Homasote Sound Barrier - DesignWall 440 Decorative Panels

Homasote Sound Barrier Panels - DesignWall 440 Tackable Sound Barrier

A fabric-wrapped Homasote 440 board that adds mass to a wall and gives you a full bulletin board surface. Its job is blocking sound between rooms, not absorbing echo inside a room. In Homasote's tested steel stud wall assembly (studs 24 inches on center, 3 inch sound batts, 5/8 inch gypsum both sides) it reaches STC 51 with panels on one side, and STC 53 with panels on both sides of that same stud wall assembly. Every performance number on this page is quoted from Homasote's own documentation, and those documents are linked below so you can check them.

Buying this for echo control would be a mistake. Its NRC is 0.20, so most sound hitting the face reflects back into the room. If your room sounds harsh or echoey, you want 2 inch absorption panels instead. The two products solve opposite problems and many projects use both.

Technical Specifications

Each figure below names the Homasote document it comes from. All four documents are linked above.

• STC, tested assembly: 51 with panels on one side, 53 with panels on both sides. Assembly: steel studs 24" on center, 3" sound batts, 5/8" gypsum wallboard both sides. Source: Homasote DesignWall 440 Info Sheet, "Sound Control".
• STC, other Homasote assemblies: 53 staggered wood stud, 60 double wood stud, 54 at 16" on center and 55 at 24" on center in the UL U465 decoupled assembly. Sources: Homasote 440 SoundBarrier Brochure, and Installation Instructions sections W1-B and W1-C.
• NRC (in-room absorption): 0.20. Sources: Homasote 440 SoundBarrier 3-Part Architect Specifications section 2.2, and homasote.com. This is a barrier, not an absorber. Homasote publishes this figure without naming a mounting type, so treat it as indicative rather than as a mounted ASTM C423 result.
• Fire rating, core: Class C, also written Class III. ASTM E84 flame-spread index not greater than 200, smoke-developed index not greater than 450. Sources: 3-Part Architect Specifications section 2.2, and ICC-ES ESR-1374 section 3.1. Homasote builds a higher fire-rated version on a different substrate, the DesignWall 550. ASP stocks the 440.
• Fire rating, fabric: Burch publishes an ASTM E-84 surface-burning rating of Class A for Prime Time style 2335, the fabric we wrap in. A fabric rating does not carry over to the core underneath, and the core here is Class C, so the finished assembly should not be represented at the fabric's rating. Where a project specifies a fire class for the wall finish, call (888) 923-5777 before ordering and we will confirm what actually meets it.
• Core material: Homasote 440, roughly 98% recycled paper fiber, 2% paraffin wax, under 0.1% copper metaborate. No asbestos, formaldehyde or urea additives. Source: ICC-ES ESR-1374 section 3.0.
• Density: 26 to 28 lb per cubic foot. Source: 3-Part Architect Specifications section 2.2.
• Thickness: 1/2 inch.
• Panel size: 4' x 8' (48" x 96") standard, custom cutting available. Homasote also produces the 1/2 inch board in 4' x 4' and 4' x 10'. Actual length and width run 1/8" under nominal.
• Weight: 1.2 lb per square foot, about 38 lb for a 4x8 sheet before fabric. Sources: DesignWall 440 Info Sheet, and the 440 SoundBarrier specification table in the Installation Instructions.
• R-value: 1.2 at 1/2 inch. Source: 3-Part Architect Specifications section 2.2.
• Tackable surface: the fabric face takes push pins and hides the holes. Full bulletin board function.
• Made in USA: Homasote has manufactured in West Trenton, New Jersey since 1909. We fabric-wrap each panel in our workshop.

On STC: sound transmission class describes a complete wall, floor or ceiling assembly tested to ASTM E90 and rated per ASTM E413. It is never a property of a loose panel. Change the studs, the cavity insulation or the gypsum and the rating changes. The assemblies above are Homasote's published tests. For a number tied to your exact wall, tell us the construction and we will point you to the matching Homasote assembly.

