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Makan Al Najah

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Controlling noise in an office

Most office noise problems are designed in: hard surfaces everywhere, partitions that stop short, and loud zones beside quiet ones.

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Open office floor with workstations, glass partitions and a suspended ceiling

There are two acoustic problems in offices. One is sound passing between spaces — conversations heard through a meeting room wall. The other is reverberation inside a space — an open-plan floor with glass, plaster and hard floors where every voice carries. They have different solutions, and a fit-out usually needs both.

Element pages explain one part of a larger renovation in detail: what is being chosen, what the installation involves, and where the cost and time usually sit.

Layout is the cheapest tool. Putting the pantry, printers and breakout area away from focused work, separating sales calls from finance, and placing storage between zones all reduce noise before a single acoustic product is bought.

What matters most on this page

  • Separate loud and quiet

    Zoning the floor plan reduces noise more cheaply than any panel.

  • Stop sound between rooms

    Partitions to the slab, insulation and sealed doors keep meetings private.

  • Absorb echo in open areas

    Acoustic ceilings, panels, carpets and soft furniture soak up reflected sound.

Acoustic measures

  • Acoustic ceilings

    Absorbent ceiling tiles or rafts are often the largest absorbent surface available in an open office.

  • Wall and desk panels

    Fabric or felt panels at head height reduce reflected sound around desks.

  • Flooring

    Carpet tiles absorb footfall and reduce noise compared with hard floors.

Before finishes are chosen

  • Map the noisy activities

    Calls, printing, kitchen, breakout and meeting rooms.

  • Identify quiet work

    Finance, legal or design teams who need concentration.

  • Check the ceiling void

    Sound travels over partitions through it; barriers may be needed.

Questions we are often asked

Will acoustic panels stop sound going through walls?

No. Panels reduce echo inside a room. Stopping sound between rooms needs the walls, ceilings and doors to be built for it.

Is open plan always noisy?

Not if zoning, absorbent surfaces and quiet rooms for calls are part of the design.

Do phone booths help?

They give people a place for calls and focused work, reducing noise on the main floor.

Can noise be measured before and after?

Yes. Simple measurements of background noise and reverberation give a baseline, so the effect of changes can be checked rather than assumed.

Related guides

Start from commercial fit-out, browse the guides, or see all renovation and fit-out services. We work on homes and commercial premises across Dubai.

Tell us about the property

Tell us which room, which element and what is being replaced. We will confirm the measurements and the sequence that follows.

Next step

Design out the noise

Tell us where noise is a problem today or how the new floor will be used. We will suggest layout and acoustic measures together.

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