Soundproofing with panels or slats in the ceiling

[Sara_B]

I have a space with painted concrete floors and bare walls, where there's obviously a lot of echo and a challenging acoustic environment. I've bought and installed a couple of sound-absorbing specialty panels on the ceiling, but they aren't quite enough and are really expensive, so I don't want to buy more.

I'm now considering if I could simply and cheaply mitigate part of the problem by also attaching wood paneling or slats to the ceiling. Either rough-sawn paneling set with wide gaps to create irregularities on the ceiling, or narrower slats set more like a grid? I'm thinking it would create a more uneven surface, which would be good, right?

 

[z_bumbi]

Build frames for rock wool, cover with fabric, and you have cheap panels that dampen sound. Thicker = better. Don't place them flush against the ceiling; leave a gap.
As long as the walls and floor are bare, it will likely continue to echo.

The most important is to dampen corners, so if you have limited resources, place the boards in the corner between the ceiling and wall, for example at a 45-degree angle. Then place boards in the corners between the walls. Continue adding dampening until it becomes acceptable.