
Primacoustic offers both urethane foam based panels and fiberglass based panels. As a general rule, foam products such as the Primafoam series are intended for use in home studios while fiberglass based products such as the Broadway series are designed for professional and commercial installations. These are comparators that you should consider before deciding which product is better for you:
Primafoam Urethane Broadway fiberglass
Density of material and
acoustic performance 1.7 pounds per cubic foot - Low cost urethane foam producers typically employ 1.3lb/cu/ft foam. Lower density material means that you need more installed to do the same work.
6 pounds per cubic foot - Higher density material results in more absorption per panel installed. This is why broadcast facilities and professional recording studios employ fiberglass…. It does a better job
Ease of installation and relocating panels Urethane foam is typically installed using adhesive. This is relatively easy. Spread glue on the back of the panel, mount on the wall and use pins or small nails to hold the panel in place during curing. Down side is that the wall surface will be damaged and require significant refurbishing when the panels are removed. To avoid the mess, add backing panels to the foam which then can be fixed in place using finishing nails. Broadway panels are mounted using impalers. These metal retainers are screwed onto the drywall surface using Easy Anchors. The panel is then suspended and held in place with impaling barbs. For more permanent installations, add a dab of construction adhesive on the impaler. Broadway panels can easily be relocated and the only damage will be the anchor holes which can be fixed with putty.
Fire safety when using acoustic products Even when treated with a fire retardant, urethane foam is flammable. This is the primary reason that we do not recommend it for use other than in home studios and when under sprinklers. The California C117 spec that foam manufacturers employ is intended for furniture where urethane foam is a staple - it is not an accepted construction code. All of our Primacoustic panels have a fire retardant embedded in the foam to improve the safety.
Broadway fiberglass panels have been tested to meet Class-1 specifications making them safe for use in all types of construction. This is of primary importance when using acoustic panels in public places such as houses of worship, classrooms, gymnasiums, restaurants, night-clubs, community centers and larger studios. By meeting the Class-1 (Class-A) spec, this means that smoke generation and flame ignition time are sufficiently long to allow the occupant to exit area.
Durability of the panels and concerns regarding residue
As urethane foam panels age, they will deteriorate. The life expectancy of a urethane panels is between 5 to 10 years depending on environmental conditions. As the panels age, the outer surface will harden, crack and will begin to dust. It is best to replace the panels at that time. Please note that although the new panels will be soft and malleable, they are easily damaged! Kids will pick at them because they have to! So these are best kept out of harms way.
Properly designed Fiberglass panels are coated with a thin protective layer called micromesh that encapsulates the minute fiberglass fibers. When panels are cut, this exposes the fibers which could escape into the air. To eliminate this problem, Broadway panels are produced with resin hardened edges. This solidifying process both acts to retain the inner fibers while producing a sharp architecturally attractive finish. The fabric outer coat protects the inner panel from touching and mishap.
Color options Foam products may be embedded with a dye during the 'baking' process to color the foam. It is however important to note that foam inherently will discolor as it is exposed to oxygen and ultra-violet rays. To reduce discoloration, carbon is employed in plastics as it is a natural UV inhibitor. Carbon is black and is why most foam sold is grey and why the telephone wires outside your house are black. Colored foam tends to discolor very quickly. You can paint urethane foam with latex paint using an airless sprayer. Fiberglass panels are generally finished with a fabric cover in various colors. Broadway panels are offered in three colors: black, beige and grey. These three neutral colors make up 80% of the demand as they suit most architectural requirements. For those that wish to finish the panels in a different color, a second fabric coat can be added. Any breathable fabric that allows air to pass can be used to cover an acoustic panel. Acoustically, the effect will be negligible as sound simply passes through the fabric into the fiberglass.
Architectural finish and perceived value Foam first appeared in recording facilities over 30 years ago. Today, most of the foam product is used in home studios where price plays an important role in the buying process. Foam products produce a very 'tech' looking appearance reminiscent of an anechoic chamber. The wedge shape itself comes from maximizing the surface area on large 5 foot wedges but has very little effect on minute 2" or 3" panels. The design is purely esthetic.
Fabric covered fiberglass panels began to emerge in the 1980s as studios discovered the challenges of using lower cost foam. With the emergence of higher density fiberglass panels came sharper looking, more attractive solutions that could be custom covered to suit. Best of all, it worked better. For example, you could create air cavities behind the panels to increase bass! Today, fiberglass panels are the norm in professional studios and broadcast facilities.