As if conducting a presentation in the meeting room is not challenging enough, noise disruptions and an echo of your own voice can just make things even more miserable. Sound pollution in meeting rooms is a real issue but is seldom given the importance it actually deserves. Ambient noise beyond a limit becomes a nuisance at work affecting focus and productivity. When it’s the meeting room, it affects interviews, presentations, deals with your clients, and even some important conference calls. Your integrity is also at risk when your walls can leak out critical information. The last thing you want is to lose a client just because you could not hold a decent conversation. To avoid such uncalled occurrences, here are some ways you can soundproof your conference room and improve sound acoustics in your workplace.
Where’s all the noise coming from?
The causes of poor room acoustics can be many
- It could be an outside noise coming through the windows or other areas of your office
- It could be a reflection from glass doors, whiteboards, or large screens
- It could be a reverberation from the roof, the walls & the floor or it could be a combination of any or all of these and more.
So the first thing to do is to identify the cause of echo and then work on it. In order to completely address both outside noise and reverberation inside the room, you’ll need a combination of soundproofing, sound masking, and sound-absorbing solutions.
Sound Proofing, Sound Masking, and Sound Absorption
Soundproofing is done to contain the sound within the room, sound masking is done to camouflage an existing sound with white noise, while sound absorption traps the background noise & filters out a clear sound. Here is how you can use all these in tandem to produce a clearer sound and trap unwanted noise facilitating a crisp & clear communication.
- Soundproof your drywalls – Installing sound-absorbing panels such as those made from EcoPro Fibre cement boards with the help of Rockwool can absorb the unwanted noise and produce a soft sound.
- Use heavy curtains – Curtains can improve the sound quality in a room especially the ones made with heavy vinyl that block and contain sound.
- Use sound-absorbing material for ceiling – Acoustical ceiling tile is one of the most effective sound-absorbing solutions. If your conference room has a drop ceiling and an open rather than ducted air return system, consider EcoPro false ceiling boards for ceiling tiles instead.
- Install acoustic wall partitions – A partition wall is lightweight, easy to install, easy to move around, and works like baffles for the ground instead of the ceiling.
- Add a layer of acoustic foam – Foams do a great job at absorbing sound but are not aesthetically very pleasing as compared to other options. It can be attached to ceilings or walls.
- Lay thick carpets and rugs on the floor- Carpets made for offices are one of the best sound absorbers, but they also tend to absorb other things like coffee and snacks. Also, they make moving around the chair a little resistive. However, the thinner & denser versions are a great fit for meeting rooms.
We are sure the above solutions would work as a silent spell and add a zen appeal to your conference room. If you are looking for acoustical wall panels, wall partitions, and roofs, the EcoPro Fibre cement boards provide the perfect long term solutions. To discuss your prospects, contact EcoPro, today!
