Daniel J SaitStretched fabric panels appear in nearly every residential cinema, used to hide audio equipment and acoustic treatment. They can form wall-to-wall finishes, large panels alternating with columns or other features, or floating panels, and can be halo lit, stepped, finned or combined at various angles. This guide from the SRND Group sets out the core principles for choosing the right fabric for these designs.
Acoustic Transparency
The most important factor when choosing fabric for cinema panels is acoustic transparency. Stretched fabric hides equipment and treatment from view, but a great deal of work goes into specifying that technology for optimum sound, so the fabric must not disrupt those calculations. Audio needs to pass freely through the fabric from speakers and subwoofers into the room, and back through it to the acoustic treatment behind, where it is reflected, reverberated or absorbed as planned.
Acoustic transparency depends on several factors: a looser weave is more transparent; a thinner fabric absorbs less sound; a heavier fabric absorbs more; and perforation, or a perforated backing, can improve transparency regardless of other properties.
Some manufacturers state the acoustic transparency of their ranges, and starting with a pre-specified range is good practice. Where no suitable option matches the design, or a fabric was approved before acoustics were considered, SRND’s acoustic fabric testing facility can measure a fabric’s transparency and its likely effect on sound. More detail is available at srnd.store/blogs/learning/testing-acoustic-fabric-performance.
Fabric Stretch
Whether using SRND Fabric Walls aluminium frame panels or a traditional track system, stretch fabric relies on pulling fabric taut across an area and tucking the edges around the perimeter for a clean finish, free of pinching, creases or sagging. The fabric should stretch enough to allow for cutting tolerances and prevent creasing during tucking, without being so stretchy that a taut finish becomes impossible, and it must hold its structural integrity under tension with no risk of tearing.
Stretching opens the weave, and an overly open weave will look visually transparent, revealing whatever sits behind the panel. If the weave carries a distinct pattern, check how much it distorts when stretched, particularly at panel corners. There is no reliable specification for how a fabric will behave once stretched, so ordering samples or test lengths for trial is the best approach.
Gloss and Reflectivity
Avoid glossy or highly reflective fabrics across large areas, as they pick up light from the screen or projector and become distracting. As a rule, manmade fibres such as polyester, nylon and acrylic tend to be glossier than natural fibres such as wool or cotton, though there are exceptions.
Printed Fabrics
Printed fabrics can still be acoustically transparent and appropriately stretchy. Work with a printer to confirm which fabrics are available and the specifications required for the artwork.
Textured Fabrics
The SRND Group underlines that textured fabrics can create uneven acoustics, particularly with larger patterns, as well as unreliable tucking. Flatter textures that avoid large variations in depth are preferable, and further testing for stretch and acoustics is advised.
Patterned Fabrics
Woven patterns work best flat; those with depth or texture need testing before ordering, as texture and depth can cause problems with even acoustics, stretch and tucking. Repeat patterns, similar to wallpaper, are hard to align once stretching and tucking shift the pattern’s end point, so it is best to break up panels using wide trim, columns or LED strips between them.
Fabric Dimensions
Fabric rolls typically exceed any panel length needed, but roll width limits the maximum panel width. Always allow extra fabric for tucking: Fabric Walls Panels need 50mm per edge for silicone edge and tucking, so a 1000mm x 800mm panel requires 1100mm x 900mm of fabric.
Recommended Fabrics
SRND Group recommends several tested fabrics, including ranges from Camira and Ultrasuede, available through the Fabric Walls System or as standalone orders in the Products-Fabric section at fabricwalls.uk/collections/fabric.
