How Are You Installing Your Acoustic Treatment On the Walls?

[chrisrulesmore]

I'm ready to treat my room with an auralex kit and need some advice on non-permanent installation techniques. I'm told that the supplied tubetak adhesive is a nightmare if you ever want to move any of the panels or, worse yet, move the treatment to a new studio.

So what is everyone using these days? Will standard velcro work? Do I need to fork over for the auralex branded temp tabs? Nails/pins?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

-Chris

[Glenn Kuras]

Nails or pins should work. But I have to ask why are you going with foam? Have you looked into oc703, oc705 or mineral wool panels you can build or buy?

Glenn

[pianodano]

Hot melt glue. Like for crafts and such.

Danny

[Jack Pettit]

Do you own the Foam?

If not you might want to think about Owens Corning 703 for do it yourself or
Realtraps or GIK panels.

All at least twice as effective as foam and easy to mount or move.

[zimv20]

Originally Posted by chrisrulesmore

I'm ready to treat my room with an auralex kit and need some advice on non-permanent installation techniques.

here's what i did to mount a pair of 2'x4' auralex panels, hung vertically:

i had on hand some thin strips of wood, i think they're for shimming windows. i cut off a pair of 2' sections and used the auralex tacky foam to glue each strip a few inches from what would be the top of each panel.

next, i cut a piece of 2'x2' cardboard for each panel and glued that to the back of the panel, covering the wood strip (be sure to spray the wood strip, too).

finally, i mounted each panel with a pair of drywall screws, through the wood shims. if you position the shims such that the screws go into a "valley" on the panel, you can drive the screw far enough in that the foam will cover up the hole.

[peeder]

It was the prospect of glueing up my walls that led me to abandoning all ideas of foam. I bought Gik panels, and I hang them just as I would a mirror or a picture frame. Some airspace behind them helps them absorb bass.

Do the following test if you have the chance. Turn on a fan or any other source of white noise on one side of the room. On the other, prop up or mount a GIK panel or other mineral wool panel, and on top of it, prop up your favorite foam thing. Wearing well-isolated headphones, take a directional mic and point it close to the untreated wall, so you can hear the white noise bouncing off the wall. Now wave it over the foam. A loss of high-end, right? But little on the low end, and not very even. Now wave it over the Gik panel.

Combine those two effects, then compare the actual price of treatment. You will come to realize that the only reason all those places carry the foam is that it's so light to ship. It's a complete, utter ripoff if you actually want broadband acoustical treatment. The Gik panels are so cheap and effective and easy to work with they make an absolute mockery of the foam crap. And if you have the dough and want the best construction, go with Real Traps.

[Ethan Winer]

Originally Posted by chrisrulesmore

I'm ready to treat my room with an auralex kit and need some advice on non-permanent installation techniques.

I have to agree with the others that GIK and RealTraps offer better treatment products and are generally a better value than any foam. Especially at bass frequencies which are the most important in small rooms, and the most difficult to address.

--Ethan

[tarnationsauce]

T-pins.
You can usually find them at office supply stores and craft stores. They ae available in different lengths, so make sure you get ones that rare long enough.

[JimmySX]

Just foam the Auralex on thin mdf-board and screw those against the wall. I Did it myself and it works like a charm!!!

[Chrizcol]

Originally Posted by Ethan Winer

I have to agree with the others that GIK and RealTraps offer better treatment products and are generally a better value than any foam. Especially at bass frequencies which are the most important in small rooms, and the most difficult to address.

--Ethan

I have to agree with Ethan here. Only because I spent yesterday putting his MiniTraps up in my awful room... HUGE difference!.. amazing! Looking forward to working my butt off and buying more from him!

[JimmySX]

Originally Posted by Chrizcol

I have to agree with Ethan here. Only because I spent yesterday putting his MiniTraps up in my awful room... HUGE difference!.. amazing! Looking forward to working my butt off and buying more from him!

How can a question of how to put AURALEX to a wall, end up in giving the poster advise of buying something else!!!

For what it's worth, AURALEX treated my room very well. After measurement, only a little finetuning had to be done.

[hogo]

Originally Posted by JimmySX

Just foam the Auralex on thin mdf-board and screw those against the wall. I Did it myself and it works like a charm!!!

Hey jimmysx, what kind of desk is that, looks real cool! I need something like that.

On topic:

I used the auralex stuff and it was really hard to take that tape stuff off my wall, had to repaint the whole thing when I moved. I'm saving for the GIK stuff now.

