What usually goes wrong
- Alarms and corridor noise disturb sleep.
- Conversations are not private.
- Hard, cleanable surfaces make every space ring.
The main noise sources are equipment, alarms, staff and visitors. Sound bounces off hard walls, floors and ceilings, so it lingers and builds up. Absorbing panels soak up those reflections.
Where the panels go
- Wipeable panels on the wall opposite the bed.
- Cleanable ceiling tiles in corridors and nurse stations.
- Panels in waiting areas.
Mistakes to avoid
- Using standard fabric that cannot be disinfected.
- Panels near hand-wash sinks.
Fire rating and codes
Institutional occupancy: Class A finishes; infection control usually requires surfaces that tolerate hospital-grade disinfectants.
Blocking sound between rooms
Panels make a room sound better, but they don’t stop sound passing through a wall. For that you need a wall assembly rated around STC 45, FGI guidelines recommend about STC 45 between patient rooms for speech privacy. Read about STC ratings and soundproofing.
Recommended
Panels that suit patient rooms
Learning center
14 guides for patient rooms
Acoustic panels for patient rooms: the complete guideWhat makes patient rooms noisy, which panels fix it, and how to plan treatment from start to finish.How many acoustic panels does a hospital and patient rooms need?A worked Sabine calculation for a typical patient room, with panel counts for small, typical and large rooms.Where to put acoustic panels in a hospital and patient roomsWhere panels do the most good in patient rooms, in priority order.Wall acoustics for patient roomsHow walls behave acoustically in patient rooms and how to treat them with panels.Ceiling acoustics for patient roomsClouds, baffles and ceiling tiles for patient rooms, and how much of the ceiling to cover.Choosing panel thickness for a hospital and patient rooms1, 2 or 4 inches: which thickness suits patient rooms and why.Reverberation time targets for patient roomsThe reverberation time to aim for in patient rooms, and why it matters.What acoustic treatment costs for a hospital and patient roomsBudget estimates for treating a typical patient room, and where the money goes.Fabrics, colors and shapes for patient roomsFabric types, colors and shapes that work in patient rooms.Fire ratings and code requirements for panels in patient roomsFire ratings, occupancy rules and mounting requirements for panels in patient rooms.Installing acoustic panels in a hospital and patient roomsTools, hardware and step-by-step installation for panels in patient rooms.Common acoustic mistakes in patient roomsThe errors we see most often in patient rooms, and how to avoid them.Soundproofing and STC ratings for patient roomsWhen patient rooms need soundproofing, which STC rating to aim for, and how to get there.Hospital and patient rooms acoustics checklist and FAQA one-page checklist and answers to common questions about patient room acoustics.