Is a seamless acoustic ceiling possible?

Creating a seamless ceiling is easily achieved using traditional plasterboard. But if you need Class A sound absorption, you either need multiple layers of plasterboard OR perforations added to the plasterboard…which means you no longer have a seamless surface.

Seamless ceiling surface

Rockfon® Mono® Acoustic is an ideal product used for creating a seamless ceiling

Rockfon Mono Acoustic combines the elegance of a monolithic ceiling with the performance characteristics and Class A sound absorption thought only possible with modular ceilings. You can create clean lines, successfully hide the services above and decrease echo and reverberation.

What does it look like, what is the texture like?

The visible surface is a white acoustic render which is smooth and refined which provides high light reflection and diffusion. This reduces the need for artificial light, as you can see in some of these pictures.

Underneath the acoustic render is a 40mm stone wool panel, joint filler and grid which provides the acoustic comfort and up to 60 mins fire protection.

When would I specify a seamless acoustic ceiling?

It is labour intensive to install, so mainly suited to specific areas in high end projects like galleries, museums, offices, restaurants, civic buildings and hotels where acoustics are often challenging.

As a plain surface, it works really well if a building’s period features are being retained, like Bewley’s Grafton Street in Dublin. Originally built in 1927, the architects were able to acoustically upgrade the ceiling with minimal impact on the original fabric of the building, including being able to keep the original ceiling coving.

It can also be used for vaulted ceilings so is particularly useful for acoustic ceilings in historic or conservation buildings, recently specified at Windsor Castle and an Italianate auditorium at the Salle Richelieu in Paris, for example.

I want to expose the services in the ceiling: will it perform acoustically if installed above the services?

Yes! If you want the air conditioning, heating, ventilation or other services on show, you can install it directly above. There is a great example shown here at Joules’ office HQ in Leicestershire where the white Mono Acoustic ceiling is fixed directly to the soffit, completely unobtrusive to the steel ducting below whilst providing Class A sound absorption (0.95 aw).

Can I incorporate lighting, audio and other mechanical systems into the ceiling?

Yes, the system easily fits around these elements.

Can I create curves and shapes?

This is the section where we show you some amazing projects. The first is the New Court House of Amsterdam , a 47,250m2 public building with high ceilings, natural stone floors and a lot of glass which would have contributed to an unpleasant reverberation and echo. The architects specified Rockfon Mono Acoustic on the ceilings and walls to provide a sleek, seamless acoustic system. The second is the 2,000m2 entrance to the City Metro Station, Stockholm which was designed as part of an open competition to create an art installation for the station. Inspired by different cathedrals, the design had a rippling, pleated fabric draping the ceiling of the station, made possible by the flexibility of the panels underneath the acoustic render.

There are lots of other examples of creating curves, like this one at Southampton City FC and this showroom for Samsung in Kings Cross.

How is a seamless acoustic ceiling installed?

To conserve the fire and acoustical properties of Rockfon Mono Acoustic, this ceiling (and wall) system can only be installed by a certified Rockfon Mono Acoustic installer which you can find here.. Using components specifically designed for this system, the process is:

  • Install the grid system
  • Install the acoustic panels
  • Joint the panels with acoustic tape
  • Apply acoustic filler to the joints, then sand
  • Apply acoustic render

Watch the installation video below for more detail.

How can I access services above if the ceiling has been plastered?

We have developed Rockfon Mono Acoustic round or square inspection hatches to provide access to the plenum. They can either be integrated into the original panel and sprayed with render to provide visual consistency or left in the ceiling in its original state for regular access.