ᐅ Lower the ceiling using an acoustic suspended ceiling to reduce sound transmission.

Hello

We are currently building our own home. The kitchen and dining area share one room with a total size of 35 m² (377 sq ft).
We are considering installing a suspended acoustic ceiling above the dining table to reduce noise.
Would standard drywall panels be sufficient here, or should I opt for a true acoustic ceiling (with perforations)?

Thank you

With my limited knowledge, I would say that standard drywall simply reflects sound. The goal is to dampen sound so that, for example, speech can be heard more clearly. Perforated ceiling panels are probably somewhat better, but they are not very attractive either.

I would rather suggest using carpets, curtains, plants, soft furniture, bookshelves, and so on. Alternatively, though not very inexpensive, acoustic panels are an option. These are pyramid foam panels covered with a decorative print.

I have this foam (without the covering, which is much cheaper) in my home theater and can say that just 1-2 square meters (10-20 square feet) already provide significant improvements.

It should be noted, however, that all of this only helps against airborne sound (the reverberation that occurs when clapping is reduced), but not against low frequencies (subwoofer, bass drum, tuba), not against impact noise, and definitely not against sound transmission to adjacent rooms.

Which type of noise do you want to prevent from where to where?

we want to reduce everyday noise, specifically:
children
conversations during visits

Martin04793 schrieb:
Are standard drywall panels sufficient here?

No, they don’t help at all in this case.

Martin04793 schrieb:
Or should I go for a real acoustic ceiling (with holes)?

Not really necessary in the living room.

Deliverer schrieb:
I would rather suggest adding carpets, curtains, plants, soft furniture, bookshelves, etc. Alternatively, but not cheap, there are so-called acoustic panels with prints. These are pyramid-shaped foam panels covered with an attractive print.

That’s definitely better.

Basically, you need to let go of three common misconceptions:
1) It’s necessary to cover entire or large surface areas
2) Cough syrup only works if it tastes bad
3) The treatment has to be applied exactly where the effect is needed

A balanced mix of diffusion and absorption (examples above; there are also more subtle versions and, for example, single ceiling tiles designed mostly for decoration) provides a good effect with little to no visual disadvantage.

Also, a wall covering helps, even though the area to be protected is above it—that is, adjacent to the ceiling.

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We are currently discussing with the drywall installer and the architect about the 64 m2 (690 sq ft) living and dining area, which will have tile flooring and plastered walls. The main focus is on the living space where the TV and Dolby surround system will be placed. The architect suggests that without an acoustic ceiling, there might be issues with the sound quality of the system and with understanding dialogue on the TV.

This is not about sound insulation between floors but rather about reducing reverberation to improve the room acoustics. However, the drywall installer is charging an additional 200 €/m2 (about $19/sq ft) on top of the regular suspended ceiling cost... What types of systems are available, are there further experiences with this, and is such an investment really worthwhile?

In my opinion, this is more common in public spaces and/or offices rather than in private homes, right?