DIY Acoustic panels
 

Has anyone tried to make their own sound absorbing panels? If so, what reliable sources of instruction did you use? How did they turn out?

Yes, How to Build Your Own Acoustic Panels (DIY)

Yes, I used 1 x 3s with Roxul Safe & Sound to build floor-to-ceiling "superchunk" bass traps and 1 x 2s for soffit traps.

It's been the biggest improvement to my sound since getting into this hobby. I regret not having done it earlier.

We paid an acoustician a lot of money to show us how to treat our rooms and make good panels.

Use Owens Corning 703, plus 701 and 705.

Using a frame makes it easier to fabric wrap and have nice square edges. You can then use the wood frame to attach your frame hanger/D hooks and just hang them on the wall with picture hangers.

You can use Masonite or something similar for the backing.

2" thick panels are not great. 4" is much better. Best and most linear is 6", but few rooms can handle losing a foot (6" panels on both sides of the room). Use a 1" x 4" for the 4" thick panel frame.


If you use 2" of 701 on top of 2" of 703, you get two different densities and thus more linear absorption. Put 701 on the room side, 703 on the wall side. Don't put any glue on the 701 or 703.

701 is softer and fluffier and has a different frequency vs absorption curve than 703. For 6" panels (if your room can handle it), the bottom (or wall side layer) should be 2" of 705, a third density of material.

I have installed a lot of these panels in a lot of different rooms (control rooms, recording studios, mastering rooms, home theaters etc) and they work great and are much better than just 2" 703 or even 4" of just 703.

has anyone ever looked into an exterior fabric that can be custom printed with your own design?