Pools combine the worst possible acoustic ingredients: hard reflective surfaces (tile, concrete, glass, water), high ceilings, and large open volumes. Sound bounces between these surfaces for 4-6 seconds in untreated pools — five to ten times the level recommended for clear speech. The result is uncomfortable noise levels, unintelligible announcements, vocal strain on instructors, and compromised swimming lessons. Children's voices in particular bounce around at frequencies that build up rapidly without absorptio

Yes, but only if specified correctly. Pool environments are typically 50-70% relative humidity and contain airborne chlorine compounds and ozone (depending on water treatment system). Standard fabric-wrapped panels and untreated mineral wool absorbents will degrade rapidly in these conditions. The panels we supply for pool environments use moisture-resistant cores (typically PET felt with sealed glass-fibre or specially-treated mineral wool), corrosion-resistant fixings (stainless steel rather than mild steel), and surface materials that won't support mould growth. Specific product certifications and humidity ratings are listed on each product page — happy to confirm suitability for your specific facility.

Yes — for school swimming pools, Building Bulletin 93 (BB93) specifies a maximum reverberation time of 1.5 seconds. Local authority and commercial leisure centres aren't always bound by BB93 retroactively but are increasingly designed to similar standards, and new-build aquatic facilities typically must demonstrate compliance with BB93 or equivalent. For private and luxury home pools, there's no formal standard but most owners aim for under 2 seconds RT60 for comfortable use. Our sister company Resonics carries out acoustic surveys of pool environments and certifies installations to meet BB93 requirements.

No. Acoustic panels absorb sound within the pool space to reduce echo and reverberation. They don't block sound transmission to neighbouring areas. If your concern is noise leaking from the pool to nearby teaching rooms, hotel guest rooms, or external buildings, that's soundproofing — a different solution requiring structural construction (mass, isolation, sealed doors). Pool environments often need both.

The ceiling above the pool is the highest priority — it's the largest reflective surface and faces directly onto the water. Suspended baffles and rafts work especially well in pool environments because they capture sound on multiple faces and sit between existing services (lighting, ventilation, pool covers). Upper wall surfaces, particularly above 2.5m height (where they're protected from splash), are the next priority. Lower walls are usually left untreated because they're routinely splashed, sat on, or subject to physical contact.

Pools typically need 40-50% coverage of the ceiling and upper wall area to bring reverberation into the BB93 target range — significantly higher than offices or restaurants because the volumes are larger and surfaces more reflective. The exact figure depends on pool size, ceiling height and surface materials. For formal compliance projects, an acoustic survey is the most reliable route — Resonics offers free initial surveys for UK pool facilities.

Pool acoustic projects vary widely with size: a small school pool (25m × 12m) typically comes in at £8,000–£20,000 for materials and installation. Medium-sized leisure centre pools (8-lane, 25m) range from £20,000–£45,000. Large competition pools and multi-pool aquatic facilities are scoped individually. The cost variation reflects ceiling height, surface area, choice of products, and access requirements (most pool installations need scaffolding or scissor lifts). Survey, supply and install via Resonics is typically the most cost-effective route for projects above £10,000.

Yes. Every panel we supply for pool environments carries a UK/EU fire classification suitable for public buildings — typically Euroclass B-s1,d0 or higher under BS EN 13501-1. Materials are non-toxic, low-VOC, and meet the hygiene standards required for public leisure facilities. Specific certifications are listed on each product page, and full documentation is available for any project that requires it (school specifications, leisure operator due diligence, building control sign-off).