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Post by Omicron9 on Jun 9, 2023 18:05:04 GMT -6
Greetings.
I have some 2x4 ft. Rockwool panels that I've moved around in the live room to test for best location and to see if they would make any improvement. They do. I'm going to wrap them in fabric and mount them. But... for those of you that have done this or something like this, what are you using for fabric for covering? I'm trying to avoid Guilford due to the expense. I recall a post or two here describing using something like burlap from JoAnn fabrics, or curtains?
Once you've located the proper acoustically-neutral fabric, how are you securing it to the panels? I was thinking of wrapping a panel in fabric, and using a hot glue gun to hold the fabric in place. Like overlapping the wrap on the back of the panel and using the hot glue to glue to the fabric, not gluing it to the 'wool.
Up for suggestions, and many thanks in advance.
-09
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Post by Tbone81 on Jun 9, 2023 21:10:31 GMT -6
I highly suggest using a frame like this: www.atsacoustics.com/item--Fill-it-Yourself-Frame-24-x-48-x-2--1029.htmlYou can get almost any thin fabric, like muslin etc from a local fabric store. Curtains can also work well. I’ve done both. Just make sure it’s breathable. Like literally, if you’re able to breathe through the fabric without too much difficulty it’ll be fine. I use stables to hold down the fabric in all my bass traps. |
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Post by bikescene on Jun 9, 2023 22:15:01 GMT -6
I’m still trying to figure out the most efficient use of materials myself. Muslin was the cheapest fabric that I found on the Joann website. Although I sometimes had to double up on fabric to get the aesthetics I wanted, which negated the low cost. I staple the fabric onto the back of the wood frame, every 2-3” or so. I’ve seen a lot of panels online that use painting mounting hardware like French Cleat rails or Z-clips. Here’s an example where I doubled up on muslin on the left to hide the pink hue of fluffy insulation. The right panel is a single layer of bleached muslin over Rockwool, where you can see the outline of frame.  |
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Post by Omicron9 on Jun 10, 2023 10:47:15 GMT -6
I highly suggest using a frame like this: www.atsacoustics.com/item--Fill-it-Yourself-Frame-24-x-48-x-2--1029.htmlYou can get almost any thin fabric, like muslin etc from a local fabric store. Curtains can also work well. I’ve done both. Just make sure it’s breathable. Like literally, if you’re able to breathe through the fabric without too much difficulty it’ll be fine. I use stables to hold down the fabric in all my bass traps. Tbone81: Mondo thanks! I'd never heard of that company, so the frames will be helpful. Is the rockwool held in place in the frame by the wrapping of the fabric? Are you mounting them "to" the wall, or a slight distance off the wall? Thanks again, -09 |
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Post by Omicron9 on Jun 10, 2023 10:48:20 GMT -6
I’m still trying to figure out the most efficient use of materials myself. Muslin was the cheapest fabric that I found on the Joann website. Although I sometimes had to double up on fabric to get the aesthetics I wanted, which negated the low cost. I staple the fabric onto the back of the wood frame, every 2-3” or so. I’ve seen a lot of panels online that use painting mounting hardware like French Cleat rails or Z-clips. Here’s an example where I doubled up on muslin on the left to hide the pink hue of fluffy insulation. The right panel is a single layer of bleached muslin over Rockwool, where you can see the outline of frame. Thanks, bikescene! Much appreciated. The moving dolly looks like a super handy thing for these, too. -09 |
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Post by Omicron9 on Jun 10, 2023 10:49:51 GMT -6
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Post by Tbone81 on Jun 10, 2023 12:05:41 GMT -6
I highly suggest using a frame like this: www.atsacoustics.com/item--Fill-it-Yourself-Frame-24-x-48-x-2--1029.htmlYou can get almost any thin fabric, like muslin etc from a local fabric store. Curtains can also work well. I’ve done both. Just make sure it’s breathable. Like literally, if you’re able to breathe through the fabric without too much difficulty it’ll be fine. I use stables to hold down the fabric in all my bass traps. Tbone81: Mondo thanks! I'd never heard of that company, so the frames will be helpful. Is the rockwool held in place in the frame by the wrapping of the fabric? Are you mounting them "to" the wall, or a slight distance off the wall? Thanks again, -09 I think they have two different frames, ones with backing and ones without. So If you want to space them out from the wall then get the ones without any backing. The insulation is held in place with the fabric, although it fits nice and snug as is so it doesn’t take much to hold it in place. |
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Post by notneeson on Jun 10, 2023 12:40:30 GMT -6
Greetings. I have some 2x4 ft. Rockwool panels that I've moved around in the live room to test for best location and to see if they would make any improvement. They do. I'm going to wrap them in fabric and mount them. But... for those of you that have done this or something like this, what are you using for fabric for covering? I'm trying to avoid Guilford due to the expense. I recall a post or two here describing using something like burlap from JoAnn fabrics, or curtains? Once you've located the proper acoustically-neutral fabric, how are you securing it to the panels? I was thinking of wrapping a panel in fabric, and using a hot glue gun to hold the fabric in place. Like overlapping the wrap on the back of the panel and using the hot glue to glue to the fabric, not gluing it to the 'wool. Up for suggestions, and many thanks in advance. -09 I went the ATS burlap and have been very happy with it: www.atsacoustics.com/item--Burlap-Fabric-56-inch-wide--1009.html |
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Post by gwlee7 on Jun 12, 2023 5:44:40 GMT -6
A cheap easy spacer to use to put some distance btw the panels and the wall are those 3” screw in door stops. The cost is next to nothing. Drill a pilot hole and crew them in. You can hang the panels like a picture using wire.