Perfect For

• Shared Walls - Bedrooms, apartments, condos, townhouses sharing walls with neighbors
• Home Theaters - Keep movie sound from carrying into the rest of the house. Pair with absorption panels for the room's own acoustics
• Music Practice Rooms - Keep instrument practice from traveling to adjacent spaces
• Recording Studios - Add mass to the wall for isolation from outside noise. Room treatment is a separate job for absorption panels
• Home Offices - Privacy for confidential calls without disturbing household
• Bedrooms - Peace and quiet from noisy households or exterior noise
• Multi-Family Buildings - Dramatically reduce neighbor noise transmission
• Commercial Spaces - Conference rooms, therapy offices, medical offices requiring privacy

Sound Absorption vs Soundproofing: The Critical Difference

Sound Absorption (What Most Acoustic Panels Do): Standard acoustic panels like our fiberglass panels absorb sound energy WITHIN a room. They reduce echo and reverberation, making the room sound better inside. However, they do almost nothing to prevent sound from traveling THROUGH walls to adjacent rooms. Soft, fluffy materials absorb sound but don't block transmission.

Soundproofing/Sound Blocking (What Homasote Does): Soundproofing prevents sound from traveling through walls, floors, and ceilings to other spaces. This requires MASS and DENSITY - heavy, dense materials that physically block sound vibrations. Homasote's dense recycled paper fiber construction provides this mass.

Where this panel sits: it is on the blocking side, not the absorbing side. It adds mass to a wall, and in the tested assemblies above that produces real transmission loss. Its NRC of 0.20 means roughly 80% of the sound energy hitting the face comes back into the room, so it will not fix echo, reverb or a room that sounds harsh.

Why no single board does both: blocking needs dense mass. Absorbing needs soft, open, porous depth. Those are opposite material properties, which is why a 1/2 inch dense board cannot deliver a high STC and a high NRC at the same time. Any product page claiming both from one thin board is describing something the physics does not allow.

If you need both in one room, use both products. This panel on the shared wall for blocking, and 2 inch absorption panels on the remaining surfaces for echo. Tell us the room and we will lay out the split. Call (888) 923-5777.

What is Homasote?

American Manufacturing Heritage: Homasote has been manufactured in New Jersey since 1909. It's made from 100% recycled newspaper compressed into dense, rigid panels. Originally developed as an insulation and sound-deadening product, it became the acoustician's secret weapon for soundproofing applications.

Dense But Workable: Unlike concrete or mass-loaded vinyl, Homasote is workable with standard woodworking tools. You can cut it, screw into it, and nail through it. But it's dramatically denser than drywall or wood - this density blocks sound transmission while remaining manageable for DIY installation.

DesignWall 440 - The Premium Version: Standard Homasote has a rough, textured surface. DesignWall 440 is the premium architectural version with a smooth, uniform surface suitable for fabric wrapping and decorative finishes. It's the version specified by architects and acoustic consultants for high-end applications.

Reading an STC Number

STC (Sound Transmission Class) rates how much airborne sound a complete wall, floor or ceiling assembly stops. It is measured on the whole assembly under ASTM E90 and rated per ASTM E413. Higher is better. The general guide below is industry convention for interpreting a rating, not a test result for this product.

• 25 to 30: normal interior wall, loud speech easily understood through it
• 35 to 40: loud speech audible but not intelligible
• 45 to 50: normal speech not audible, loud sounds somewhat audible
• 50 to 55: loud sound and music faint
• 55 and above: only very loud sound barely perceptible

Where this product lands: Homasote's published stud wall assembly tests run from STC 51 in the single-sided steel stud wall assembly up to STC 60 in a double wood stud wall. Those figures belong to the assemblies listed in the specifications above, not to the panel on its own. Building code sets the bar at STC 50 between dwelling units, measured on the finished wall assembly, which is why these wood stud and steel stud build-ups get specified in multi-family work.

