What Are Acoustic Panels Made Of? (Materials, Types, and How to Choose)

An acoustic panel helps make a room quiet. It is made of special things. Most acoustic panels have a frame, a core, and a cover. The core soaks up sound.

The Basic Construction of an Acoustic Panel

It is easy to see what an acoustic panel is made of. It has three main parts.

• Frame: This is the edge. It is often made of wood or metal. The frame holds the core. It makes the panel strong. Wood frame acoustic panels are very popular. Some may use a metal frame acoustic panels.
• Absorbing Core: This is the inside part. It is the most important part. The sound absorbing core materials are soft and full of tiny holes. This is what stops the sound.
• Face / Finish Layer: This is the outside part you see. It can be a soft cloth or a hard front. This part must let sound pass through to the core. It can be a breathable fabric for acoustic panels or beautiful wood veneer acoustic panels.

How Acoustic Panel Materials Actually Work

Loud, Bouncy Sound

Have you been in a big, empty room? When you talk, your voice echoes. The sound bounces off the hard walls, floor, and ceiling. This makes it hard to hear. This is a big problem in many places.

Why Bouncy Sound is Bad

Bouncing sound is more than just annoying.

• In an office, it makes it hard to focus. You can’t hear your team.
• In a restaurant, you can’t have a nice chat. All the noise mixes.
• In a home theater acoustic panel materials, the movie sound is muddy.
• In a studio acoustic panel materials, recordings sound bad.

This extra noise can make you feel tired and stressed. It makes spaces feel chaotic and uncomfortable. You need a way to stop the bounce.

Soaking Up Sound

This is where acoustic panel materials come in. They do not block sound. They soak it up. This is called porous absorption.

Think of a sponge and water. A sponge has many small holes. It pulls water in. The core of an acoustic panel is like a sponge for sound. It is made of porous acoustic materials or porous absorber materials. Sound waves go into the tiny holes and fibers. The sound energy hits the fibers and turns into a very tiny bit of heat. The sound wave gets trapped and does not bounce back. This is the science of sound absorption.

Why Density & Thickness Matter

The acoustic panel density and performance are linked.

• Thickness: A thick panel is better at soaking up low sounds, like a deep voice or bass music. An acoustic panel thickness vs material choice is very important.
• Density: A dense panel has more fibers to trap sound. High density acoustic panels are very good at their job.

It is important to know that soundproof vs acoustic panel materials are different. Soundproofing stops sound from going from one room to another. An acoustic panel makes the sound inside one room better. It gives you sound isolation inside the room.

Core Materials Used Inside Acoustic Panels

What is the best core material for acoustic panels? There are many kinds. Each one has good and bad points. The acoustic panel raw materials list is long.

Fiberglass (Rigid Acoustic Board)

Fiberglass is one of the oldest acoustic panel materials. It is made of very tiny glass fibers. Rigid fiberglass acoustic panels are stiff boards. A famous kind is Owens Corning 703 or 703 fiberglass acoustic panels.

• Pros: It is amazing at absorbing sound. It has a very high acoustic panel NRC rating and materials. The NRC, or Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC), tells you how good a material is at soaking up sound. An NRC of 1.00 is perfect. Fiberglass is close. This is why the NRC of fiberglass acoustic panels is a standard.
• Cons: It can make your skin itch if you touch it. You must be careful when you handle it. Some people want non toxic acoustic panels and look for other options.

Many famous brands like Johns Manville and Knauf Insulation make glass fiber acoustic panels.

Mineral Wool / Rockwool

This is like fiberglass. But it is made from melted rock. That is why it is called rockwool acoustic panels. Rockwool Safe’n’Sound is a popular brand. It is a type of mineral wool acoustic panels.

• Pros: It is very good for low sounds. This makes it a great bass trap insulation material. It also does not burn. It has a high fire rating of acoustic panel materials.
• Cons: It is heavy and can be messy. It needs a strong frame and must be covered all the way. The mineral wool vs fiberglass acoustic panels debate is common; they work in similar ways.

Acoustic Foam (Polyurethane / Melamine Foam)

You have seen this in pictures of music studios. It is often shaped like pyramids or wedges. Foam acoustic panels are very light. They are made of polyurethane foam acoustic panels or melamine foam acoustic panels. Brands like Auralex Acoustics are famous for foam.

• Pros: It is light and easy to put on a wall. It is good for high and middle sounds. It uses an open cell foam sound absorption structure.
• Cons: It is not very good for low bass sounds unless it is very thick. The foam vs fiberglass acoustic panels choice depends on your needs. Some foam is not safe in a fire.

