FAQs

They are large, tall and dominated by hard surfaces — concrete or timber sports floors, blockwork walls, large glazed areas, steel structures and high metal ceilings — with very little furniture or soft finishing to absorb sound. Whistles, bouncing balls, squeaking shoes, crowd noise and PA announcements all reflect off those surfaces and overlap.

Ceiling-based treatment usually does most of the acoustic work. Acoustic ceiling panels and suspended baffles face the entire room, are generally free from ball impact and cover one of the largest continuous hard surfaces in the building. Upper-wall absorption can then be added where impact risk is low.

Lower wall areas are frequently exposed to balls, equipment, trolleys and general contact, and may also need to stay durable or washable, so a standard decorative acoustic wall panel may not be appropriate in every location. A better strategy is usually to keep the lower wall zone robust and concentrate absorption in the ceiling, suspended baffles, upper walls and spectator areas.

Indoor sports centres, gymnasiums and assembly spaces commonly fall under Class 9b of the National Construction Code, and Group 1 fire-rated linings are commonly specified for many Class 9b applications. Because acoustic products can cover large areas, verify that the fire classification, test report, product construction and mounting method relate to the product and installation actually proposed.

Terminals are large in volume, high-ceilinged, open-plan, heavily glazed and finished with hard flooring and reflective metal and plasterboard surfaces. Those materials are durable and practical but absorb very little sound, so every conversation, suitcase wheel, boarding announcement and service noise reflects off the surrounding surfaces.

Acoustic panels absorb sound energy before it can continue bouncing around the terminal, which reduces reverberation so announcements are not blurred by reflections of earlier sounds. Simply increasing the PA volume is not always the answer, because louder announcements add more sound energy to an already reflective environment.

The ceiling usually delivers the greatest benefit per square metre because it faces the entire occupied area and is less interrupted by doors, glazing and passenger circulation. Priority zones include check-in halls, security queues, boarding gates, baggage claim, main concourses, waiting lounges and platform halls, with selected upper-wall areas adding further absorption.

Airports and major transport terminals are generally treated as Class 9b buildings under the National Construction Code, and Group 1 fire-rated linings are commonly specified. Project teams should verify the fire classification, test report, product construction, mounting configuration and certifier requirements, and confirm the product tested corresponds with the product actually supplied and installed.

Acoustic panels and suspended baffles absorb reflected sound and reduce reverberant build-up in occupied areas such as control rooms, monitoring rooms, staff workspaces and corridors. They improve comfort and speech clarity around equipment halls, but they do not stop noise being generated at the source.

Usually not the equipment hall itself. Prioritise the areas where people spend the most time — network operations centres, control rooms, monitoring stations, security rooms, staff offices, meeting rooms, entry corridors and breakout areas. Treating those zones first gives an immediate improvement in comfort and communication and avoids interfering with equipment access, airflow or maintenance.

No. Source control addresses where the noise starts and may involve quieter equipment selection, enclosures, duct attenuation, vibration isolation, acoustic barriers, silencers or mechanical system modifications, typically assessed by an acoustic consultant or mechanical engineer. Acoustic absorption addresses what happens after the sound enters the room. Both may be required.

No. Where data centre noise reaches levels at which occupational exposure becomes a concern, acoustic panels are not a substitute for noise exposure assessment, engineering controls, safe work procedures, hearing protection or occupational health requirements. Acoustic treatment forms only one part of a broader noise-control strategy.

AUS Dowels is an architectural acoustic panel system made from timber dowels mounted onto an acoustic backing panel. The dowels project outward from the backing to create a three-dimensional surface with depth, repetition and shadow, while the backing absorbs reflected sound and helps control reverberation.

A standard flat panel introduces absorption without making much of an architectural statement. The projecting timber elements in AUS Dowels create a sculptural surface that changes with viewing angle, lighting and configuration — so instead of specifying decorative timber and acoustic treatment separately, both functions sit within one system.

The absorption comes from the acoustic backing behind the dowels. The timber provides the visible architectural character while the acoustic material behind it delivers the primary sound-absorbing function, which means designers can achieve a timber aesthetic without relying on a purely reflective timber lining.

Yes. Ceilings are another major reflective surface in commercial interiors, and using AUS Dowels overhead introduces visual depth while adding absorption to the room. It is particularly useful where wall space is limited. As with any ceiling system, installation should be coordinated with lighting, HVAC, sprinklers and other building services during the design stage.

It depends on the product, fixing system, mounting surface and installation method. An order may involve mechanical fixings, adhesives, mounting tracks, clips or brackets, suspension components or other product-specific hardware — or panels can be supplied without certain hardware where the contractor intends to use their own approved fixing method. Confirm the inclusions for the specific product and project during quoting.

A fixing suitable for plasterboard may not be appropriate for concrete, masonry, timber, an existing ceiling system or structural framing. The condition of the substrate matters too: a direct adhesive installation requires an appropriate surface, while heavier or suspended products may need mechanical support capable of carrying the required load.

Yes. Supply-only arrangements can be appropriate where the builder or acoustic installer prefers to organise installation hardware themselves — commercial contractors often have preferred fixing products, established installation methods and other trades to coordinate with. If hardware is being supplied by others, establish that during quoting so everyone understands the scope before the order is placed.

