Improve office room acoustics and soundproofing - a practical guide
What is the difference between acoustics and soundproofing?
Acoustics tell you what the room sounds like from the inside: reverberation, "loudness" and clarity of speech.
Soundproofing tells you how well sounds are kept inside or outside the room: privacy and peace of mind.
Example: if your speech echoes, the problem is acoustics. If you can hear what the corridor is saying, it's soundproofing.
There are official guidelines (e.g. Ministry of the Environment guidelines and regulations), but for older properties, the values of new houses cannot be directly required - but indicative principles help to understand the objectives.
Rapid diagnosis - what's the problem?
| The problem | Probable cause | Start here |
|---|---|---|
| Room echo or sound "ringing" | Acoustics | Add soft surfaces and shapes (panels, curtains, carpet, shelves, plants). |
| You can hear talking in the corridor/neighbour | Soundproofing | Heavy curtain, movable baffle, sound masking if necessary. |
| The video conference speech is streaming | Acoustics | Add cushioning on walls/ceiling, soft textiles and irregular shapes (plants, shelves). |
| Silence feels "oppressive" | Both | Add acoustics and try light sound masking, for example with a radio. |
Acoustics - what is it and how to improve it?
When sound bounces off hard surfaces (wall, ceiling, table), it creates an echo. The aim is to reduce reflections by adding soft and contour-breaking surfaces.
Wall/ceiling surface - acoustic panels or trim panels.
Textiles - thick curtains and carpet soften the sound. jysk.fi
Near the workstation - acoustic baffle/table screen (particularly useful for a single user in a small, otherwise empty room).
Tip
One workstation + little furniture = almost always echo. Add plants, shelving, wall charts/surfaces and acoustic tiles - anything that breaks up big, bare surfaces helps.
Improve your acoustics with these products
How much surface do I need?
In a small office (8-12 m²), a good start is one large wall or about 25-30% of the bare wall area of the room to be absorbed/softened with textiles.
Soundproofing - how to keep the sounds inside and out better?
Important about the division of responsibilities: structural work such as door seals, sealing of door/door frames and sealing of cable duct penetrations are the responsibility of the landlord. If you notice sound traveling through these, you can contact the Boffice team and we'll see what we can do about it. Boffice properties have basic soundproofing, but we cannot guarantee complete silence in office rooms.
Non-structural means suitable for the tenant:
A heavy curtain in front of the door/window reduces direct sound leakage and softens the room's own sound.
A removable acoustic baffle for added privacy and attenuation.
Sound Masking: a low, flat background sound that masks speech sounds and makes them less intelligible in the corridor/neighbourhood. Ready-made devices are available.
Improve sound insulation with these products
5 steps to a better soundscape
Listen to the room: echo (acoustics) or leakage (soundproofing)
Start with acoustics: one large wall or 25-30% of bare walls for absorption; also add carpet and plants.
Add a curtain/screen: heavy curtain for window/door; movable screen for workstation.
If necessary, a masking device: a compact white noise device (easy to test).
Landlord notification: door and grommet leaks → sealing is their responsibility.
Frequently asked questions about voice
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The Yes mat reduces reflections from the floor and makes the sound softer. Experts stress the importance of textiles in reducing echo.
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Start with one large wall or ~25-30% of the wall area. Add more if necessary.
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On-ne break up large, flat surfaces and scatter reflections. Combined with textiles, the effect is clear.
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Not entirely. A heavy curtain improves acoustics and reduces leakage somewhat, but is not a substitute for structural sound insulation. Still an easy, quick and inexpensive improvement.
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It is a smooth, mild masking or background sound that masks the intelligibility of speech. Works well in practice, especially when structures cannot be touched. See for example the German Zwitscherbox models.
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Not necessarily. Many acoustic panels and boards are designed to be glued, hung or moved. You can use removable brackets or movable cords - they won't leave a mark.
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Place a heavy curtain, a high pile rug, a portable screen, a few tall plants and a sound machine in the room. All of these are solutions suitable for rental properties and easy to install and take with you when needed.
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