Polyester Fiber / PET Acoustic Panels

Old Materials Had Issues

People used to worry about the materials in their walls. They wanted things that were safe, clean, and good for the planet. They did not want itchy fibers or harsh chemicals in their air. Finding safe acoustic panel materials was a challenge.

PET Panels

Worrying About Your Space

You want your home, office, or school to be a healthy place. You look for products that are eco friendly acoustic panels. You want to use things made from recycled stuff. It feels bad to use a product that might harm you or the Earth. This makes choosing the right panel hard.

Clean, Green, and Quiet PET Panels

This is where polyester fiber acoustic panels shine. These are modern sound absorbing polyester panels. Many are called PET acoustic panels. PET stands for the plastic used in water bottles.

Yes, these panels are made from recycled plastic bottles! This makes them one of the best recycled acoustic panel materials. A professional manufacturer in China, Beien Construction Co., Ltd., has over 15 years of experience making high-quality PET acoustic panels. In our 20,000㎡ factory, we turn recycled bottles into beautiful, useful pet felt acoustic panels.

• Pros:
  • Eco-Friendly: They use recycled PET acoustic panels. Many have over 60% recycled stuff.
  • Safe: No itch! They are safe to touch and handle. They are often low-VOC, which means better air inside.
  • Looks Great: They come as stiff felt panels. You do not need to wrap them in cloth. They are both the core and the finish. This is why you see beautiful decorative acoustic panel materials made of PET.
  • Easy to Work With: You can cut them into shapes, like a hexagon acoustic panel.

As a one-stop production system, we ensure every acoustic pet panel has strict quality control. The NRC of polyester acoustic panels is very good, making them a great choice. You can find them as polyester fiber panels or a polyester acoustic board. The polyester vs fiberglass acoustic panels choice is often about wanting a greener, safer, and more decorative option.

Cellulose, Cotton, and Other Fiber Panels

These are other “green” options.

• Bonded acoustic cotton panels are made from old blue jeans! Cotton acoustic panels are soft and safe.
• Cellulose acoustic panels are made from recycled paper.

Brands like Second Skin Audio and Soundproof Cow sell these.

• Pros: They have a very high recycled content. They are good at resisting mold. Many have a Class A fire rating, which is very safe. They meet standards like ASTM E84 and EN 13501-1.
• Use Cases: They are great for classroom acoustic panel materials or anywhere you need a safe, green panel.

Face & Finish Materials – What Covers the Core

The outside of the panel is important too. It has to look good and let sound through.

Acoustic Fabrics

Fabric wrapped acoustic panel materials are very common. But you can’t use any cloth. It must be an acoustic fabric.

• Why it’s special: It is open, so sound can pass through it. A good acoustic panel fabric types is a transparent acoustic fabrics. Brands like Guilford of Maine make special fabrics for panels.
• Safety: For places like schools or offices, you need a fire rated fabric for acoustic panels.

PET Felt and Polyester Finishes

With pet felt, you do not need another cover. The panel itself is the finish. This is why PET felt acoustic panels are so popular for design. They act as acoustic wall art. You can get a beautiful acoustic wall panel art finish with just one product.

Wood Veneer Slats & Perforated Wood

You Need Quiet, But You Love Style

Sometimes, a cloth panel does not fit the look of your room. You want the warm, rich look of wood. But a solid wood wall will just bounce sound around. How can you get the beauty of wood and the quiet of an acoustic panel?

Wood Veneer Slats & Perforated Wood

A Bad Choice Kills Your Design

You have spent so much time making your room look perfect. The wrong panel will stick out. It will look cheap or out of place. You feel stuck. You have to choose between a room that looks good or a room that sounds good. You should not have to compromise.

Elegant Wood That Soaks Up Sound

This is why wood acoustic panels were invented. They give you the best of both worlds. At Beien, we are experts in making wooden acoustic panels that are beautiful and work perfectly.

There are two main kinds:

1. Wood Slat Acoustic Panels: These are the most popular right now. You see them everywhere. They are made of thin strips of wood on a soft backing. This is a perfect example of a composite acoustic wall panels. The slat wood wall panel is made of real wood veneer, like natural oak acoustic slat wood wall panels or natural walnut acoustic slat wood wall panels. Behind the slats is a soft acoustic felt backer, usually made of PET. The sound goes between the slats and gets trapped in the sound absorbing PET felt panels behind it. Explore our amazing acoustic slat wood wall panels for your space.
2. Perforated Wood Acoustic Panels: These are solid-looking wood acoustic wall panels. But they have tiny holes or grooves in them. The sound goes through the holes and is trapped by acoustic insulation boards behind the panel, like mineral wool. These perforated wood acoustic panels look clean and modern.