[JimmySX]

He Ramon, it's an Argosy Dual 15K-803.
The trick with Auralex is to first foam it to triplex or mdf and then attach them to the walls with ordinary screws. This way you can take em off easy in case of moving to another place ie.

[Sigma]

foam is a costly waste..703/705 diy for absorbers..dig into your pocket for real traps

[pianodano]

Originally Posted by JimmySX

How can a question of how to put AURALEX to a wall, end up in giving the poster advise of buying something else!!!

For what it's worth, AURALEX treated my room very well. After measurement, only a little finetuning had to be done.

I agree with you. Thread was getting way off. Auralex worked great for me also. AND to reiterate, hot melt glue is what I used and it is esily removeable. Put a dab on each corner and a couple in the middle and stick it to the wall. Just hold it in place about 10 seconds while it cools.

[Sigma]

Originally Posted by JimmySX

How can a question of how to put AURALEX to a wall, end up in giving the poster advise of buying something else!!!

quite easily apparently

[Jack Pettit]

How can a question of how to put AURALEX to a wall, end up in giving the poster advise of buying something else!!!

Because I've had both types of room treatment and I think that the 703 do it yourself, or the Real Trap/ GIK treatment is superior.

I believe this because of my experience, I'm not trying to be a wiseguy.

[JimmySX]

Originally Posted by Sigma

quite easily apparently

Yes...the one and only right answer! You're on to the next round Sigma

[loujudson]

Originally Posted by JimmySX

Just foam the Auralex on thin mdf-board and screw those against the wall. I Did it myself and it works like a charm!!!

I inherited a bunch of leftover Auralex, and glues them to pegboard sheets which are easily available at the local ACE hardware store in the exact sizes as the foam. Just a little nail or two and hang them on the wall!

Lou

[chrisrulesmore]

Hey everyone,
Thanks for all the suggestions, both on installation and alternative products. For the sake of clarification, this is really my first step in treating my new room...not necessarily the end of the line. The Auralex kit I purchased includes 4 bass traps, 12 2x2 panels, 12 mini-fusors, and cornerfill foam...and was all of about $250! I would imagine that I will be adding a few of the GIK/Real Traps panels for additional bass trapping in the near future...

As far as foam installation is concerned, has no one tried velcro?

-Chris

[Glenn Kuras]

Originally Posted by chrisrulesmore

Hey everyone,
Thanks for all the suggestions, both on installation and alternative products. For the sake of clarification, this is really my first step in treating my new room...not necessarily the end of the line. The Auralex kit I purchased includes 4 bass traps, 12 2x2 panels, 12 mini-fusors, and cornerfill foam...and was all of about $250! I would imagine that I will be adding a few of the GIK/Real Traps panels for additional bass trapping in the near future...

As far as foam installation is concerned, has no one tried velcro?

-Chris

Velcro should work fine, but it may be hard to get off the wall in the future. It might be best to velco it to a sheet of wood then hang that on the wall.

Glenn

[mattafact]

We tried velcro and it kept falling off the walls. We even used the big industrial strength version. The auralex foam tack is the only thing that has worked for us.

[Isle of Weight]

hi fellows
I have a some what HI-Jack kinda question for you
I found some super cheap IIG mineral wool today I was very excited until
I read the bag it said that it has formaldehyde (sp?) in it and that it could cause cancer
is this just the normal precautionary info or should I beware of this product?

Glen? Ethan ? Anybody? many thanks.....

AA

[Spyrow]

use it for isolation. put it in your walls, then put 1 or 2 gypsum boards

[matt thomas]

I've used velcro, works fine

I used a very thick roll, it was about 100 mm accross (thats about 3.5 inches). One side I heat glued to the foam, the other side I stapled to the wall.

The downside is you think that your foam is going to be movable, but if you try to pull it off the wall you'll find that the velcro holds stronger than the glue, so you rip the velcro off the foam, if you follow what I mean.

I bought the velcro from a fabric wholesaler it was about $15 USD for 10 meters (of each side, so $30 all up)

I am about to move the foam to the ceiling, where I don't think velcro will work so well as the foam will sag. I'm thinking of glueing it to thin mdf

I got the foam free and have plenty of DIY panel bass trapping in there too..

narco

[Jonathan Starr]

3M Spray adhesive.

There are several grades, differing in adhesive strength. We use the Super Heavy Duty one, I forget the number, which is available at our local Home Depot.

Spray the wall, and spray the back of the Auralex. Wait a couple of minutes, and seat it in place.

After a while you figure out how much adhesive you need depending on the depth of the foam so that they don't fall down but you can remove them without much visible damage to the walls.

Wear a good mask and eye protection, and be creative.