Substrate condition, panel positions, spacing and orientation, whether lighting, power, HVAC, sprinklers or other services affect installation, safe access to the fixing locations, whether the delivered hardware matches the documented installation method, and whether actual site measurements correspond with the approved layout. These checks matter particularly on refurbishment projects, where existing construction may differ from drawings.

Hard surfaces — polished concrete, glass, exposed ceilings and minimal soft furnishings — reflect sound around the dining room. As the space fills, the 'Lombard effect' makes everyone speak louder to be heard, so noise builds rapidly during busy service.

Add acoustic ceiling panels, wall panels or suspended baffles to absorb reflections. These can be integrated discreetly or used as design features, so you improve speech clarity and dining comfort without compromising the interior.

Yes. Hospitality venues have fire-performance requirements, so choose acoustic products with appropriate tested fire performance for commercial interiors.

Where noise builds up — the ceiling offers a large reflective area to treat, and walls near hard surfaces help control horizontal reflections. The best combination depends on the room's shape, finishes and volume.

Uncontrolled noise and reverberation reduce concentration, make speech and video calls harder to follow, and increase fatigue over the day — quietly eroding productivity, collaboration and staff wellbeing.

Its cost is visible up front, while the cost of poor acoustics — distraction, lost focus, lower retention — is hidden and only shows up later. That imbalance makes acoustic treatment an easy target when budgets tighten.

As early as schematic design. Addressing acoustics early avoids expensive retrofits and lets the treatment be coordinated with ceilings, services, lighting and other finishes instead of being added as an afterthought.

Setting a clear acoustic outcome, identifying the most reflective surfaces and focused-work areas, planning for meetings and calls, addressing reverberation time, and coordinating acoustics with the other building systems.

Modern offices use hard finishes — polished concrete floors, exposed ceilings, glass partitions and plasterboard walls — that reflect sound. Conversations, phone calls, keyboards and equipment combine and reverberate, making it harder to concentrate.

Introduce sound-absorbing treatment: acoustic wall panels, ceiling panels and suspended baffles all cut reverberation. The most effective mix depends on the size of the space, its ceiling height and existing finishes.

It varies with room size, ceiling height, finishes and the number of occupants. Acoustic consultants often work to reverberation-time targets such as those in AS/NZS 2107 to determine the quantity and placement of treatment.

No — that is soundproofing, a different approach. Acoustic panels absorb reflections to reduce echo and improve speech clarity within a space; blocking sound transmission between rooms requires isolation and mass, not absorption.

AUS Design is an Australian-made range of 2D and 3D decorative acoustic wall and ceiling panels. It combines architectural profiles with acoustic performance, turning ordinary walls and ceilings into striking design features that also reduce reverberation and improve speech clarity.

Yes. Unlike most decorative wall finishes that offer little acoustic benefit, AUS Design panels are engineered to absorb sound while delivering a decorative finish — so you get both aesthetics and acoustic performance rather than compromising on one.

In corporate offices, receptions, boardrooms, hospitality venues, education facilities and commercial fit-outs — anywhere a feature finish and a comfortable acoustic environment are both required.

AUS Design offers a choice of substrate, colour and finish, with fire-rated substrate options available for projects that need to meet compliance requirements.

Halls are built from hard materials — concrete, brick, glass and timber — that reflect sound rather than absorb it. Speech, music and noise bounce between the surfaces and overlap, creating long reverberation. The larger the room and the higher the ceiling, the more pronounced the effect.

It depends on the room's dimensions, ceiling height, existing finishes, occupancy and how the space is used. Too few panels make little difference, while too much treatment can leave a room sounding unnaturally 'dead'. An acoustic assessment — often against the reverberation-time guidance in AS/NZS 2107 — sets the right quantity.

Usually a combination: acoustic wall panels absorb horizontal reflections, ceiling panels or rafts help where wall space is limited, and suspended baffles suit exposed or very high ceilings and sports halls. Large multipurpose halls often use all three together.

Yes. Products should meet the relevant requirements of the National Construction Code and applicable Australian Standards. Acoustic Panels Australia's range includes products with tested fire performance suitable for education environments.

Review the ranges on apacoustics.com.au, identify the finishes and materials suited to your project, and request the samples you need. Samples let you assess colour, texture, edge detail and finish quality before committing to a full order.

Up to five, and they typically ship within one to two weeks.

No. A small sample cannot represent the acoustic performance of a completed installation, which depends on panel size, thickness, density, placement, coverage, mounting and the room itself. Use samples to confirm finish and appearance, and technical data for performance.

Colour and tone under the project's real lighting, texture and surface finish, thickness and feel, edge treatment, visual quality, and how it sits against the other finishes in the scheme — flooring, joinery, paint, glazing and furniture.

AUS Baffles™ are suspended acoustic baffles that hang vertically from the ceiling. Because both faces are exposed, they absorb direct sound from the source as well as sound reflected off the ceiling, which makes them efficient in large-volume spaces.

