According to Sound Seal,Austin Chinese Church in Austin, Texas selected its WoodTrends WoodGrill ceiling panels for their acoustical needs. The WoodTrends WoodGrill panel was the logical choice for the religious facility, which wanted to deliver an improved acoustical experience for its congregants while adding to the design aesthetics of the space. Another important factor in the decision was longevity. With the intent of the install being long term, the WoodGrill product was the obvious choice as the birch veneer finish will hold up to the fluctuations in temperature and humidity that is typical for the region. WoodGrill panels are also highly customizable for customers' specific applications, which was a critical component for the large-scale installation of 3,420 sq. ft. The manufacturing process for the WoodGrill panels combines both solid wood and veneered MDF to make panels incorporating different blade sizes and spacing. There were many panel groupings at different heights in the Austin Chinese Church, which made perfecting the layout of the ceiling critical. The Sound Seal team specified an 11/16" wide by 1 ¼" high blade with six blades per panel. After slicing, the veneer was laid up by hand with particular attention to color, grain structure, and overall size. . To provide the owner with a ceiling that performed as good as it looked, the back-side of the panels were covered with an acoustic textile combined with a generous percentage of open area provided by the blade spacing. This construction allowed for a full 0.75 NRC rating per ASTM C423 to be achieved, and thanks to the range of customizable options available in the WoodGrills line, acoustical materials were configured in the best way possible to accomplish the optimal acoustical result. "Creating attractive acoustical panels that can withstand the unique conditions of the Austin Chinese Church ensures that congregants will enjoy their beauty and quality for years to come," said Dave Gilbert, general manager for Sound Seal. "This project posed challenges that demanded a coordinated approach between the design, installation and acoustical teams, and the end result speaks for itself: beautiful, durable wood veneer panels that deliver outstanding acoustical performance in a cost-friendly package." # # # About Sound Seal Since 1978, Sound Seal has been a leading manufacturer of acoustical noise control products offering the widest product selection in the soundproofing industry with innovative solutions and outstanding customer service. Sound Seal consists of three product divisions: the Industrial Division that addresses in-plant noise control and environmental noise control; the Architectural Division that handles interiors and finishes, including an award winning line of WoodTrends products; and the Impacta Flooring Division that offers floor underlayments. For more information, please visit www.soundseal.comor call 413-789-1770.