Commercial Acoustics was contracted to install acoustic wall panels at The Mary Sue Rich Community Center. The 41,750 square-foot, two-story center, which is located at 1812 NW 21st Avenue in Ocala, serves as a hub for the community, and required acoustic treatment, per the architect’s design.
The facility includes designated indoor space for senior, youth, and family programs, a public library, a 400-seat banquet and event space that can be divided into three rooms, fitness equipment, an indoor walking track, two full basketball courts, multi-purpose studio rooms, and more.
Community Center Acoustic Treatment
Gymnasiums and community centers are often constructed and finished with metal walls, ceilings, and wood floors. When this is the case, any activities such as sports or community gatherings can get uncomfortably loud due to excess echo. For this reason, this specific community center was designed to include acoustic wall panels.
For this community center project, the architect specified custom painted Tectum Direct Attach Wall Panels. Tectum panels are made from cementitious wood fiber, and although cementitious wood fiber panels do not have as high of an NRC as traditional fiberglass acoustic wall panels, they’re much more durable.
While fabric wrapped fiberglass acoustic panels can have an impact resistant facing to avoid dents, Tectum panels are resistant to impact and scratching. Plus it’s harder to clean or repair the fabric covering without needing to fully replace it. For these custom colored panels, if some paint chips off, a maintenance manager for the community center can simply fix it using touch up paint provided with the panels. Another reason a community center may prefer Tectum panels or something similar is for budgetary reasons. Wood fiber panels are typically more affordable than their fabric wrapped fiberglass counterparts.
Community Center Acoustic Treatment Process & Benefits
The architect selected custom colors and created a layout for our team to follow throughout the space. Our team was able to notch panels around angle irons and other obstructions otherwise in the way. The Tectum panels were direct mounted to the metal walls, also known as Type A mounting, resulting in an NRC of 0.40. With this amount of coverage, the panels will help to significantly reduce reverb time and improve the acoustics in this community center.
In order to increase the NRC of Tectum Panels, they can be mounted on wood furring for a 1″ air-gap (NRC 0.45), with 1″ fiberglass in the cavity (NRC 0.80) or with 2″ fiberglass in the cavity (NRC 0.85).
If your community center or gymnasium requires acoustic treatment, contact the Commercial Acoustics team for guidance. Our team of experts can let you know which product is right for you, and provide installation.
