How to Install Acoustic Foam without Damaging Your Walls

Installing acoustic eggcrate foam tiles is an affordable way to control sound in a room. This is important if you do a lot of audio recording in your home and wish to make the output sound as professional as possible without spending a lot of money on studio-grade equipment. Many podcasters, audiobook narrators, and YouTube personalities rely on acoustic foam to help them produce quality media that is then consumed by millions of people.

The standard way of installing acoustic eggcrate foam is to spray foam adhesive on the back of each tile and affix the tile directly to the wall. This installation method is simple and effective—but may result in peeled off paint or damaged drywall when you try to remove the acoustic eggcrate foam at a later date. Then you’ll either have to live with the unsightly mess or spend some bucks on repair work, which is a hassle no one wants. And if you’re renting, you can pretty much kiss your security deposit goodbye once your landlord catches sight of the affected walls.

A better way to hang acoustic eggcrate foam is to skip the foam adhesive and use a product such as Command strips, which are designed to pull away from the wall cleanly without damaging the surface or leaving any residue behind. Here’s how you can install acoustic eggcrate foam using Command strips.

1. Measure the area of the wall you wish to cover in acoustic eggcrate foam.
2. Foam By Mail carries a large assortment of acoustic eggcrate foam in the desired thickness, density, and quantity.
3. Purchase enough Command strips to accommodate the number of acoustic eggcrate foam tiles you plan to hang. While two strips per tile is sufficient to get the job done, we recommend budgeting four strips per tile to ensure superior hold.
4. Follow the instructions on the Command strips package for sticking the strips onto the acoustic eggcrate foam in preparation for hanging.
5. Clean the wall surface with rubbing alcohol prior to hanging the tiles. Note that you should only use rubbing alcohol in this step. Avoid using other household cleaners or solvents here.
6. Remove the liners on the Command strips to reveal the adhesive material, and then affix the first acoustic eggcrate foam to the wall.
7. Do the same for the remaining foam tiles, making sure to line up each edge very carefully with neighboring tiles.
8. When you wish to take down the acoustic eggcrate foam, just follow the manufacturer’s instructions for removing the Command strips.

Posted in Acoustic Foam, DIY