Acoustic advice from assessment to installation
Good acoustics start with good advice, ideally before the room is built. We help acoustic consultants, architects, contractors and building owners choose the right treatment, then supply it or install it. Below: how we work, and the basics in plain English.
How we help
We work with acousticians, architects, interior designers, contractors and facilities managers.
Consultation and advice
Early input to prevent echo and noise problems. Send drawings, a floor plan or photos.
Design support
We recommend the right product type, quantity and placement, working to the acoustic consultant's targets where there is one.
Samples and data sheets
So the finish and the performance can be signed off.
Supply
Panels finished to your choice of colour, veneer or pattern.
Installation or supply only
Our own teams install, or we supply your team with technical support.
Lead times
Complex or non-standard orders (special sizes, finishes, perforation patterns or large quantities) take around 2 to 3 months from order. Talk to us early, ideally at design stage, so the panels are ready when the programme needs them.
Samples and data sheets
See and feel the finish before you specify it. We send samples of the finishes you are considering, with the data sheet of each product that has one.
Request samplesPrice and programme
What affects the price and the programme
Every room is different, so we price each job from your plans, photos or schedule. These are the things that change the price and the time it takes.
Area to treat
The size of the room, and how much of the walls or ceiling needs panels.
Product
Each product family has its own material, build-up and fixing.
Finish
Standard colours, real wood veneers, special sizes or perforation patterns. Complex or non-standard orders take around 2 to 3 months.
Height and access
High ceilings and sports halls need access equipment, and take longer to work in.
Working hours
When the room is free to work in: around lessons, opening hours or an occupied office.
Supply only or installed
We supply your fit-out team, or install with our own teams. Tell us which you need.
From enquiry to installation
- Plans or photosYou send drawings, a floor plan, photos or a schedule.
- Recommendation and quoteWe recommend the product, quantity and placement, and price it.
- Samples and sign-offYou approve the finish and the data sheet.
- OrderComplex or non-standard orders take around 2 to 3 months.
- Delivery and installationTo your team, or fitted by ours.
Acoustics in plain English
What happens when sound hits a surface
Too much reflection and a room feels harsh. Too much absorption and it feels flat or "dead". The right balance makes a room sound natural and clear.
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Reflection
Sound bounces off hard surfaces such as concrete, glass and metal, creating echo.
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Absorption
Softer, porous materials absorb sound, reducing echo and noise levels.
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Diffusion
Sound scatters evenly, preventing harsh or uneven reflections.
Reverberation time
Reverberation time (RT) is how long a sound takes to die away in a room: strictly, the time for it to fall by 60 decibels. Long reverberation makes speech blur and noise build up.
Adding absorption shortens it. Design targets are usually set as a maximum reverberation time for the room's use. Try it for your own room: the estimator below works it out now and with panels, and plays the difference.
Room echo estimator
How long does sound hang in your room?
Choose the room, the surfaces it has now and the panels you are thinking of. The estimate shows the reverberation time before and after, and you can hear the difference.
The estimator needs JavaScript. Send us the room size and a few photos instead, and we will work it out for you.
Sound dying away in this room
- Now
- 2.3 s
- After treatment
- 0.7 s
Hear the difference
Sound plays only when you press a button, about six seconds. Check your volume first.
What you will hear
A voice-like test sound made in your browser, not a recording: two short phrases of speech-like syllables, with no words, played with the reverberation time of the estimate. The longer the reverberation, the more each syllable runs into the next.
Opens the advice form with the room and the estimate filled in.
Why acoustics matter
- Education
- Poor acoustics reduce speech clarity, so pupils struggle to hear.
- Offices
- Echo and background noise increase fatigue.
- Restaurants and bars
- Controlled sound makes conversation comfortable.
- Sports halls
- Hard surfaces and high ceilings make big rooms echo.
- Healthcare
- Noise control supports calm environments.
- Public buildings
- Good acoustics make announcements clearer.
UK standards and guidance
Acoustic panels mainly control reverberation inside a room. Sound insulation between rooms (Approved Document E) depends on walls, floors and ceilings, which our sister company Express Group builds as drylining packages.
Visit the Express Group website- BB93Acoustic design of schools: performance standardsTargets for background noise, sound insulation and reverberation in schools and school sports halls.
- ADEApproved Document E: Resistance to the passage of soundSound insulation between rooms and buildings in England and Wales.
- BS 8233BS 8233:2014: Guidance on sound insulation and noise reduction for buildingsInternal noise levels for comfort and privacy in offices, hospitals, hotels and homes.
- ISO 11654BS EN ISO 11654: Sound absorbers for use in buildingsThe A to E classification of sound-absorbing products.
- BREEAM, WELLBREEAM and WELLSustainability and wellbeing frameworks that reward good acoustic design.
Things to consider when planning
Room purpose
Speech, music or activity each need a different target.
Surface materials
Hard finishes reflect; soft ones absorb.
Ceiling height and shape
Large or irregular spaces need more treatment.
Furnishings and fit-out
Layout and materials change how sound behaves.
Regulation and comfort
Meet the standard, and make the room pleasant to use.
Not sure what your room needs?
Send the drawings or a floor plan. We will suggest practical ways to improve the acoustics, before you build or after.
Questions we often hear
Can acoustic panels be retrofitted in existing buildings?
Yes. Panels fit to existing walls and ceilings with minimal disruption.
How do I know if a room needs treatment?
If it feels loud, echoey or tiring to be in, it probably does. Send us a plan and photos and we will assess it.
How much treatment do I need?
It depends on the room's size, shape and use. We work out the coverage and placement for your space.
Do acoustic panels stop sound passing to the next room?
Not on their own. Panels control echo inside a room; stopping sound between rooms is a job for the walls, floors and ceilings.
Do panels change how a room looks?
Yes, and they can improve it. Choose from colours, timber veneers, laminates, perforation patterns and textures.