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Post by charibancho on Jun 12, 2023 8:38:51 GMT -6
A cheap easy spacer to use to put some distance btw the panels and the wall are those 3” screw in door stops. The cost is next to nothing. Drill a pilot hole and crew them in. You can hang the panels like a picture using wire. Yep, also L brackets into the wall at the top/bottom of the panels work v well.
Building-wise wood frames are 100% worth it and some spray glue to hold everything in place is good. Put any backing material on first then do your front/sides and staple to the back.
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Post by Ward on Jun 12, 2023 16:40:29 GMT -6
It's hard to beat upholstery fabric
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Post by Omicron9 on Jun 13, 2023 10:06:42 GMT -6
Advantages/disadvantages to spacing them off the walls a bit? When/why would you choose to do that? Thanks again for the ideas; frames and curtain fabric ordered.  -09 |
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Post by gwlee7 on Jun 13, 2023 12:05:10 GMT -6
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Post by Omicron9 on Jun 13, 2023 12:39:25 GMT -6
Cool; thanks, gwlee. In the frames, the backs appear to be thin plywood, so I'm guessing mounting them off the wall may not matter in that case, but I'll try both ways. I appreciate the info; thanks again. -09 |
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Post by svart on Jun 13, 2023 14:00:11 GMT -6
Greetings. I have some 2x4 ft. Rockwool panels that I've moved around in the live room to test for best location and to see if they would make any improvement. They do. I'm going to wrap them in fabric and mount them. But... for those of you that have done this or something like this, what are you using for fabric for covering? I'm trying to avoid Guilford due to the expense. I recall a post or two here describing using something like burlap from JoAnn fabrics, or curtains? Once you've located the proper acoustically-neutral fabric, how are you securing it to the panels? I was thinking of wrapping a panel in fabric, and using a hot glue gun to hold the fabric in place. Like overlapping the wrap on the back of the panel and using the hot glue to glue to the fabric, not gluing it to the 'wool. Up for suggestions, and many thanks in advance. -09 I've used burlap from JoAnn multiple times. It's generally not as nice as something like Guilford. It's pretty rough textured and light colors might be see through. What I suggest now is cheap curtains from Ikea. I've had really good luck with their loosely knit types of curtains and even their cheap throw blankets. They have a much nicer look to them and can be cheaper than burlap. |
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Post by svart on Jun 13, 2023 14:05:19 GMT -6
That's going to be a little too loose. You'd need multiple layers of it so you don't see the rockwool underneath. The ones I used at Ikea were Ritva but it looks like the Hilja might be similar but without a surface texture. |
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Post by svart on Jun 13, 2023 14:06:59 GMT -6
You can see the Ritva on all the panels here:  |
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Post by Omicron9 on Jun 14, 2023 11:14:04 GMT -6
You can see the Ritva on all the panels here: Thanks, svart; that looks great. Nice snare storage, too. -09 |
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Post by svart on Jun 14, 2023 12:24:04 GMT -6
You can see the Ritva on all the panels here: Thanks, svart; that looks great. Nice snare storage, too. -09 Thanks. I have a snare addiction. |
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msr74
Full Member
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Post by msr74 on Jun 14, 2023 13:50:27 GMT -6
In regards to the OP, hot glue may not be a great long term solution and you may end up recovering them. I did staples, with a crappy manual gun staples from Harbor Freight. If you have access to a small air compressor and the budget, stepping up to a compressed air gun is faster, but it is more expensive to purchase the gun kit, and I was uncomfortable with using the power stapler.
