Quick answer: Plan acoustics while the restaurant is still being designed. Mark ceiling panel or cloud zones on the drawings, keep them clear of lights and aircon, pick colours with your designer, and install before opening. Fixing noise after opening means working around service and unhappy early reviews.

Key takeaways

  • Plan panels on the drawings early.
  • Keep panel zones clear of lights and aircon.
  • Install before opening day.

Why before is better

Ceilings are open, no tables are booked, and lights and aircon can be placed around panels. After opening, every install has to fit around service. Planning early also means the panels look like part of the design, not an add-on.

What to tell your designer

Tell your designer which areas need ceiling panels and which walls get panels. Agree on colours and finishes from our 39 fabric colours. Leave space for clouds between lights and aircon vents.

Not sure what your room needs? Send us a photo on WhatsApp or request a free quote. We'll tell you how many panels, where they go and the price. See our restaurant acoustic panels and recent projects.

Plan acoustics early infographic
Before vs after opening diagram

The usual hard finishes

Concrete, tiles, glass and exposed ceilings look great but get loud. Each one bounces sound back into the room. The more of them you plan, the more panels you will need. See restaurant too loud.

Budget

A 10 × 6 m dining room usually needs about 28 to 38 panels. At S$185 per panel installed, that is about S$5,180 to S$7,030. Standard fixings are included; scaffold for high ceilings, night or Sunday work and custom sizes are quoted separately. See restaurant panel cost.

Timeline

Panels are made to order in about 4–6 weeks. Book 6 to 8 weeks before opening to leave time for install. The install itself usually takes a few hours to 1 to 2 days. See installation time.

First reviews

Noise is easy for guests to mention in Google reviews. A room where people can talk without shouting is easier to enjoy. Opening with the echo already fixed avoids that problem from the start. See restaurant too loud.

Test during fit-out

Clap in the empty room before panels go up. It will sound loud; that is normal before furniture arrives. Clap again after install to hear the change.

Soft seating

Upholstered banquettes soak up some sound. Plan them together with the panels. They do not replace ceiling panels in a hard room.

What we see on real jobs

Planning panels before opening is simpler than fixing echo after. Lights, aircon and panels can all be placed together.

Get a straight answer for your room

WhatsApp us (+65 8930 1905) a photo of your dining room, ideally taken during service, and tell us when it gets loudest. We'll come back with a ceiling-and-wall plan and a price. Ask us about installing outside opening hours.

WhatsApp us a photo · Request a free quote · See prices

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