Not only do plants clean the air, they can also absorb sound too! We’ll cover a brief overview on how exactly they absorb sound and some techniques you can use. 

 

Open workspaces have undoubtably changed modern offices for the better, but with an open office layout comes the problem of loud noises traveling unabated. Rigid materials such as concrete and industrial features like exposed ceilings and brick can cause sound to be reflected rather than be absorbed. This can cause quite the nuisance for some commercial spaces and homes, sound absorption techniques have recently emerged as a smart solution for modern, open workspaces. 

 

How do plants absorb sound?

Plants are flexible! Leaves, soil, stems and branches are all flexible materials. When a sound wave hits something flexible like a plant the sound waves is disrupted, absorbed, and changed into a different form of energy. When a sound wave hits something rigid like concrete the sound wave is reflected into a different direction. 

 

Using plants to absorb sound

Like mentioned earlier, because plants are flexible materials they are able to absorb sound, but there are some recommended techniques that allow for maximum absorption. 

 

Bigger is better:

Large plants are usually in large containers, have more soil, more leaves, more stems and more branches. This allows for a better shot at sound absorption than a small desk plant.

 

The more the merrier:

One plant can only do so much! If you’re looking for more noticeable results plant walls and clusters of large, potted floor plants will have a stronger ability to absorb more sound. Not all sound waves are the same and not all plants are the same. Using different types of plants will help against different types of sound waves. Broad leaves, small leaves, tall plants, short plants, you name it… using a diverse variety of plants will help absorb different sound waves. 

 

Place the plant in a corner:

A corner of a room can be the cause of a lot of sound reverberation and reflection. Placing a large potted plant in the corner of a room has a much better ability of absorbing sound than placing the same plant in the middle of a room. 

 

Using plants to absorb sound will definitely have a noticeable effect in rooms with a lot of echo and reverberation. Though plants are a nice touch to help absorb sound, they can only do so much! Professional acoustic treatment will always provide a better relief for unwanted noise levels. Turf Design Chicago is a great example of a company that offers professional acoustic treatments in creative and functional designs. Check them out!