Any acoustics people out there...m

[Gupsmom]

At church, one of the rooms used for youth group is an acoustic nightmare. The room's walls and ceiling are concrete blocks (giant brick-like) with 2 large windows. There is a thin rug over half the floor and tile on the other half. 2 children playing at a normal volume sound like a classroom of 25 kids going nuts!!

Can anyone suggest any home-made solutions? There is basically No budget money for this so I can't suggest anything elaborate.

Thanks...
Jess

 

[Dan Murphy]

Not sure of the cost, but how about the thin rigid insulation sheets (like wallboard) from a place like Home Depot? Can be cut easily to any size. Not free, but maybe low cost. Maybe even donated from a HD as charitable donation.

 

[gallaj0]

Also, see if anyone in the church has some fabric they are willing to donate; wrap it around one side of those insulation sheets, (or even some thick cardboard) and just center them on the walls, or even the ceiling. The fabric will absorb some sound, and the cardboard or insulation will give it some depth.
It may also be coming off the large windows, see if anyone has some old curtains or blinds they would donate.

 

[Micca]

Fatcow is a professional. Any ideas?

 

[Towncrier]

We hung leftover ceiling tiles on the walls of our brand new $1.8 million sanctuary. It seemed to help a little bit with the echo. I think we need a few hundred more to solve the problem.

The gymnasium at my daughter's school has fabric covered panels hung on the wall that seem to do a decent job of absorbing echos. Hanging drapes along the walls (as suggested in an earlier reply) is also a good idea.