Quick answer: A small café of about 30 seats usually needs 10 to 18 acoustic panels to cut the roar: about S$1,850 to S$3,330 installed. Spend first on the ceiling above the seating, then one long wall. Add soft seating and keep the coffee machine away from tables.

Key takeaways

  • 10 to 18 panels for a 30-seat café.
  • About S$1,850 to S$3,330 installed.
  • Ceiling first, then one long wall.

Why small cafés get loud

Hard floors, a concrete ceiling, a coffee grinder and a full room of chatter all add up. Sound bounces off every hard surface. In a small room it builds up quickly.

Where to spend first

Put ceiling panels or clouds over the seating first. The ceiling is the biggest hard surface. That gives the biggest change for the money. See ceiling vs wall panels.

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.

Quiet a café on a budget infographic

Next

Add panels on one long wall, opposite the counter. This stops sound bouncing back and forth across the room. Pick a colour that suits your brand.

Low-cost fixes

Add soft seating and cushions. Move the grinder away from tables if you can. These help, but they do not replace panels.

Cost

10 to 18 panels at S$185 installed comes to about S$1,850 to S$3,330. Standard fixings are included; scaffold for high ceilings, night or Sunday work and custom sizes are quoted separately. Quotes from photos are free. See restaurant panel cost.

Panels for a small café diagram

Install

A small café install usually takes a few hours. Plan it before opening, or on a quiet day. We work Monday to Saturday in working hours; night and Sunday installs are possible with a surcharge, quoted case by case. See high-ceiling cafés.

Phasing

If budget is tight, do the ceiling first and the wall later. The ceiling gives the biggest change. The wall panels can match when they go up.

Branding

Panels in your brand colour double as decor. Printed panels can carry your logo or artwork. Panels are made to order in about 4–6 weeks.

What we see on real jobs

A small café install usually takes a few hours. The ceiling over the seats makes the biggest change.

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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