When wall space is limited or unavailable — taken up by glazing, joinery, doors, storage, whiteboards, shelving or equipment — or when the walls sit too far from the main sound activity to be effective. Baffles move the treatment into the ceiling zone.

Offices, sporting venues, libraries, auditoriums and other large interiors with open or exposed ceilings, high ceilings, large floor areas, hard finishes and busy occupancy.

Yes — that is their main advantage. They deliver acoustic absorption while preserving the open-ceiling architectural look, rather than closing it in with a suspended ceiling system.

There is no universally best material — only the best material for the brief, the room, the compliance requirements and how the space will be used. Fabric-wrapped, timber slat, PET felt, perforated MDF and foam each have strengths and limitations.

They can be, but performance depends on what sits behind them. A timber slat panel backed with the right acoustic absorber performs well; used mainly as a decorative surface, it offers much less control.

PET felt suits lightweight workspace applications well, but it will not satisfy every impact, fire or finish requirement. Check the project's compliance and durability needs before specifying it.

No. Thickness, density, backing material, air gap, perforation pattern, mounting method and location all affect performance. Two panels of the same material can perform very differently.

There is no single price. Cost depends on material, finish, size, thickness, fire rating, performance requirements, quantity, fixing method, customisation, delivery, documentation and installation. Most suppliers price commercial projects from the brief rather than a shelf rate.

Because commercial projects rarely use panels the same way. A small meeting room with standard wall panels is a very different scope from a multi-level education project with ceiling baffles, custom colours, fire-rated documentation and staged delivery.

Customisation. Special colours, printed surfaces, veneer finishes, routed patterns, custom shapes, curves and cut-outs all add design coordination, manufacturing time and installation planning.

Provide the brief: room type and use, drawings and dimensions, target acoustic outcome, finish preferences, any fire or compliance requirements, quantities and the delivery programme. The more defined the scope, the more useful the quote.

Start with the ceiling. In most commercial interiors the ceiling is the largest uninterrupted surface and the one sound reflects off before returning to the occupied zone. After the ceiling, treat first reflection points on walls and the surfaces closest to the main sound sources. Placement usually matters more than panel count.

Moving them. Two rooms with the same number of panels can perform very differently depending on placement. The useful question is not how many panels fit, but where each square metre of absorption produces the greatest acoustic return.

A decorative feature wall rarely solves the acoustic problem on its own. It can look impressive while leaving the ceiling and first reflection points untreated, which is where most of the reverberation is generated.

They are the surfaces where sound from a source bounces once before reaching the listener. Treating them improves speech clarity and intelligibility, which is why they matter in meeting rooms, classrooms and offices.

Acoustic panels absorb sound inside a room to reduce echo and reverberation, making speech clearer and the space more comfortable. Soundproofing reduces sound transfer between spaces, stopping noise passing through walls, floors, ceilings, doors and glazing. One controls sound within a room; the other controls sound moving between rooms.

Not usually. Acoustic panels are designed to absorb reflections inside a room, not to block sound moving to adjacent spaces. If conversations or noise are passing to the next room, that is a sound-isolation problem that typically requires changes to walls, doors, glazing or ceilings.

The term is often used loosely. Most wall- or ceiling-mounted panels are acoustic absorption products that improve sound quality inside a room. True soundproofing usually relies on construction methods — insulation, acoustic-rated systems, seals and isolation details — rather than a single panel.

Ask what the sound is doing. If sound is bouncing around inside the same room (echo, poor speech clarity), you likely need acoustic panels. If sound is passing from one room to another, you likely need soundproofing. Some spaces, such as meeting rooms, need both.

Often, yes. Because they are usually installed on visible surfaces such as walls and ceilings, acoustic panels can frequently be retrofitted. Soundproofing is harder to add later because it may involve changes to the building fabric, so it is best planned early in the project.

Consider specialist input when sound is travelling between rooms, privacy or confidentiality matters, noise affects neighbouring tenancies, the project involves apartments, hotels, healthcare or education, there are compliance requirements, or previous acoustic treatments have not solved the issue.

Acoustic panels absorb sound inside a room — they reduce echo, reverberation, and excessive sound reflection. Soundproofing is different: it stops sound from travelling between rooms, which requires changes to walls, doors, ceilings, glazing, and other building elements. If a room feels harsh or echoey, you need acoustic panels. If conversations are leaking between rooms, you need soundproofing.

The best location depends on where sound is reflecting and what surfaces are available. Wall panels work well in meeting rooms and classrooms where speech clarity matters. Ceiling panels, rafts, and clouds are highly effective because ceilings are often the largest available surface. Suspended baffles and acoustic fins are useful in spaces with high ceilings or limited wall area.

Yes — fire performance is an important part of product selection for Australian commercial projects. The required rating depends on project type, location, and building requirements (Group 1 compliance to ISO 9705-2003 is common for high-occupancy public spaces). Always check the product documentation supports the specific project's needs before specifying.

Yes. Thicker panels can absorb a broader range of frequencies — thin panels help with higher frequencies, while thicker panels improve performance across mid and lower frequencies. Material density, installation method (an air gap behind the panel can boost performance), and coverage area also matter just as much as thickness alone.