Real-World Applications

The Noisy Neighbor Solution: If you share a wall with a noisy neighbor, standard acoustic panels won't help - they absorb sound within YOUR room but do nothing about sound coming THROUGH the wall. Homasote panels installed on your side of the shared wall add the mass needed to block neighbor noise. Many customers report dramatic improvements in sleep quality and stress levels after treating shared bedroom walls.

The Home Theater Problem: You want to enjoy movies at proper volume without disturbing family members or neighbors. Standard acoustic panels treat the room but don't prevent sound escape. Homasote panels on the walls (especially shared walls) block sound transmission while simultaneously improving the theater's internal acoustics. Watch explosions and action sequences without guilt or complaints.

The Musician's Dilemma: Practice rooms need acoustic treatment for proper sound, but also need soundproofing to prevent disturbing others. Homasote panels solve both problems - the mass blocks transmission to adjacent rooms, while the fabric-wrapped absorptive surface controls the room's internal acoustics. Practice when you want, not just when nobody's home.

Installation Methods

Decoupled assembly (Homasote's highest published ratings): the board goes into the wall build-up with the finish gypsum decoupled from the studs, per UL U465 and U305. This is the approach behind the STC 54, 55 and 60 figures above. It is new construction or a full wall rebuild, not a surface-mount job. Follow the Homasote Installation Instructions linked above, sections W1-A through W1-D.

Surface mounting to a finished wall: fabric-wrapped panels go onto the existing wall with construction adhesive or mechanical fixings, per Installation Instructions section W2-C. This adds mass to what is already there. Homasote does not publish an STC figure for surface-mounted panels over an existing wall, so we do not quote one. It will help, and how much depends entirely on your existing wall.

Framing limits: framing for the 1/2 inch board must not exceed 16" on center, panels install vertically, with a 1/8" gap between sheets and 1/4" at floor, ceiling and openings. Source: Homasote Installation Instructions, "Applications as a Wall Panel".

Why Fabric Wrap?

Finish: bare Homasote is an industrial grey board with a visible texture. Wrapping gives it a uniform architectural face suitable for a finished room. It does not change the board's NRC in any way we can document, so we make no absorption claim for the wrap.

Appearance: Fabric wrapping transforms industrial Homasote into attractive architectural panels. Choose from 60+ colors to match any decor.

Durability: Fabric protects the Homasote surface from damage and creates a cleanable, professional finish.

Tackable: The fabric surface accepts push pins, making panels function as combination acoustic treatment and bulletin boards - great for offices, studios, and music rooms.

Homasote vs Other Soundproofing Methods

• vs Mass Loaded Vinyl (MLV): MLV is heavy, effective and awkward to work with. Homasote is easier to handle, cuts with normal woodworking tools, and gives you a tackable finished face. Neither one absorbs echo.
• vs Additional Drywall: Adding drywall layers helps but creates a dusty construction project. Homasote provides better performance per inch of thickness and is cleaner to install.
• vs Fiberglass Panels: fabric-wrapped fiberglass panels absorb echo inside a room and do essentially nothing for transmission through a wall. This board is the opposite. They are complementary products, not competitors.
• vs Acoustic Foam: foam absorbs some high frequency and blocks nothing. We do not sell foam. This board blocks and does not absorb.

Custom Sizing & Ordering

Standard 4' x 8' panels are most economical and can be cut on-site. We can also custom-cut panels to your specifications for simpler installation. Each panel is fabric-wrapped with your choice of over 60 fabric colors and textures. Finished edges ensure professional appearance.

Environmental Benefits

The board is roughly 98% recycled paper fiber, with no asbestos, formaldehyde or urea additives, per ICC-ES ESR-1374 section 3.0. Homasote lists the substrate as CHPS-certified for low-emission indoor air quality and LEED-compliant in its DesignWall 440 documentation.

Made in USA

Homasote has manufactured in West Trenton, New Jersey since 1909. We fabric-wrap each panel in our workshop using Burch Fabrics Prime Time, made in the USA and the equivalent of Guilford of Maine (a Canadian company) Anchorage and FR701.

Blocks sound between rooms. Tackable bulletin board face. Recycled content. Made in USA.