How Does a Metallic Ceiling Perform in Terms of Sound Absorption and Reflection?

By nature, solid metal surfaces reflect sound, which can increase reverberation in untreated rooms. However, aluminum metallic ceilings can be engineered to absorb sound by using perforated or micro-perforated faces combined with acoustic absorbers placed in the plenum. The acoustic performance depends on open-area percentage, perforation geometry, absorber type and cavity depth; these parameters are tuned to target specific frequency ranges such as speech frequencies for offices or broader bands for auditoria. Micro-perforated panels excel at high-frequency absorption with a slim profile, while larger perforations with thicker mineral or fibrous backing broaden low-frequency performance. The result is a metallic ceiling that provides both the visual appeal of metal and practical sound control — an approach commonly used in coworking spaces in Singapore and university lecture halls in Kuala Lumpur. For critical acoustic projects, manufacturers supply lab-tested NRC data and installation recommendations so designers can match ceiling selection to required reverberation times and speech privacy targets.