Acoustic/Absorption Panels

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lifewasted

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I know that there is a similar topic but it's about a diferent and particular case. Anyway if you find appropriate I can delete this one.

I'm planning of making panels for my studio (which you can see in another topic) and I'm a bit reluctant because of some things I've been reading.

I already know how to make them but I'm not sure of what material to use.

It's easy for me to buy Rock Wool. But I'm very worried because I read that rock wool is very harmful for health. And specially because the room is very badly ventilated.. :\ Is it possible to extinguish the risks of rockwool ? Like by envolving it in tissue ? if so, what tissue should I use ?

Do you recommend any other material ? (I'm in Portugal it's not as easy to find material as in the US)

Thanks a lot in advance
 
There are definitely tons and tons of threads on this. Cover it with fabric.
 
As long as you cover it with fabric, and are not roughhousing it (brushing by it all the time, hitting it with a stick etc) it will be fine.
The problem comes if you are abrading it and the small particles are inhaled and get on your skin.
If it is out of the way, and covered with fabric, then the problems are mitigated.
Cheers
C>
 
Ethan Winer (www.ethanwiner.com) has a bunch of DIY articles and a forum on his website.

He (probably) knows more than everyone here combined about the subject; you should check over there....
 
lifewasted said:
I know that there is a similar topic but it's about a diferent and particular case. Anyway if you find appropriate I can delete this one.It's easy for me to buy Rock Wool. But I'm very worried because I read that rock wool is very harmful for health. And specially because the room is very badly ventilated.. :\ Is it possible to extinguish the risks of rockwool ? Like by envolving it in tissue ? if so, what tissue should I use?
Click to expand...

It's not the least bit dangerous unless you're allergic to it. You're in much more danger inhaling the pollutants and toxins that are already in the air than you are from rock wool EVEN IF IT'S UNCOVERED. Once you cover it though, there shouldn't be any fiber migration at all.

Frank
 
I built my panels using Rockwool Safe'n'Sound. It is *not* especially dusty at all if you handle it carefully, even when cutting with a sharp, finely serrated knife. Now, if you stand it up and beat on it with a rug beater, perhaps, but I hope you don't have plans like that. (You'll inhale more sawdust cutting the frames than handling the rockwool, based on my experience.)

I did wear long sleeved shirts, gloves and a mask - the same thing you'd wear when handing fiberglass batts (if you're sensible). My music room is the most dust-free area in the house, and all I did was cover the framed panels with a breathable fabric, like muslin, or whatever I could get cheaply.

The only thing I ever found about health concerns was about factory workers exposed to similar materials where it is being cut, compressed, glued, packaged, or possibly mined, and they were exposed over years in that kind of environment. (And it was not a current study.) There are no studies suggesting it is harmful in any kind of acoustic panel usage. IMO, it's FUD being tossed around unknowingly, or by competitive product sellers, which all have similar issues.
 
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