CURTAIN ADVICE
Soundproofing secrets: what acoustic curtains can actually do
Understand the difference between reducing room reflections and stopping sound travelling to another room.
Originally published 2025-05-01 · Updated 19 October 2026
Two problems often share one name
A room may sound echoey while also letting outside noise in. Absorption addresses reflections within the room. Sound insulation addresses transmission through a separating construction. Improving one does not establish a measured improvement in the other.
Read the correct measurement
Published curtain absorption results describe the tested fabric assembly. SAC classification, αw and NRC are not decibel reductions through a wall. Frequency-band coefficients provide more detail, but still depend on the tested fullness, layers and spacing.
Find the path before treating it
For echo or flutter, identify reflective surfaces near the source and listener. For outside or adjacent-room noise, assess windows, doors, ventilation and other transmission paths. A curtain cannot be assumed to compensate for an unsealed door or a weak building partition.
Set an achievable brief
Use curtains where adjustable absorption or light control is useful. If the aim is recording beside a noisy room or protecting neighbours from music, ask for an acoustic assessment of the full enclosure before making an isolation promise.
Evidence & next steps
Use the original manufacturer specifications and test reports for the selected material. The testing section keeps results beside their installation conditions; the document library links to the source PDFs. These guides support specification and do not certify a particular room or installation.