DIY Acoustic Panel With Mushroom Foam

This Instructable is a how-to on making acoustic panels at home using Ecovative GIY material and for an added bonus, I used a recycled t-shirt that was going to be thrown away. About two bags are required to make a 12" x 12" x 2" panel. Here are the materials that I used:

1. 2 x GIY Bags

2. Cardboard Box

3. Tape, Pencil, Marker, Ruler, T-square, Hobby Knife

4. Plastic bags for growing

5. Bin for growing (or plastic bag)

6. Velcro

7. Stapler

Here you create a mold for your panel using cardboard. I chose 12" because it fit a XL shirt. You could choose a different shape and/or a larger / smaller size.

1. Get a recycled cardboard box

2. Mark out the panel dimensions using a 2" depth.

3. Cut the cardboard outline and score the edges using a hobby knife / box cutter.

4. Fold and tape the edges.

In this step you grow the bag of GIY material and fill / grow the material.

1. Start growing the GIY material. This step takes several days.

2. Once the bag is grown, break up the material and add the material to the box, being sure to fill in evenly.

In this step you grow the material in the form and then remove the panel for the outside growth (stage 2).

1. Cover the form with a small trash bag or other similar sized bag.

2. Tape up the end of the bag to be sure it is sealed.

3. Poke 4-5 holes in the top of the bag with a thumb tack.

4. Grow the panel for 2-3 days or until the panel holds its shape.

5. Remove the panel from the cardboard form.

In this step you place the panel in the second growth stage and place in a bin. Be sure to seal the top of the bin well by wrapping the lid with tape or Seran wrap.

1. Place the panel in a bin or plastic bag for the second growth stage. (Add additional panels into the same growth bin at this point).

2. Cover the bin and seal the lid well with plastic or tape.

3. Poke 4-5 holes in the top of the bin.

4. Grow for 2-3 days or until the surface is saturated with white mycelium.

5. Remove the panel(s) and dry for at least two hours in the oven at 180F.

In this step I used an XL t-shirt to make the cover for the panel.

1. Place the panel on the shirt and measure 3 inches of fabric around all 4 edges.

2. Mark the edges using a marker and straight edge.

3. Cut out the square of material.

In this step I stapled on the fabric and applied Velcro to the back of the panel to stick to the wall.

1. Apply the fabric to the back of the panel using staples. Be sure to pull the fabric tight.

2. Remove the adhesive cover on the Velcro and staple the Velcro to the panel.

Remove the adhesive from the second part of the Velcro and stick the panel on the wall where you would like it. Add additional panels and colors for better acoustics & aesthetics!