diy rigid fiberglass panels...

[goodbyebluesky]

Hi, I'm still a newbie in here. I've been reading here: http://www.ethanwiner.com/acoustics.html
and now I have some ideas/questions.......

I'm recording in my bedroom, and mostly acoustic guitar so I want a fairly dry environment, and desperately need to cut down on high/mid reflections as some of my recent recordings attest.

Rather than just throw some foam up on the wall in a checkerboard fashion, I'm thinking about using rigid fiberglass now that I've read ethan's website and he claimed it is often more affordable than foam. I have an in-law with his own ac/heat company, should I try and get some through him or can it be had online for cheap? Would the shipping kill me if I did?

As for placement, I live in an apartment and don't want to do anything too permanent. Is it possible to build wood frames to hold the fiberglass (with some type of attractive cloth covering it) and just hang them on the wall like you would hang framed artwork? I like this idea because when I up and move out of here the walls won't be damaged from mounting anything more than about 2 nails per panel, and I can just take the panels with me!
A lot of the wall space is taken up by the door, bathroom door, closet door, and a window but all empty walls are fair game for me to hang them.

How does this sound?

 

[emergencyexit]

Well I would say go for it and build the high-mid absorber here http://www.ethanwiner.com/BTPlans.gif but your saying you don't want to permanent so toggle bolting this to the wall may be a mistake. I'd say look at those plans and read through this http://www.ethanwiner.com/basstrap.html then either decide to, or not to do it his way, or figure out an easy way to change them around a little bit to make the portable. I'm guessing you'd just have to build backing to it so that it eliminates the need for the wall...? Anyway they are cheap to make so it shouldn't be too hard on you.

Rigid fiberglass is cheap anyway, I went down to an insulation dealer and got 25 2'x4'x1" panels of ownes corning 703 for $150 or about 70 cents per square foot. You should see if you can get a deal from your in-law, but if you can't it's still cheaper and more effective than foam so don't worry about it. Thats all I've got to say, hope I helped.

Ben

 

[HapiCmpur]

As for placement, I live in an apartment and don't want to do anything too permanent. Is it possible to build wood frames to hold the fiberglass (with some type of attractive cloth covering it) and just hang them on the wall like you would hang framed artwork? I like this idea because when I up and move out of here the walls won't be damaged from mounting anything more than about 2 nails per panel, and I can just take the panels with me!

Click on my signature below to see how I did it. If I decide to move some day, I'll just have to spackle over a few screw holes. (Be sure to click on the links called "Bass Traps" and "Broadband Absorbers" to see how I built the panels.)

 

[goodbyebluesky]

Click on my signature below to see how I did it. If I decide to move some day, I'll just have to spackle over a few screw holes. (Be sure to click on the links called "Bass Traps" and "Broadband Absorbers" to see how I built the panels.)

I really enjoyed checking out your website. Gives me some ideas.

I'm working with not as ideal of a room, it being a bedroom and seeing other uses. But I figure having a walk-in closet full of clothes in one corner and a bed can't hurt for absorption.

After seeing how cheap mineral wool is, I think I'm going to buy a 6-pack of panels to start with and build some lightweight frames. How nessesary is it to have them spaced from the wall?? Are they really not as effective if placed flush against the wall?

 

[HapiCmpur]

But I figure having a walk-in closet full of clothes in one corner and a bed can't hurt for absorption.

Absolutely right about the clothes and the bed. In a furnished bedroom such as yours, you're most likely to need treatment in the high corners and on any parallel walls that don't already have something hanging on them to deflect or absorb sound waves.

How nessesary is it to have them spaced from the wall?? Are they really not as effective if placed flush against the wall?

I can't answer that question because I've never experimented with wall spacing. I've been reading Ethan's posts long enough to trust him when he says it makes a difference.

 

[Innovations]

Rather than just throw some foam up on the wall in a checkerboard fashion, I'm thinking about using rigid fiberglass now that I've read ethan's website and he claimed it is often more affordable than foam. I have an in-law with his own ac/heat company, should I try and get some through him or can it be had online for cheap? Would the shipping kill me if I did?

Online sales of insulation usually carry large shipping charges because they have to go UPS oversize.

As for placement, I live in an apartment and don't want to do anything too permanent. Is it possible to build wood frames to hold the fiberglass (with some type of attractive cloth covering it) and just hang them on the wall like you would hang framed artwork? I like this idea because when I up and move out of here the walls won't be damaged from mounting anything more than about 2 nails per panel, and I can just take the panels with me!

That is exactly how to do it.