FABRICWALL

The thickness of the track used will decide the extent to which sound is absorbed by the FabricWall. There are three different thicknesses of track; 12mm, 25mm and 50mm – the thicker the track the more sound the FabricWall will absorb, with our 50mm track affording Class A sound absorption. There are two main types of track: perimeter profile and centre profile.  Perimeter Profile forms the edge of the panel and is usually wrapped in the face fabric. Centre profiles are the vertical or horizontal sections where individual sheets of fabric meet, forming a pencil join – this enables FabricWall to span large distances. There are square, bevel and radius profiles available for different perimeter and intersections detail.

• 12.5mm, 25mm & 50mm track depths. The deeper the track the better the absorption.
• Square, bevel and radius track profiles are available.
• Curved and shapes can be formed to follow line even the most complex situations.

Creating a comfortable acoustic environment is often overlooked when designing interiors. In modern buildings there are an increasing number of hard surfaces which cause sound to bounce or reverberate around a room.  The result of this is increased sound propagation and excess noise levels. Our 50mm thick PrintWall system uses a class ‘A’ sound absorbing acoustic core to absorb sound waves, meaning that our installations can absorb over 90% of sound that hits them. The result of this is a significant reduction in reverberation times (RT) and the creation of a comfortable acoustic environment. The outcome of this is that users will become less fatigued, will be able to concentrate for longer and speaker phones and video conferencing equipment will function properly.

Below is a table showing the results of the acoustic testing data with noise reduction coefficient (NRC) for both the 25mm & 50mm depth PrintWall systems using a standard breathable fabric and glass-fibre sound absorbing core. The 50mm thick PrintWall system achieves absorption Class A, the very highest rating in sound absorption in accordance with the international standard EN ISO 11654. The 25mm thick system PrintWall achieves an excellent class B with an NRC of 0.8.

Fabric wall installations such as PrintWall will lower room reverberation times (RT) which will improve speech intelligibility. Where this type of optimised acoustic environment can be achieved it has been proved through a number of studies that there is a great benefit to general health and well-being.

Glossary of terms used above: –

• Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC):The NRC is a single-number index determined in a lab test and used for rating how absorptive a particular material is. This industry standard ranges from zero (perfectly reflective) to 1* (perfectly absorptive). It is simply the average of the mid-frequency sound absorption coefficients (250, 500, 1000 and 2000 Hertz) rounded to the nearest 5%.

• Reverberation Time (RT60): The time required, in seconds, for the average sound in a room to decrease by 60 dB after the source stops emitting sound. Reverberation Time is affected by the size of the space and the amount of reflective or absorptive surfaces within that space. Highly sound absorbent surfaces will prevent it from reflecting back into the space, providing shorter reverberation times. Reflective surfaces will reflect the sound and increase the reverberation time within the space. Larger spaces generally have longer reverberation times than smaller spaces and require more sound absorbent materials to achieve the same reverberation time as a smaller space.

• Speech Intelligibility. The clarity of speech in a room is dependent on the level of background noise, reverberation time and room shape. Speech intelligibility is typically measured in rooms using the Rapid Speech Transmission Index (RASTI). A transmitter broadcasts a modulated noise signal from a loudspeaker, and a microphone receiver measures the clarity of the noise at the receiver position and gives a read-out of the RASTI value.

• Sound Absorption Class A-E: Weighted sound absorption coefficient α_w values are compared to a series of fixed reference curves, providing a general indication of the sound absorption capability of the material. Absorption Classes A-E are described in international standard EN ISO 11654. 

FabricWall is site-fabricated by our specialist installers who have a wealth of experience and techniques to ensure the very highest standard of finish. We have provided the best training for our technicians and  invested in the highest quality installation tools and blades. Special care is taken to ensure that the fabric weave is kept straight and consistent. The FabricWall installation is carried out in number of stages, a broad summary of which is detailed below:

• Wall dimensions are accurately measured before cutting of perimeter and mid-rail track.
• Wall area is marked with vertical and horizontal joint locations.
• Track us accurately cut and mitred at intersecting locations.
• Perimeter track is pre-wrapped in the chosen fabric if required.
• Perimeter and mid-rail track is securely fixed to wall using compressor powered staple gun.
• Sound absorbing core material is cut to size and installed tightly inside track extrusions.
• Fabric is cut 100mm to 150mm wider and longer than track centres.
• Fabric is tacked into the centre of the top and then bottom tracks.
• Fabric is tucked into the track outwardly from the centre of the top and bottom track.
• Same fabric tucking method applies to the vertical tracks.
• When all sides are tucked in, scissors are used to trim excess fabric to 10mm.
• The final 10mm of fabric is then tucked into the track.

FabricWall is not constrained to size (size is defined by the fabric). Our installations do not require exact site measuring which eliminates delays waiting for prefabricated acoustic panel products, so installation can begin as soon as the site is ready and the fabric is available.