How to change the colour of acoustic panelling?

[Lee Cardan]

Hello

I'd like to change the look of my (soon to be) studio. The rooms are well treated, but I personally find the look a little dated (Sorry JONO!).

This would involve staining some wood panelling a darker, and changing the colour of the walls and ceilings, which are cloth (covering bass trapping).

Hard surfaces are not an issue, but how would I go about changing the colour of the cloth? Ideally, is there some kind of paint (like a fine mist spray paint perhaps?) that I could use to change the colours, or would it come down to finding new cloth and recovering the surfaces? (BIG job)

here's an picture of one of the current rooms

[Ethan Winer]

Paint over acoustic panels is not good, but dye and watercolor "paint" are okay. Or just buy new fabric and add it on top of what's already there.

--Ethan

[Wiz_Oz]

During my research for my new acoustic treatment...I spoke to one of the suppliers of foam here in Oz...and they can get the foam panels in any colour you like.

They treat the foam, with a process called "flocking". They apply the ?paint? to the foam.....it was REALLY expensive...but I am assuming , it could be done to existing fabric...

But, I am guessing , it would be cheaper and easier to replace the fabric.

But, at least thats some info, flocking ....

cheers and good luck

Wiz

[Lee Cardan]

Well!
Actually the few acoustic fabric prices I've seen are pretty damn high. Something lke US$550 for 14 x 14 meters. Surely I could find something equivalently as good elsewhere..

Ethan, can you see any way I could apply a dye do the fabric on the walls as they stand? Would something like a dilute solution in a spray bottle followed by a mild hair dryer possibly work? Or perhaps dilute the dye in a non-flammable solution which could evaporate off (not that any come to mind..) ?

[Glenn Kuras]

Actually the few acoustic fabric prices I've seen are pretty damn high. Something lke US$550 for 14 x 14 meters. Surely I could find something equivalently as good elsewhere..

Check around to see if you can find Guilford Of Maine. The stuff is a bit pricey but will work very well for you.

[Ethan Winer]

Originally Posted by Lee Cardan

Ethan, can you see any way I could apply a dye do the fabric on the walls as they stand? Would something like a dilute solution in a spray bottle followed by a mild hair dryer possibly work?

I have no idea. I'm more a theoretical kinda guy.

But I always suggest to experiment on the back side of a panel.

--Ethan

[spm_gl]

You'd have to find out exactly which fabric was used, and how it has been treated. If it is treated with flame ******ant, spraying it with water will probably not work, and wouldn't be permissible either. In any case, the easiest would be to paint it with watercolour. But I'm not sure that will turn out the way you want it.
Can't you find a way to make the colour work for you? Maybe add a coloured frame or something. I personally find re-dyeing the fabric too much of an effort.

[AwwDeOhh]

1) Cut a sponge into a circle shape
2) soak it in bleach
3) blot on walls & make polka-dots!

[VoiceManMike]

It looks great, leave it alone.

I love how everyone has to run in and redecorate, and then complains about how much
it's going to cost. Of course if it were a shit hole, that would be a different story- but it's not.

"Fill that space!!""

[Glenn Kuras]

I have to kind of agree. It is not like your place does not look nice now.

[VoiceManMike]

And any on-the-cheap attempt you make will end up looking cheap.

Do it right or don't do it at all.

Of course a little fresh paint on walls and trim never hurt anyone.

[andrebrito]

Fabric covering absorption panels and maybe placing some diffusers in that tracking room that can be easily painted in any colours you like

[chrisrnps]

I think it looks great as-is and not dated at all. There's nothing too gimmicky or dated in there that makes it easy to tell when it was built. Ironically, trying too hard to make something look "current" will make it look the most dated of all a few years down the road.

If you want inexpensive and easy without making the place look "cheap", just add some creative-but-subtle colored lighting (know any theater / live lighting designers?) and a couple carefully chosen accent pieces (plants, art, whatever), and leave the fabric and wood as-is.

[tysonviolin]

That studio looks sooo familiar. South End, Boston?

[Wow]

Originally Posted by tysonviolin

That studio looks sooo familiar. South End, Boston?

My neck o' the woods

[KyleDiSanto]

lots of great suggestions for "re-finishing" the panels.

I'd be interested what a Dye and Wagner Paint sprayer would do for you...but something tells me its going to be more of a mess than a good thing.

As for the wood paneling...if its the kind that comes in sheets with that sorta thick clear coat enamel on it. You are going to have to get an Etcher and clean the shit out of it to eat away at that coating...or its never going to stain properly...same goes with painting.

Now if its just wood paneling (like more of strip based type - hard to see from your pics), I'd still etch it but you wouldn't have to go as crazy

[mobilemozart]

are you serious? keep it as it is! looks classic!

Originally Posted by Lee Cardan

Hello

I'd like to change the look of my (soon to be) studio. The rooms are well treated, but I personally find the look a little dated (Sorry JONO!).

This would involve staining some wood panelling a darker, and changing the colour of the walls and ceilings, which are cloth (covering bass trapping).

Hard surfaces are not an issue, but how would I go about changing the colour of the cloth? Ideally, is there some kind of paint (like a fine mist spray paint perhaps?) that I could use to change the colours, or would it come down to finding new cloth and recovering the surfaces? (BIG job)

here's an picture of one of the current rooms

[Lee Cardan]

Thanks for the comments everyone

Upon closer inspection, it'll be a seriously large job to make any major changes.. I'm thinking the first thing i'll do is simply give the walls a good clean and work with the lighting - I think this is where I can make some appearance changes without doing too much. Some little touch up painting and maybe darkening of that wood will do for the moment

The studio is in Melbourne, Australia!

[hirocaster]

Yes, play with lights, huge difference imo.

[AwwDeOhh]

I agree.
It's a pretty sharp room as it stands. Get some good 'mood' lighting going, and don't look back!