I am trying to find ways to reduce the echo of machine noises in my new shop. I decided on a ceiling tile that will absorb 60% of the sound that hits it. (The tiles are also mostly white, so they will help reflect needed light as well.) Do you have any suggestions for the walls? Many sound absorbers also collect dust easily! But I would like as much sound as possible to be absorbed so that the ear protection I wear will have less work to do.
Michael Dresdner: One trick is to use sound absorbing materials on the walls, then cover them with a thin sheet of white cloth to catch the dust. The cloth can either be vacuumed periodically, or taken down and washed before being put back up. Also, don’t forget the sound amplified by the floor. Mounting your power tools on sound absorbing rubber or polymer pads goes a long way toward reducing vibration noise. Many companies sell special pads made specifically for this purpose, and they really do work well to reduce both the vibration of the machine itself, and the corresponding noise that it makes.
