Felt Baffles
Vertical hanging baffles made from recycled PET felt. Big on sound absorption, light on weight.
What Are Felt Baffles?
Felt baffles are flat, rectangular panels that hang vertically from the ceiling structure. Made from compressed PET felt (recycled plastic bottles), they absorb sound on both faces as it passes through. They're the go-to solution when you have an open ceiling — exposed ductwork, structure, pipes — and can't install a traditional T-bar grid.
Open ceilings look great. They also sound terrible. All that hard surface area (metal deck, concrete, steel beams) reflects sound and creates echo. Felt baffles break up those reflections without hiding the exposed ceiling everyone wanted to see in the first place.
How They Work
Sound hits the baffle and enters the fibrous PET material. The sound energy gets converted to tiny amounts of heat through friction between the fibers. Because baffles hang vertically with both sides exposed, they absorb sound from all directions. A room full of baffles at regular spacing (typically 12"–24" on center) can cut reverberation time in half or more.
Commercial Applications
- Open-plan offices with exposed ceilings — The modern office look. Ductwork and structure stay visible, baffles handle the noise.
- Restaurants and breweries — High ceilings, hard surfaces, lots of talking. Baffles make dinner conversation possible.
- Gyms and fitness centers — Music, weights dropping, people yelling. Baffles take the edge off without getting in the way of overhead equipment.
- Retail — Open ceilings in retail stores with high noise levels from foot traffic and music.
- Schools and libraries — Cafeterias, multi-purpose rooms, and libraries with open ceilings.
Benefits
- Works with open ceilings: The whole point. You keep your exposed ceiling aesthetic and still get sound control.
- Lightweight: PET felt baffles weigh a fraction of fiberglass or mineral fiber alternatives. Less load on the structure, simpler hanging hardware.
- Color options: Available in 30+ colors. Match your brand, match the space, or go bold as a design feature.
- Sustainable: Made from 50-60% recycled plastic bottles. Recyclable at end of life.
- Easy to install: Hang from aircraft cable, threaded rod, or direct-attach clips. No grid system needed.
- Low maintenance: Compressed PET doesn't shed fibers, collect dust the way fiberglass does, or absorb moisture.
Installation
Baffles hang from the structure above using aircraft cable, threaded rod, or direct-mount clips. We run cables or rod from attachment points on the deck to mounting brackets on the top edge of each baffle. Spacing depends on the acoustic goal — tighter spacing means more absorption.
Standard layout is parallel rows running the length of the space. But we also do alternating patterns, staggered heights, and custom configurations when the design calls for it.
Most baffle installs go fast. A 3,000 sq ft restaurant ceiling might take our crew 1-2 days. The time is in the cable drops — once those are set, the baffles clip in quickly.
Specs
- Material: Compressed PET felt (50-60% recycled content)
- Thickness: 12mm, 24mm, or 48mm
- Standard sizes: 12"×48", 12"×96", 24"×48", 24"×96" (custom sizes available)
- NRC: 0.70 (12mm) to 1.15 (48mm, both sides exposed)
- Weight: 0.5–2.0 lbs per baffle depending on size and thickness
- Fire rating: ASTM E84 Class A
- Colors: 30+ standard colors
Manufacturers
Our sister company Zumin Acoustics manufactures PET felt baffles right here in Sacramento. We also install felt baffles from FilzFelt, Baux, and other specialty producers. Having in-house manufacturing through Zumin means we can do custom colors, sizes, and shapes without long lead times.
Get a Quote
Open ceiling giving you an echo problem? We'll measure the space, calculate the right baffle quantity and spacing, and give you a price. Contact us for a free estimate.