Sound absorption – reduces echo in restaurant environments

Sound absorption – reduces echo in restaurant environments

In restaurant environments, sound absorption is a crucial factor in how the premises are perceived by both guests and staff. Conversations, the clatter of crockery, movement between tables, serving, and background music often interact in premises with hard surfaces and open floor plans. This leads to echoes, long reverberations, and a sound level that quickly becomes tiresome. Sound absorption is used to reduce these reflections and create a more balanced, pleasant, and functional sound environment in the restaurant.

What is sound absorption and how does it differ from other measures?

Sound absorption means that sound waves are captured by porous materials and converted into heat energy, which reduces echo and reverberation in the room. It differs from sound insulation, which is used to stop sound between different rooms or activities, and vibration damping, which reduces structure-borne noise from technical equipment. In restaurants, sound absorption is the primary measure for improving the sound environment where guests and staff spend time.

Common acoustic problems in restaurants

Restaurants are often characterized by high ceilings, large glass surfaces, concrete, tiles, and other hard materials that reflect sound effectively. When many guests are in the room at the same time, a self-reinforcing soundscape arises where voices are raised to drown out the background noise. The result is poorer speech intelligibility, increased stress levels, and an environment that can be perceived as stressful rather than inviting.

How sound-absorbing solutions work in restaurant environments

Sound-absorbing solutions are placed on strategic surfaces where sound reflections are greatest. By treating both vertical and horizontal surfaces, reverberation time can be effectively reduced and the soundscape becomes more controlled.

Sound absorption in ceilings
Ceiling absorbers are often the most effective basic measure in dining rooms and larger serving areas, where they dampen sound throughout the room.

Sound absorption on walls
Wall absorbers improve speech intelligibility in seating areas and reduce reflections at ear level.

Sound-absorbing curtains
Curtains dampen reflections from windows and glass partitions while contributing to a softer room experience.

Sound-absorbing room dividers
Room dividers are used to divide larger areas and create quieter zones without compromising acoustics.

When are additional measures needed?

In some restaurants, sound absorption may need to be supplemented with sound insulation or vibration damping. This applies, for example, when sound spreads between the kitchen and dining room or when technical equipment causes vibrations that propagate through the building's structure. Sound absorption, on the other hand, does not solve sound leakage between rooms, but focuses on the acoustics in the room itself.

Well-thought-out advice for best results

For the best effect, sound-absorbing measures should be adapted to the size of the room, ceiling height, and furnishings. A common mistake is to install too little absorbent surface or to treat only one surface. By combining ceilings, walls, curtains, and room dividers, you can create a long-term balanced sound environment that benefits both the guest experience and the working environment.