These days, loud sounds are some of the biggest annoyances people quote.
Are you looking to improve the sound "protection" of your house, music studio, or place of business? Are you looking for noise protection? Yes indeed, the sound absorbing materials are in greater and greater numbers finding their way from music studios to homes, and industrial settings.
The three types of sound absorbing materials we will check into here are: Soundproof drapes, Acoustical foam, and Cork underlayment.
Let's look at all three.
Cork underlayment Have you ever been in a modern data center full of computers? If the data center was of any appreciable size, you were probably inundated by the noise generated there, both by the computers, and by the cooling fans and air conditioners! In such settings, as well as at home, using cork underlayment can significantly reduce the amount of noise transmitted to the floor below.
Typically, a sheet of cork underlayment is installed underneath the tile flooring, or underneath the hard flooring.
It will effectively absorb both the thumping noise from walking and from the air conditioners as well as the "airborne" noise, the noise that is propagating through the air.
Cork underlayment is a natural noise absorbing material that has several advantages over the man made substitutes.
Soundproof drapes Did you realize hospitals use soundproof drapes or soundproof curtains to shield patients from the unnerving sounds of the equipment that needs to be attached to the patients bed? When you are laying in bed, sick or recovering, hearing loud, repetitive noises is for sure the last thing you want.
Soundproof drapes will both dampen and absorb the sound from the machines as well as direct the sound away from the patient or patients.
That way they will provide for a more peaceful, healing environment.
This is just one example.
Soundproof drapes and sound absorbing cloth are used in homes, music studios, and industrial settings.
Acoustical foam Acoustical foam or sound absorbing foam is an effective sound absorbing material.
It is mostly used in music studios, and any other places where maximum sound absorption is desired.
By using a special foam material, many, but especially high, frequencies are effectively absorbed.
By additionally shaping the foam to assume "spiky", or "wedgy" surface appearance, one increases the surface area of the foam, and increases the absorption of the sound.
A great home application for acoustical foam is in a home theater.