Fabric-wrapped Acoustical Wall Panels

Fabric-wrapped acoustical panels may be designed as clouds, baffles, or wall panels. Wall panels commonly contain a 6-7 lb/ft³ fiberglass core, which may be specified as NAF (no-added formaldehyde). For tackable panels, denser mineral fiber boards may be specified. A variety of commercially available fabrics may be used including polyethylene/polypropylene blends, recycled or virgin polyester, and sheep’s wool. Alternatively the panels may be wrapped in PVC for moisture protection. The edges of fiberglass wall panels are commonly chemically hardened with resin for durability. Panels are commonly 1-inch or 2-inches thick, but can range in thickness from 0.5-inches to 4-inches. This Common Product describes a 1-inch thick 4 ft. by 10 ft. fiberglass acoustical wall panel with epoxy hardened edges, wrapped in a recycled polyester fabric. The fabric covers the face and edges of the panel, and is adhered to the edges and back of the panel with an adhesive. There is very little transparency available on the adhesives used to adhere the fabric to the panels. Adhesives commonly used on textiles include water-based dispersions, solvent-based adhesives, thermoplastic hot melts, and reactive hot melts. This Common Product includes a simple polyvinyl alcohol adhesive. Other types of adhesives used to adhere fabric to the panels can introduce additional hazards not considered here. Multiple methods are used to attach panels to a wall. These include using impaling clips and an adhesive applied to the back of the panel. Panel backings may also have resin-hardened spots and be hung with Z-clips or snap anchors. These adhesives, resins, and accessories were beyond the scope of this research and will introduce additional hazards not considered by this Common Product. 

Building codes require commercially manufactured panel fabrics to meet the unadhered method of ASTM E84, Standard Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials. While some fabrics have additive flame retardants, fabrics are available without them. One such material is flame retardant polyester (FR polyester) that incorporates a reactive flame retardant--an organophosphorus comonomer--into its polymer chain to give it flame retardant properties. Fabrics may also contain stain-repellent and/or antimicrobial treatments. Stain-repellent treatments can contain per- or polyfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFAS). Fabric treatments were beyond the scope of this Common Product, and could introduce other hazards. While such treatments are readily available, commercial fabrics are available free of added  PFAS and antimicrobials.