We offer full OEM/ODM services, so you can get custom acoustic panels with the exact finish you want, like a sleek PVC Surface or a special Technical Veneer. Our panels are perfect for creating stunning decorative acoustic wood panels.

Metal, PVC, and Other Finishes

For places that need to be very tough or clean, like a gym or kitchen, you can get metal acoustic panels. These have a perforated metal front. The holes let sound in.

sound absorbing pvc wall panels with brown veneer look

Eco-Friendly & Non-Fiberglass Acoustic Panel Materials

As we saw, there are many green options. When you look for them, check for these things:

• Recycled Content: Look for panels made from PET, cotton, or cellulose.
• Safety Labels: Check for “VOC-free” or “formaldehyde-free.” This is important for good air inside.
• Green Building: Products can help you get points for LEED green building projects.

Here is a table to compare.

Table 1 – Recycled Content in Green Acoustic Cores

Choosing the Right Acoustic Panel Material for Your Space

The best material for acoustic panels depends on the room.

Home Studios, Podcasts, and Small Rooms

Here, you need to control sound very carefully.

• Small rooms have big sound problems.
• Bad sound can ruin your recordings or movie night.
• A mix of panels is best. Use thick mineral wool for bass traps in the corners. Use fiberglass or PET acoustic panels on the walls to stop echo. This is a common setup for acoustic panels for home theater or acoustic panels for home studio.

Offices, Classrooms, and Open-Plan Workspaces

Here, you need to make it easy to hear people talk.

• Open offices are very noisy.
• Noise makes it hard to work and causes stress.
• Use acoustic panels for office spaces. PET panels are great because they look good and are safe. Acoustic ceiling panel materials or an acoustic cloud panel materials can hang from the ceiling. Check out these amazing office acoustic wall panels for ideas. For schools, classroom acoustic panels must be tough.

Restaurants, Hotels, and Public Spaces

Here, looks are very important.

• These places are noisy and need to look great.
• A loud, ugly room makes customers leave.
• Use beautiful panels. Acoustic slat wall panels are perfect for this. So are decorative 3d wall panels. These acoustic panels for restaurants make the space feel calm and high-end.

Safety, Fire Rating, and Indoor Air Quality

Safety is number one.

• Fire Rating: In any public building, you must use panels with a Class A fire rating. This is a rule.
• Air Quality: Choose panels that do not release bad stuff into the air. PET panels and wood acoustic panels from a trusted maker are a safe bet. Beien’s products are certified by CE, FSC, and SGS, so you know they are safe and high-quality. This is why it is smart to avoid cheap acoustical panels that do not have safety papers.

DIY vs Factory-Made Acoustic Panels – Material Considerations

Common DIY Materials

You can make your own panels. This is a fun project.

• People use Rockwool or Owens Corning 703 insulation.
• They build a simple wood frame.
• They wrap it in a breathable cloth. These DIY acoustic panel materials can work well.

When Factory Panels Make More Sense

DIY is hard. You don’t know if it will work. It can look messy. And you don’t know if it is safe in a fire.

You spend a lot of time and money. The final panel looks bad. It doesn’t fix the sound. You worry if it is a fire risk.

Trust the experts. A factory-made panel is tested.

• You get a guaranteed NRC number.
• You get a real fire rating.
• The quality is perfect every time.
• You have more choices, like engraved V slot PET panels or beautiful curved wood panels.

Choosing a manufacturer with a one-stop system from R&D to export means you get fast delivery and great factory-direct prices. This makes high-quality panels an easy choice. Check out our wide range of professional sound absorbing panels.

FAQ – Short Answers About Acoustic Panel Materials

• Are all acoustic panels made of fiberglass? No. Today, many modern panels are made of PET polyester, mineral wool, cotton, and wood. Fiberglass is just one option.
• What is the safest material for acoustic panels at home? For a home, PET felt panels, bonded cotton, and cellulose are very safe. They are non-toxic and have no itchy fibers.
• Which material works best for low frequencies? Thick, dense materials work best. This includes high density mineral wool or fiberglass (4+ inches thick), often used in special panels called bass traps.
• Can acoustic foam alone replace other panel materials? Foam is good for high sounds. But it is not a good replacement for dense panels if you have problems with low or mid-range sounds.
• What should I check in the spec sheet? Always check these five things:
  1. Material Composition (What it’s made of)
  2. NRC Rating (How well it absorbs sound)
  3. Thickness and Density
  4. Fire Rating (Like ASTM E84 Class A)
  5. Certifications (like FSC for wood or SGS for quality)