HELP: Panels w/ 703, Rock Wool or what for a allergy ridden individual?

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johnbono

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I want make up some high-mid wall-absorber panels and would like to know what people are using that suffer from skin allergies as well as respiratory?

Can I cover -between the- "material" and "fabric" with something to allow "high-mid absorption" and keep the DUST PARTICLES out of the room?

Should the panels have a back?

Help is appreciated!
 
Is there something in specific that you are allergic to, or are you just generally sensitive to irritants?

Fiberglass and rock wool are contact irritants with skin and lungs. The fibers in a board type product most likely will not work their way into the air. Most any absorbent products are going to have a surface with tiny openings that will collect dust over time. Having somo sort of a HEPA filter on the air intake and then occasionally vacumning the surface with a HEPA filter vacumn is most likely the best choice.
 
Thanks for your response!

I am generally sensitive irritants by contact and air-born. For some reason over time I have become especially allergic to saw dust and fine particles.

I don't want to be a fanatic about it, I just want to be safe and not regret anything I may do. I figured a backing for starters may be a good idea and possibly a cover over the 703 or Rock Wool (still not sure which may be a better choice for me) followed by a nice fabric (for visuals) cover.

If best I can go with Auralex foam but I think I really would like to get better results and customize my own panels.
Any thoughts and suggestions as to what may be best for my application would be helpful.
 
One of my compatriots on another site has successfully used light weight plastic over either material with good results - about the weight of a mid-quality large garbage can liner, which works about right - you can slide the batts inside one, slide a second one over from the other end, tape in the middle, and instant encapsulation -

Performance-wise, the result is a bit brighter sound (usually a GOOD thing, since enough treatment to take care of mids usually kills too many highs in most rooms) - an added benefit is that you can slide the covered batts in between Resilient Channels and framing with a lot less hassle.

I'd still wear protective masks working with any of this stuff, and a good HEPA filtered vacuum at the ready... Steve
 
An even lighter-weight plastic would be to use 3M painter's plastic, the stuff that comes on a roll. It's expensive, but will contain 703 fibers.

I didn't line my gobos with plastic, and have shuffled them all over my room. I have yet to notice any shedding of fiber at all. I cut the panels to fit very tightly, and used pins and washers to hold them to the plywood backing of the gobos. They are covered with hemp muslin cloth stretched across a frame held to the carcase with Velcro. I vacuumed out all the fibers after installing the insulation.

Wear longsleeves and use at least a dustmask. If you're really sensitive use a respirator with a fiber-approved cartridge. Surgical gloves may be handy as well.
 
I used plastic that is about 3 mils think I think (might have been 6 mils) and all was well. My material of choice was rock wool cause all it is is volcanic rock and steel slag. Not much to get an allergic reaction out of you :)
 
Is rock wool easily to be purchased on the net in panels, how's it sold and what exactly would I be looking for?

Thanks man!
 
Yeah just more expensive. I am used to paying 15 bucks but I used the OC stuff and the roxul stuff. Got a 50% off deal from my vender as he was trying to get rid of the OC stuff :)

And I am speaking of the Owens corning. Call roxul direct the number is on their site and where R U located????

www.roxul.com
 
I'm in the Catskills, NY. The Roxul looks like a nicer product. I see the Roxul AFB is their mineral wool. I'll call them and find a dealer. Thanks again!

Now to decide on the covering: Hemp or Guilford of Maine Fabric???
 
Whatever fabric you choose to use. (of course a lot of guys are concerned about fire retardance, but seeing that no one smokes in my studio and Mineral wool is extremely fire resistant (up to about 2,000 degrees) I jotted on down to the local fabric store and picked out fabircs i liked.

I Used broadcloth on the ceilings and a silk type fabric on the walls.

Total cost about 80 bucks for both of my rooms.
 
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