Fibrolite vs Other Acoustic Panels: Where Wood Wool Wins (and Where It Doesn't)
Wood wool cement board (fibrolite) is not the only way to quiet a room, and pretending it is the best at everything would not help you. Here is a fair comparison with the other common acoustic finishes so you can match the panel to the job.
How does fibrolite compare to PET felt panels?
Felt panels are light, self-adhesive and easy to install by hand, which makes them ideal for offices, studios and homes. Fibrolite is heavier and more of a building material: it brings a Euroclass B-s1,d0 fire rating as standard, an A2-s1,d0 option in the FireSafe series, and a robust, knock-resistant cement surface that felt cannot match. Choose felt for quick, soft, DIY-friendly treatment; choose fibrolite for durable, fire-rated commercial and public spaces.
How does fibrolite compare to acoustic foam?
Foam is cheap and absorbs mid and high frequencies well, but it looks like a studio, ages poorly and usually has weak fire performance. Fibrolite looks like architecture, lasts decades and carries a proper fire class. For anywhere people actually see the wall, fibrolite is the easy winner.
How does fibrolite compare to perforated MDF or plywood?
Perforated wood panels look refined and hit useful absorption figures, but MDF cores are combustible and sensitive to moisture. Fibrolite tolerates up to 90 percent relative humidity and will not feed a fire, so it suits gyms, pool surrounds, kitchens and damp or high-risk rooms far better.
How does fibrolite compare to perforated plasterboard?
Perforated plasterboard is a resonant absorber that can be tuned precisely to a target curve, and it is typically A2 classified. Fibrolite is a porous absorber that works broadly across the speech band with less that can go wrong on site, and it takes impacts that would punch through gypsum. Note that A2 is not a reason to rule wood wool out: the Sonablock FireSafe series is classified A2-s1,d0 in accordance with EN 13168:2012+A1:2015, so both materials can meet a non-combustible requirement.
Why do absorption numbers need context to compare?
Absorption figures are only comparable when quoted on the same build-up. Sonablock reaches αw 0.60 to 0.65, Absorption Class C, tested to EN ISO 354 by RISE Research Institutes of Sweden (report O100282), as a bare panel with a 200 mm air gap. As with all wood wool cement board, absorption rises substantially with mineral wool added in the cavity behind the panel, and published data across the category shows Class A build-ups achieved that way. Any headline "up to 1.00" figure, from us or anyone else, describes a composite construction rather than a board on its own.
Where is fibrolite not the right choice?
It is honest to say where it loses. If you need a perfectly smooth, paintable flat surface, wood wool is the wrong texture. If the install is a small home project and weight or pallet quantities are a problem, felt is friendlier. If a room requires a wipe-clean, non-porous surface, an open texture is inappropriate. And for the very lowest bass frequencies, no thin panel beats a dedicated bass trap with depth.
The short version
Pick fibrolite when you want real acoustic absorption, a documented fire class with an A2 option, moisture tolerance and a natural, durable finish in one material. Our Sonablock range is made in Latvia by Stiga RM, PEFC certified and CE marked, and is a sustainable alternative to Heraklith and Troldtekt. See the Sonablock range.
