If you’re looking into sound deadening foam, you’ll quickly realize you have more than a few options to choose from. These foam products fulfill different needs, and work at different ranges. This guide will discuss the three major varieties of soundproofing foam, but there are many to choose from. Of the many, people seem to usually go for wedge, pyramid or egg crate foam patterns.
Wedge Foam
So called “wedge” acoustic foam has wedges cut into it, which are usually about one to four inches in thickness. It functions best at the mid-high frequency range and has much stronger absorption as the frequency is raised.
Pyramid Foam
Pyramid acoustic foam panels are better at diffusing sound than absorbing it. That’s because the pyramid wedges are cut with 4 sides that meet at a point. This provides a great deal of surface area to work with, and ultimately a slightly higher rate of absorption than wedge.
Egg Crate
Similar to what you might find in people’s beds, egg crate foam is an excellent choice for those who desire sound deadening without the money to build a professional sound studio. If you pair this type of foam with acoustic cloth, you’ll see an immediate improvement in recording quality on a rather shoestring budget. It’s excellent for home studios.
Final Thoughts
You can buy foam in sheets as thick as four inches, depending on what you need. Those foam sheets should help to either diffuse or deaden the sound. As a general rule, you want to diffuse sound to control acoustics, such that someone can stand anywhere in the room and hear clearly, and deaden sound to reduce background noise.
The Foam Factory, Inc. distributes foam products across the United States and Canada, including mattresses, acoustic foam, and packaging solutions.