NOISE CONTROL SOLUTIONS FOR SCHOOLS
PINTA ACOUSTIC PRODUCTS CONTROL NOISE AT ST. JOHN'S LUTHERAN SCHOOL
Large multi-purpose rooms like gymnasiums are
plagued by excessive reverberation because sound
bounces off of the high ceilings, floor, and other
hard surfaces. Improving acoustics in gyms
eliminates unwanted echoes and distortions,
improving communication and enjoyment during games,
classes and assemblies.
pinta's SONEX® Baffles and SONEX® Panels do an excellent job of solving the acoustical problems associated with gyms and multi-purpose rooms. Made from Class 1-rated willtec® foam, pinta's proprietary product, SONEX Baffles and Panels are fiber-free and meet ASTM E-84 requirements for flame spread and smoke density, as well as the aggressive new UL 1715 room fire exposure test. A high tolerance for moisture enables willtec foam to resist humidity without swelling or warping, and shrinking from dry conditions.
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MINNEAPOLIS—St. John’s Lutheran School in Corcoran,
Minn., is a little less noisy since the school
installed acoustical products from pinta acoustic in
its gymnasium and multipurpose fellowship hall,
which doubles as a lunchroom for the 200 students in
the prekindergarten to eighth-grade school.
The gymnasium is part of an addition completed in 2008. The multipurpose fellowship hall was built in 1984. |
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St. John’s installed SONEX® Valueline panels in natural grey 48-inch by 96-inch panels on walls in the gymnasium. The school also installed 24-inch by 24-inch panels in natural grey and white in a checkerboard pattern on the ceiling of the fellowship hall.
"Our new gymnasium is quieter now," says Gary Volberding, principal, St. John's Lutheran School, which is accredited by the National Lutheran School Association. "It has a high ceiling, and we anticipated it would have acoustical problems. We built the addition as a shell, and finished areas as we received donations from our congregation and school."
"We also retrofitted our fellowship hall/school lunchroom with pinta's SONEX Valueline Panels. That area had a hard ceiling and walls and was always very noisy. The acoustical products have resulted in a significant improvement in sound quality, which makes assemblies, concerts and certainly lunchtime more enjoyable. The fellowship hall also allows for intelligible Bible classes and gatherings."
SONEX Valueline Panels provide excellent acoustical control across all frequencies, with a Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) ranging from 0.75 to 1.05. The panels are especially effective at absorbing excess sound at middle frequencies where communication can be obscured by reverberation. The panels feature a subtle surface pattern and are available in natural, painted and Hypalon®-coated options. Panels are available in a 24-inch x 48-inch size in 1-1/2-inch, 1-7/8-inch and 2-1/2-inch thicknesses, and in custom sizes. Panels are easily mounted to any ceiling or wall surface with pinta’s acouSTIC adhesive.
Installation of the panels at St. John’s Lutheran was completed by a handful of volunteers. "We allotted three days to install in the gym, and we got done in one day," says Dan Koehler, a member of St. John's Lutheran Building Committee. "We beveled the edges of the panels for the fellowship hall and completed that installation in an afternoon. It was easy because we used pinta’s adhesive and didn't require mechanical fastening."
Another important consideration for St. John’s Lutheran, according to Koehler, was the fire resistance of SONEX Valueline Panels. They are made from willtec® foam, which is Class 1 fire rated for flame spread and smoke density. willtec natural also meets the corner burn test UL 1715, and all willtec finishes meet ASTM E 84.
To speak with a Memtech Acoustical consultant about SONEX® Valueline Panels and willtec® foam contact Memtech Acoustical
