A busy café gets loud fast. Hard floors, glass, concrete and plaster bounce every conversation, cup and grinder around the room, so customers talk louder to be heard and the noise keeps climbing. We supply and install acoustic panels across Melbourne metro that absorb that sound, so the room settles and people can talk across the table without raising their voices.
Request a free quote or call 0494 730 510.
Why your café is so loud
Most cafés are built from surfaces that reflect almost all the sound that hits them. Each voice and clatter keeps bouncing until the whole room is filled with a background roar. People then raise their voices to be heard over it, which makes it louder still. The result is a space that's tiring to work in, where staff mishear orders and customers don't linger.
What acoustic panels do, and what they don't
Acoustic panels absorb sound energy instead of reflecting it, which cuts the echo and the build-up of noise inside the room. They don't block sound passing through walls, so they won't stop noise from a neighbouring tenancy. That's a construction problem, not an acoustic treatment one.
Where the panels go
In most cafés the ceiling is the place to start. It's the largest uninterrupted surface, it's out of reach of chairs and prams, and it keeps your walls free for menus and artwork. Walls above head height, especially behind banquette seating, are the next most useful spot. Spreading panels across two surfaces generally works better than concentrating them on one.
As a starting point, cafés and restaurants usually need panels across 15–25% of the combined wall and ceiling area. We'll confirm the exact count and layout from your room's measurements.
The panel we use
- 1200 × 600 × 25mm, with a 100kg/m³ resin-bonded fibreglass core and a wrapped fabric face
- Tested at NRC 0.95 to ISO 354 by an independent accredited laboratory (report LCA-JC-2020-02337)
- Resin-hardened, bevelled edges that hold a crisp line in a grid
- Black or white: white blends into most ceilings, black suits dark or exposed ones
- Two-year warranty
The NRC figure was measured with an air cavity behind the panel. See the panel page for the full specifications and spec sheet.
How it works
- Send us a few photos of the space, its dimensions and ceiling height, and what the floor, walls and ceiling are made of.
- We come back with a panel count, a suggested layout and an itemised quote.
- We install the panels. Talk to us about timing around your trading hours.
Common questions
Can panels go on a high ceiling?
Yes. Panels can be fixed directly to the ceiling, or suspended with a hanging kit where the ceiling is high or exposed.
Will it look like an office ceiling?
No. The panels are fabric-wrapped with clean bevelled edges, and they're laid out to suit your room rather than covering the whole ceiling.
Do you cover my area?
We install across Melbourne metro. Outside Melbourne, we deliver panels Australia-wide for you or your builder to install.
Get your café sounding right
Request a free quote or call 0494 730 510. Fitting out an office instead? See acoustic panels for offices.