How to Stick Acoustic Tiles to the Ceiling Without Damage
Last year I wanted to stick Auralex acoustic foam tiles to my studio ceiling, but I didn't want to damage the ceiling. I checked the Internet for advice, and decided to try something I found... using 3M Command Strips.
3M Command Strips don't stick very well to acoustic foam. The advice I found said to use Superglue to fix the loop side of velcro to the back of the tiles and then press that into the Command Strips for 30 seconds each. It was a long and somewhat difficult process, but it mostly worked. The tiles stayed up for months.
Sadly, when the temperature in my studio warmed up, the Command Strips lost some mojo and started to release the velcro... and the tiles started falling one by one. I got back on the ladder and pushed them back up against the Command Strips. They would stick for a while... often weeks... but then they would fall again. I got really tired of pushing my tiles up against the ceiling.
This Summer I got super busy and wasn't able to spend time in my studio. In the meantime, all of my tiles fell down. Sad face.
I thought of an improvement, and here it is...
I ordered a package of 12" x 12" cardstock and used 3M Hi-Strength spray adhesive to mount the cardstock permanently to the back of the acoustic foam. So far so good.
Then I mounted small strips of 1/2" wide 3M double-sided, acrylic foam tape (typically used for automotive applications) to the Command Strips that were all still attached to the ceiling. They don't seem to have a problem staying up there.
[ In the photo below, the black strip is the double-sided foam tape. The Command Strip is white. ]
Reattaching the tiles is easy because the new, black foam tape is super sticky against the cardboard. All I have to do is press the tiles up against the tape, and I don't have to hold them for very long.
Voila! Good as new, and this time they feel very secure. (If they ever fall again, I'll let you know...)
3M Command Strips don't stick very well to acoustic foam. The advice I found said to use Superglue to fix the loop side of velcro to the back of the tiles and then press that into the Command Strips for 30 seconds each. It was a long and somewhat difficult process, but it mostly worked. The tiles stayed up for months.
Sadly, when the temperature in my studio warmed up, the Command Strips lost some mojo and started to release the velcro... and the tiles started falling one by one. I got back on the ladder and pushed them back up against the Command Strips. They would stick for a while... often weeks... but then they would fall again. I got really tired of pushing my tiles up against the ceiling.
This Summer I got super busy and wasn't able to spend time in my studio. In the meantime, all of my tiles fell down. Sad face.
I thought of an improvement, and here it is...
I ordered a package of 12" x 12" cardstock and used 3M Hi-Strength spray adhesive to mount the cardstock permanently to the back of the acoustic foam. So far so good.
Then I mounted small strips of 1/2" wide 3M double-sided, acrylic foam tape (typically used for automotive applications) to the Command Strips that were all still attached to the ceiling. They don't seem to have a problem staying up there.
[ In the photo below, the black strip is the double-sided foam tape. The Command Strip is white. ]
Reattaching the tiles is easy because the new, black foam tape is super sticky against the cardboard. All I have to do is press the tiles up against the tape, and I don't have to hold them for very long.
Voila! Good as new, and this time they feel very secure. (If they ever fall again, I'll let you know...)
Comments
Post a Comment