Whether in restaurants, businesses, local authorities or any other structure with a high or low level of activity, acoustic comfort is a key concern. Absorbing noise is one of the major challenges for these types of spaces, where the well-being of employees and customers is paramount.
Who hasn’t had an unpleasant time in a noisy restaurant? Or caught a migraine after a day in the open-plan office?
For everyone’s comfort, there are laws governing noise in the workplace. Focus on possible actionsto improve acoustic comfort.
Want to reduce noise in your spaces?
Causes of acoustic discomfort
Acoustic disturbance in a room is essentially due to the reverberation effect of sound. To understand this reverberation effect, imagine a bouncing ball thrown into the corner of a room. This ball will continue to bounce for many seconds on all the walls of the room, until it comes to a complete stop. The same applies to sound (speech, machine noise, ringing phone, etc.). This sound, projected onto the walls of the room, will bounce back at every contact. This is known as the echo, or reverberation effect. On this basis, there are 5 main elements to be taken into account for effective noise absorption during an acoustic diagnosis.
- The nature of the soil
- Ceiling height and type
- Wall cladding
- Room volume
- Furnishings
5 solutions to absorb noise in a room
#1. Laying an absorbent floor
Say goodbye to tiles and parquet, and opt for a nice carpet! Smooth, hard floor coverings are second-best when it comes to acoustics. To reduce noise in a room, there’s nothing like carpet. It considerably reduces the reverberation time of sound, retaining most of the noise before it continues on its way. Movie theaters, concert halls, hotels… Have you noticed that these establishments are usually designed with carpeting? Unable to completely resurface your floor? Think XXL rugs. Large, well-positioned carpets definitely reduce the reverberation of sound in your rooms.
#2. Installing an acoustic ceiling
Laying the right floor is not enough to achieve effective acoustic correction.
Do you have a high ceiling?
You risk getting poor acoustics. Just as in large spaces, a high ceiling lengthens reverberation time. This is the case, for example, in loft-style layouts or industrial buildings.
To absorb noise in this type of room, consider suspended acoustic products!
All it takes is a few acoustic panels or objects suspended from the ceiling to literally change the acoustics of your room. Products or decorative solutions that will make the place unique, according to your desires.
Do you have a grid ceiling?
Despite a low “tiled” ceiling, sound reverberation can be significant in an office (in an openspace, for example), and above all a little dull.
In this case, we recommend theaddition of acoustic tiles to reduce noise in the room, while adding a touch of decor and pizzazz.
Sometimes it’s enough to replace just a few existing tiles to give your space a new look.
#3. Dressing walls to block out sound
Nothing reinforces the echo like a smooth, bare wall. We often forget to decorate offices or other open-plan spaces, leaving a room conducive to reverberation. The sound wave bounces off all the walls without any obstacle.
One of the most effective ways of absorbing noise is to clad walls with acoustic boards and/or panels. Wall panels provide effective acoustic treatment. Tested with an absorbent design, the panel retains the sound wave, rejecting only part of it.
When it comes to decorating, a wide range of colors and shapes are available to create a unique atmosphere that reflects your company’s image. Neutral or colored tones, printed pictures, rectangular or triangular shapes, 3D or two-tone finishes… it’s all possible.
A noise-absorbing solution for businesses, hotels and restaurants, government agencies…
#4. Structuring spaces
Large spaces are the most prone to acoustic problems. Above a certain volume, sound reverberation can quickly become uncontrollable. To maintain these beautiful volumes without having to create smaller rooms, acoustic partitions and panels are your best allies. The right solution for structuring your space, and also for absorbing noise in a large room.
Flexible and modular, acoustic partitions structure and correct room acoustics. They can be installed very quickly, joining together in any location to create a pleasant area. Partitions and panels are also decorative elements that enhance your rooms. They are customizable, plain or printed, and offer a wide range of finishes.
For example, you can create several zones in a company restaurant for greater privacy, in a crèche to design spaces, or in open-plan offices for employee well-being. The ultimate goal is to absorb noise for optimum comfort.
#5. Installing soundproof acoustic cabins
Isolate yourself in a soundproof phone booth and enjoy this quiet space away from the hustle and bustle of the open space. The Meeting and Phone Boxes allow you to isolate yourself for the duration of a call, a meeting or simply to get away from the hustle and bustle of the office.
Acoustic cabins are delivered fully equipped, but can also be customized: electrical connections, lighting, ventilation, number of seats, fabrics…
#6. Pay attention to equipment noise levels
Looking to equip your workspace?
Printers, scanners, computers, fridges… It’s essential to check the noise level of your equipment before you buy. This level now appears on all energy labels without exception. So it’s easy to compare this level between the different equipment available.
If your spaces are already equipped, install anti-vibration pads between the floor and the unit. You can also create a delimited space with partitions to absorb the noise from your equipment.
Still not convinced? Test the acoustic efficiency of LUGN panels!
