I find it both funny and fascinating that the calls I routinely receive in recent years for acoustic products which are either made from, or look like, wood. With all of our technology and rapidly advancing material science, as well as imaginative aesthetic palettes, we just can’t seem to get away from our history with wood and nature!
The last time I had a customer request acoustic wood ceiling panels, we had an interesting conversation about the phenomena and I learned a new word: biophilic. The customer was working on a restaurant interior renovation and described how they were employing biophilic design to better meet the wants of customers in their locale. I learned that biophilic means our desire and tendency to interact with or be closely associated with nature.
He said that their restaurant—a high-end restaurant, in fact—previously employed a modern look that not too long ago seemed to feel stately, clean, and impressive, but now was giving way to negative emotions like empty, hollow, and even “totalitarian.” To improve upon this, he was employing biophilic design to incorporate natural colors (browns, greens, blues, yellows), materials like wood and brick, and loads of plants and even a small, modern aquarium.
Modern LED lights were being chosen to resemble old gas lamps and even flickering candlelight, and to pull all of it together, he wanted to find wood acoustic panels for the ceiling. No matter the aesthetic, a great restaurant needs great acoustics!
Fortunately, wood is naturally a pretty good acoustic insulator. That said, we have some products available that are engineered with wood and offer fantastic acoustics while also adhering to the growing desire to reincorporate nature into our structures and lives.
Two Great Options for Acoustic Wood Ceiling Panels
Our top-of-the-line acoustic panels and tiles are made from fiberglass and wrapped with acoustic fabric, and we’ve also heard the requests from our customers to have options that are wood-forward to meet the needs of biophilic design:
1. AlphaSorb® Designer Acoustic Slatted Wood Wall Panels
Wood Slat Panel in Light Oak
For a truly luxurious wood look while achieving your acoustic goals, our AlphaSorb® Designer Acoustic Slatted Wood Wall Panels answer the call. Sourced from sustainable forestry, the wood slats are attached to a premium felt backing and offered in 4 colors: Light Oak, Dark Oak, Grey Oak, and Walnut. The materials are lightweight, which makes these panels excellent for both wall and ceiling install applications. The panels are also environmentally-responsible and eligible for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) MRc4 credits, while the premium acoustic felt is 100% Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) plastic from recycled bottles and is 100% recyclable.
I’ve seen all manner of businesses trust in these panels to create a tranquil space both visually and acoustically. Here are a few applications:
Spa
AlphaSorb Designer Acoustic Wood Slat Panels in Walnut in a Spa
I think spas long ago got the memo about biophilic design! They tend to always use natural elements to evoke a calming, peaceful aesthetic to get their patrons in the right mindset before any services even begin. It may not even be said, but part of this atmosphere is the acoustics, so adding the AlphaSorb® Designer Acoustic Slatted Wood Wall Panels is a great choice both visually and aurally. In this example, the designer chose to have the panels affixed to the ceiling, and utilized wood flooring to match, and coral-like tiling for the walls.
Conference Room
AlphaSorb Designer Acoustic Wood Slat Panels in Light Oak in a Conference Room
Accent walls refuse to go out of style, and for good reason. Utilizing AlphaSorb® Designer Acoustic Slatted Wood Wall Panels is a great way to both better control the sound in your conference room and pack a beautiful punch as an accent wall, done gorgeously in the above example of a conference room. Notice the matching wood table for an aesthetic boost!
Office Lobby
AlphaSorb Designer Acoustic Wood Slat Panels in Dark Oak in an Office Lobby
What a great backdrop for your customers to see upon arrival! It may seem like a space of little importance, but striking a commanding visual impression with your welcome desk, as well as providing a well-treated acoustic harbor sets a powerful and lasting first impression. In this example, the designers spun the panels 90 degrees for a horizontal rather than vertical wood slat look.
2. AlphaSorb® Wood Fiber Acoustic Ceiling Tiles
AlphaSorb® Wood Fiber Acoustic Ceiling Tile
The AlphaSorb® Wood Fiber Acoustic Ceiling Tiles are an excellent eco-friendly and cost-effective solution that can be utilized in drop-in suspended grid applications or mechanically fastened to your ceiling via adhesive. With an NRC of .40, these ceiling tiles offer substantial sound control, to significantly reduce echo and reverberation.
AlphaSorb® Wood Fiber Acoustic Tiles help keep libraries quiet.
The ceiling tiles come in square or tegular edge types for further aesthetic control. If you are looking for larger applications, I would suggest these tiles for their ease of install, acoustic performance, and cost-effectiveness.
Find the Best Wood Ceiling Panels and Tiles with Acoustical Solutions
I have to say I love the trend of heading back to nature with interior design. We always think about the visual beauty of being out in the mountain forest, lakes, and ocean beaches, but it’s also the sound, too, that forms the full picture. Pairing natural aesthetics with premium acoustic solutions is a perfect match!
If you’d like to learn more about our wood ceiling panel and tile options, or have further questions about sound control or soundproofing your space, please reach out to me today!
To learn more about how Acoustical Solutions can solve your noise control problems, use our contact form, call one of our Acoustical Sales Consultants at (800) 782-5742, or visit us on the web at acousticalsolutions.com.
