How To Hang Acoustic Foam: 3 Easy Methods

Installing high-quality acoustic foam panels is an easy and affordable sound dampening solution that anyone can do in one afternoon. 

In this guide, we’re going to talk about how to install acoustic foam panels in your own home.

If you’re setting up a recording studio, an entertainment room, or a soundproof workspace, then everything you need to know is right here. 

What Is Acoustic Foam For?

Acoustic foam panels help minimize echo and reverberation generated from inside a room.

Absorbing Sound

If your room has smooth walls, then reverberation might become a problem.

This refers to the numerous echoes that are created when sound continues to bounce around an enclosed space.

Acoustic panels can solve this issue by absorbing the sound waves and preventing them from bouncing around. 

Be aware: Acoustic foam will not soundproof your room, noise will still travel in and out just as easily.

How To Install Acoustic Foam Panels

Installing your panels is a lot easier than you might think.

With a little hard work and patience, you’ll have a perfectly audio-optimized room right in the comfort of your own home!

Here’s a short guide on how to do it:

Measure And Cut The Panels

Once you’ve chosen the walls where your acoustic foam panels will go, then your next step will be to measure the dimensions of that wall and make sure that your acoustic panels will fit evenly.

Your panels do not have to cover the entire wall to be effective, even having a few on your wall will help minimise echo, however the more comprehensively you cover your wall the better the results will be.

Lay your acoustic panels on the floor and measure the total dimensions that they can cover.

Cut them down to size with an electric carving knife (or any similar tool) to ensure that they will fit your wall properly. 

Hang Your Acoustic Panels:

Once your preparations are complete, all that’s left to do is to install the acoustic foam panels themselves.

There are three simple methods on how to hang an acoustic panel without damaging your walls:

1. Adhesive 

Using spray adhesive to hang acoustic panels is perhaps the easiest method on this list.

First, spray the back of your acoustic foam panel with the spray adhesive.

Stick it onto a sheet of cardboard and press it down to make sure it adheres properly.

Let it rest for 1-2 hours and then cut out the cardboard according to the shape of your panel.

This step will allow the command strips to properly stick to the panel and to prevent them from getting damaged.

Repeat this for all of the panels.

Finally, all that’s left is to apply your command strips onto the corners of your cardboard panel.

Remove the paper from the back of the command strips and carefully start lining your walls with your soundproof foam panels.

This method is best used when your acoustic panels are mostly made of foam and you want to prevent any damage to them.  

2. Impaling Clip

Using impaling clips to position your acoustic foam panels is the more traditional option to install them.

However, this will require that your chosen panels have a protective layer underneath the main insulation material.

Double-check your acoustic panels to make sure that this method is applicable before starting.

To do this, first use a pencil and mark on your walls where your acoustic panels are going to be positioned.

Get your impaling clips and screw them onto your wall about 4-inches from where the top of the panel is going to be.

You may need more than one clip, depending on the size of your panels.

Place some construction adhesive on both sides of the impaling clip and then firmly press your panel onto the wall to make sure that the impaling clip properly penetrates it.

This will hold the panel in place while the adhesive dries. 

3. Z-clip

Z-clips are a two-piece construction fastener that allows you to hang acoustic foam without damaging your walls.

Using this method also allows you to remove or rehang your acoustic panels whenever you want. 

To install your panels using z-clips, you will first need to mark on your wall where the panels are going to be hung.

Get the appropriate number of z-clips for your panel size and uniformly screw them onto your wall.

Find the corresponding mate z-clips and stick them onto your panels using construction adhesive.

Use the markings on your wall and the screwed-on z-clips as a guide to determine where you need to stick it on the panel.

Hang your panels once you’re done