Do It Yourself Studio: Acoustic Panels under $40 Each

A couple weeks ago we found a great video on building your own diffusers, this sparked conversation and a lot of folks wanted to see if there was a cheap and easy way to make your own acoustic panels.  We found a great tutorial on Home Music Productions’  youtube channel.  There are Many ways to make them, but this video gives you a great example to start with when building your own Acoustic Panels.

When you take a panel apart it’s actually pretty straight forward. Wood frame, Insulation of some type and a covering.  What is great about doing it yourself is that you can tailor it to fit your space.  You can even customize the look.

You can spend as much or as little as you like.  There are a couple things you do what to take away from this video:

1. Use an insulation that won’t break down over time.  Regular pink fiber glass may sag and is also difficult to work with.

2. Put padding on the back where the Frame meets the wall.  This is to prevent buzzing and to properly line the wall and the treatment.

When it comes to the final product you will want something light and strong.  Here’s our tips!

Shopping List:

Insulation: Rigid Fiberglass works the best.  You might have to special order it from a home improvement store, so be aware that it’s probably better to buy 4-8 in bulk.  This should be the most expensive element to your project.  Some people have used the styrofoam boards for a cheaper alternative or even layered cardboard.

Wood: Furring strips. 1×3 this is perfect because it is light and sturdy enough to support the tension on the fabric.

Covering:  You can get fabric at a craft store on sale for very cheap, keep an eye out for sales and coupons in the paper.

You will also need: Screws, Staples, Glue and Picture Hanging Material.  you can buy that in a kit or individual elements.  You will want to hang your treatments, not mount (unless you never plan on moving anything).  It’s also great because your space becomes flexible, you can move them depending on what instruments are set up where.

The building shape and size is up to you, There are many tutorials out there on how to put them together including this one.

Building your own studio materials from scratch can save you a lot of money.  A 2×4 panel can cost you around $100 for one.  You can make a set of 8 for around $200.

Placement is often a concern.  We will cover this next week, but for now start building!

Do you have a DIY project you need help on or would like to share your own?  Comment below!