An experimental study of how paint affects the specific airflow resistance and visual appearance of nonwoven scrims on acoustical ceiling tiles

Abstract

This study explores how paint affects the specific airflow resistance and visual appearance of nonwoven scrims used on acoustical ceiling tile. Nine different scrims are included. Each scrim is finished with two application rates of paint. The specific airflow resistance is measured by the ASTM C522 method. The painted samples are also scanned and the images processed by ImagePro software to characterize visual aspects such as number of features, area of features, and roundness. It is found that specific airflow resistance and visual responses can be correlated to the resistance of the unpainted scrim, the surface tension characteristics of the scrim and paint, and the application rate of the paint. The resulting empirical models can be used to understand design tradeoffs between airflow resistance and visual impact.