Panels look great on my end. My suggestion, spend a little extra $ to color match your panels to your room/decor. You'll appreciate the suggestion later when it actually sounds and looks good. If you're going with muslin, you can find different colors (dyed muslin). Muslin is great because it is lightweight. Guilford has a lower line or a "store brand" or at least they did when I did mine a couple of years ago. If I recall, they optioned all of the same colors or at least most and the color palate is vast. They'll send you a swatch sample kit if you'd like. It's an option if you struggle to match aesthetic with functionality. I made some panels a couple of years ago (at the beginning of the pandemic), and I purchased their lower line. It is great quality and less $ although muslin or similar is probably less expensive, although I don't know with current market prices.
I'd personally stay away from burlap. I think it looks rustic (unless of course you like that look), it is also a heavy weight fabric, despite it's acoustic properties because the fibers are so thick and to purchase a higher grade, you're right up there with Guilford's economy line in some instances. I did the price matching and that was my personal experience.
Guilford gives you a much wider width than standard, if I recall 72" or so and you can really stretch that per yard. I'm not saying go with Guilford and you may have already done some price shopping but I experienced their prices being just slightly higher at the time than other options and they had the aesthetic as well as functionality for my space.
I came up with a creative way to attach it to the wall with metal picture hangers, wood screws and looped heavy weight picture/mirror hanging cable on each long brace in the corners. On flat walls I used a simple a simple picture cable with a loop in the center. I feel the method I came up with worked well for durability, especially because of the bulk I wanted to hang. The picture hang method will not work in corners. Trust me, I tried. Maybe someone can dispel my ignorance. I am no carpenter...lol. Its was inexpensive $20-$30 that I got at a nearby "odd lot" type of store for the hardware and they're not going anywhere unless I remove them. They look great and work well and seem built like a tank, and they are lightweight and easy for one person to handle.
I hope this is helpful. I am also happy to post photos if I can get some free time in the next few days.
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Post by Omicron9 on Jun 14, 2023 18:23:15 GMT -6
Thanks, msr74.
This studio is pure white everywhere except the floor: same white on ceiling, walls, trim. I'll be covering the panels with the whitest white I can find. Will likely take svart's Ikea suggestion; those look very white.
And will be going staple gun instead of glue.
-09
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msr74
Full Member
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Post by msr74 on Jun 14, 2023 23:53:46 GMT -6
Thanks, msr74. This studio is pure white everywhere except the floor: same white on ceiling, walls, trim. I'll be covering the panels with the whitest white I can find. Will likely take svart's Ikea suggestion; those look very white. And will be going staple gun instead of glue. -09 That sounds intelligent. I’m sure IKEA will have a decent selection that will work. I never really thought to try Ikea for the fabric but I’m sure it will work great and they should definitely have white. It is probably one of the easier colors to find since it is popular and it is a core color. I was looking for something specific and I ended up choosing a color called wedge wood blue from Guilford, but again that was for my needs. Best of luck. I’m sure they’ll look and sound great. |
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Post by Omicron9 on Jul 10, 2023 14:01:46 GMT -6
Update: got the panels finished and up. Sounds better than before, and looks quite nice. Thanks again to everyone for the very helpful suggestions.
Regards,
-09
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Post by svart on Jul 10, 2023 14:19:40 GMT -6
Update: got the panels finished and up. Sounds better than before, and looks quite nice. Thanks again to everyone for the very helpful suggestions. Regards, -09 Got a pic? I'd love to see them. |
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Post by Omicron9 on Jul 11, 2023 10:48:38 GMT -6
Here's two of them. The main door (R) and machine room door (L) are in this odd shape, as you can see. What appears to be a black acoustic panel at the left of the doors is actually a large painting. Two of the panels I made are on the two doors. I was moving the raw Rockwool panels around to different locations prior to making the framed panels, to try to find the best location. The flutter echo I was hearing was coming from this area. I put the two panels there, and bye-bye flutter echo. Also nicely tightened things up. A surprising amount just for three panels. Thanks again to everyone for the suggestions!  -09 |
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