use a jig or gauge (another board, maybe?), or measure carefully, to ensure the hangers are parallel to the edge of the pegboard:
