Acoustic Materials Database

Absorption coefficients, NRC values, and RT60 impact for 48 acoustic materials across 22 categories. Click any material for full octave band data.

Baffles & Clouds(2 materials)

Material	NRC	αw	125Hz	500Hz	2kHz	Applications
Suspended Acoustic Baffle	0.90	0.85	0.30	0.95	1.00	Ceiling (suspended)
Acoustic Cloud Panel	0.85	0.80	0.25	0.85	0.95	Ceiling (suspended)

Barriers(1 material)

Material	NRC	αw	125Hz	500Hz	2kHz	Applications
Mass Loaded Vinyl (MLV)	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.03	0.03	Wall (within assembly), Ceiling (within assembly)

Bass Traps(1 material)

Material	NRC	αw	125Hz	500Hz	2kHz	Applications
Corner Bass Trap	0.70	0.65	0.50	0.75	0.75	Wall (corner), Ceiling (corner)

Ceiling Tiles(3 materials)

Material	NRC	αw	125Hz	500Hz	2kHz	Applications
Mineral Wool Ceiling Tile	0.85	0.80	0.25	0.90	0.90	Ceiling, Wall
Fibreglass Ceiling Tile	0.90	0.85	0.30	0.95	0.90	Ceiling
Metal Lay-In Ceiling Tile	0.60	0.55	0.20	0.60	0.70	Ceiling

Diffusers(1 material)

Material	NRC	αw	125Hz	500Hz	2kHz	Applications
QRD Diffuser Panel	0.15	0.10	0.10	0.20	0.10	Wall, Ceiling

Doors & Partitions(2 materials)

Material	NRC	αw	125Hz	500Hz	2kHz	Applications
Rated Acoustic Door	0.10	0.10	0.15	0.08	0.06	Wall (door opening)
Movable Acoustic Partition	0.15	0.10	0.10	0.15	0.15	Room divider

Flooring(5 materials)

Material	NRC	αw	125Hz	500Hz	2kHz	Applications
Commercial Loop Pile Carpet	0.30	0.25	0.05	0.20	0.50	Floor
Hardwood Timber Floor	0.10	0.10	0.15	0.10	0.06	Floor
Rubber Resilient Underlay	0.15	0.10	0.04	0.12	0.22	Floor (underlay)
Vinyl Sheet / LVT Flooring	0.05	0.05	0.02	0.03	0.04	Floor
Acoustic Foam Underlay	0.20	0.15	0.05	0.15	0.30	Floor (underlay)

Foam & Soft(1 material)

Material	NRC	αw	125Hz	500Hz	2kHz	Applications
Acoustic Foam Panel	0.65	0.55	0.08	0.55	0.90	Wall, Ceiling

Furnishings(1 material)

Material	NRC	αw	125Hz	500Hz	2kHz	Applications
Heavy Upholstered Seating	0.55	0.50	0.15	0.50	0.70	Movable

Furniture & Screens(1 material)

Material	NRC	αw	125Hz	500Hz	2kHz	Applications
Fabric Acoustic Screen / Divider	0.50	0.45	0.10	0.45	0.65	Freestanding

Glazing(2 materials)

Material	NRC	αw	125Hz	500Hz	2kHz	Applications
Single Float Glass	0.10	0.10	0.18	0.04	0.02	Wall (window)
Double Glazed Unit (IGU)	0.10	0.10	0.15	0.04	0.02	Wall (window)

Hard Surfaces(6 materials)

Material	NRC	αw	125Hz	500Hz	2kHz	Applications
Bare Concrete	0.05	0.05	0.01	0.02	0.05	Floor, Ceiling, Wall
Plasterboard (Gypsum Board)	0.10	0.10	0.15	0.06	0.04	Wall, Ceiling
Exposed Metal Deck Soffit	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.03	0.02	Ceiling (structural)
Exposed Brick	0.05	0.05	0.02	0.03	0.05	Wall
Ceramic Floor/Wall Tile	0.05	0.05	0.01	0.02	0.02	Floor, Wall
Painted Concrete Block	0.05	0.05	0.10	0.05	0.04	Wall

Insulation(2 materials)

Material	NRC	αw	125Hz	500Hz	2kHz	Applications
Glass Wool Insulation	0.90	0.85	0.20	0.85	1.00	Ceiling void, Wall cavity, Baffle
Rockwool / Stone Wool Slab	0.95	0.90	0.25	0.95	1.00	Wall cavity, Ceiling void, Free-standing absorber

Membranes(1 material)

Material	NRC	αw	125Hz	500Hz	2kHz	Applications
Stretched Fabric Membrane Ceiling	0.70	0.65	0.10	0.70	0.85	Ceiling

Metal Panels(3 materials)

Material	NRC	αw	125Hz	500Hz	2kHz	Applications
Perforated Metal Panel	0.75	0.70	0.40	0.80	0.75	Ceiling, Wall
Micro-Perforated Panel (MPP)	0.60	0.55	0.15	0.65	0.65	Ceiling, Wall
Open Cell Aluminium Ceiling	0.50	0.45	0.15	0.50	0.60	Ceiling

Natural Materials(3 materials)

Material	NRC	αw	125Hz	500Hz	2kHz	Applications
Cork Wall Panel	0.20	0.15	0.05	0.15	0.30	Wall
Living Green Wall	0.40	0.35	0.10	0.35	0.55	Wall
Wool Felt Acoustic Panel	0.55	0.50	0.08	0.45	0.80	Wall, Ceiling

Plaster & Spray(2 materials)

Material	NRC	αw	125Hz	500Hz	2kHz	Applications
Acoustic Plaster System	0.70	0.65	0.15	0.70	0.80	Ceiling, Wall
Spray-Applied Cellulose	0.80	0.75	0.20	0.80	0.90	Ceiling, Wall

Resonators(2 materials)

Material	NRC	αw	125Hz	500Hz	2kHz	Applications
Helmholtz Resonator Panel	0.45	0.40	0.60	0.35	0.20	Wall, Ceiling
Membrane Absorber (Panel Absorber)	0.30	0.25	0.45	0.25	0.15	Wall, Ceiling

Soft Furnishings(1 material)

Material	NRC	αw	125Hz	500Hz	2kHz	Applications
Heavy Acoustic Curtain	0.55	0.50	0.05	0.40	0.80	Wall (window), Room divider

Structural(1 material)

Material	NRC	αw	125Hz	500Hz	2kHz	Applications
Resilient Channel (RC-1)	0.10	0.10	0.20	0.08	0.04	Wall (behind plasterboard), Ceiling (behind plasterboard)

Timber Panels(3 materials)

Material	NRC	αw	125Hz	500Hz	2kHz	Applications
Timber Slat Acoustic Panel	0.55	0.50	0.25	0.55	0.60	Wall, Ceiling
Perforated Timber Panel	0.65	0.60	0.30	0.65	0.70	Wall, Ceiling
Plywood Panel	0.15	0.10	0.25	0.10	0.08	Wall, Ceiling

Wall Panels(4 materials)

Material	NRC	αw	125Hz	500Hz	2kHz	Applications
Fabric-Wrapped Acoustic Panel	0.85	0.80	0.15	0.85	1.00	Wall, Ceiling
Polyester (PET) Acoustic Panel	0.65	0.55	0.10	0.60	0.85	Wall, Ceiling
Acoustic Stretch Wall System	0.80	0.75	0.15	0.80	0.95	Wall
Acoustic Laminate Wall Panel	0.55	0.50	0.15	0.50	0.70	Wall

Frequently Asked Questions

What is NRC (Noise Reduction Coefficient)?

NRC is the arithmetic average of sound absorption coefficients at 250, 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz, rounded to the nearest 0.05. An NRC of 0.00 means the material reflects all sound; 1.00 means it absorbs all sound at those frequencies. Per ASTM C423.

What is a good NRC for acoustic treatment?

Dedicated acoustic panels typically have NRC 0.65–0.95. Ceiling tiles rated NRC 0.85+ are considered high-performance. For context, bare concrete has NRC 0.05 and carpet is approximately NRC 0.30.

How do I choose the right acoustic material?

Start with the frequency range you need to treat. Low-frequency problems (125–250Hz) require thick, dense absorbers or resonators. Mid-high frequency issues (500–4000Hz) can be solved with thinner panels, foam, or ceiling tiles. Consider fire rating, aesthetics, and budget.

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