Sealing Fiber Glass?

At our theater we have a pit that can be lowered or raised through Wenger platforms. The platform pieces have fiberglass on the underside as sound damping I presume. The issue is when we have to handle the platforms, the fiberglass fibers can really irritate your skin. These fiberglass bats do not have a vapor barrier, like regular household insulation.
Does anyone have a recommendation or experience with a spray on sealer that could seal the fiber glass and keep fibers from coming off when the platform pieces are handled?
 
Don't have much experience with Wenger platforms, but is this a factory solution? It seems like a very interesting approach if it is. Is it the denser style of fiberglass board similar to what's used in acoustic panels, or is it closer to the actual pink insulation batts common in houses? Either way, I wouldn't recommend any sort of spray-on coating, but rather a physical barrier. Whether that be something like luan cut to size, or duvetyn somehow affixed to the underside I do not know. I would be afraid spray-on solutions may saturate the fiberglass and alter its sound-absorbing properties.
 
Don't have much experience with Wenger platforms, but is this a factory solution? It seems like a very interesting approach if it is. Is it the denser style of fiberglass board similar to what's used in acoustic panels, or is it closer to the actual pink insulation batts common in houses? Either way, I wouldn't recommend any sort of spray-on coating, but rather a physical barrier. Whether that be something like luan cut to size, or duvetyn somehow affixed to the underside I do not know. I would be afraid spray-on solutions may saturate the fiberglass and alter its sound-absorbing properties.
I would not use any solid surface product, as it is reflective. The purpose of the under-deck damping is to reduce acoustic reflections between the underside of the deck and the floor. Banjo cloth might be a solution - it's a fairly open weave, inherently flame retardant, and inexpensive.
 
At our theater we have a pit that can be lowered or raised through Wenger platforms. The platform pieces have fiberglass on the underside as sound damping I presume. The issue is when we have to handle the platforms, the fiberglass fibers can really irritate your skin. These fiberglass bats do not have a vapor barrier, like regular household insulation.
Does anyone have a recommendation or experience with a spray on sealer that could seal the fiber glass and keep fibers from coming off when the platform pieces are handled?
Sounds like the contractor never finished if handling loose exposed fiberglass is necessary for it's operation?
 
Don't have much experience with Wenger platforms, but is this a factory solution?
No. When Wenger or any other platforming vendor wants to quiet down a deck, they do it internally in the core of the deck. Chances are it was someone at the theater who installed it some years ago.

Fiberglass batting is not that great at reducing footfall noise. It makes the platform cavity less of an echo chamber, but the proper way to reduce footfall noise is by adding mass and absorption within the core of the deck. That's why Wenger's premium deck options are considerably heavier and the economy options are essentially just a wooden deck surface. Batting below the deck offers some improvement, but it's really not that effective at the frequencies that footfall noise occurs at.

Exposed fiberglass batting is a health hazard. If you must keep it, cover it up like an absorptive acoustic panel with an FR-rated fabric as @TimMc said. Aside from the itching and skin irritation, the fibers become airborne and get into your lungs. Until you have an opportunity to cover it up or remove it, anytime you are working with the platforms you should be wearing masks. Gloves and long-sleeve shirts will also help reduce the skin irritation.
 
Don't have much experience with Wenger platforms, but is this a factory solution? It seems like a very interesting approach if it is. Is it the denser style of fiberglass board similar to what's used in acoustic panels, or is it closer to the actual pink insulation batts common in houses? Either way, I wouldn't recommend any sort of spray-on coating, but rather a physical barrier. Whether that be something like luan cut to size, or duvetyn somehow affixed to the underside I do not know. I would be afraid spray-on solutions may saturate the fiberglass and alter its sound-absorbing properties.
It's like fiberglass bats, like the pink stuff, there is a slight membrane to it, but whenever we handle the platforms, we get fiberglass dust on us, so I'm looking for a way to seal the fiberglass. The sound absorption is kind of not an issue, since when the pit is at house level, there are audience seats bolted to them. When the pit is down for musicians, we cover the pit with carpet.
 
No. When Wenger or any other platforming vendor wants to quiet down a deck, they do it internally in the core of the deck. Chances are it was someone at the theater who installed it some years ago.

Fiberglass batting is not that great at reducing footfall noise. It makes the platform cavity less of an echo chamber, but the proper way to reduce footfall noise is by adding mass and absorption within the core of the deck. That's why Wenger's premium deck options are considerably heavier and the economy options are essentially just a wooden deck surface. Batting below the deck offers some improvement, but it's really not that effective at the frequencies that footfall noise occurs at.

Exposed fiberglass batting is a health hazard. If you must keep it, cover it up like an absorptive acoustic panel with an FR-rated fabric as @TimMc said. Aside from the itching and skin irritation, the fibers become airborne and get into your lungs. Until you have an opportunity to cover it up or remove it, anytime you are working with the platforms you should be wearing masks. Gloves and long-sleeve shirts will also help reduce the skin irritation.
No, these came this way from Wenger. Also, see my last reply.
 
No, these came this way from Wenger. Also, see my last reply.
That's...interesting, though I suppose not entirely surprising considering some of the things I've seen Wenger do. Know the model and have any photos of the undersides?

You could encase it like you're asking -- though off the top of my head most of the sprays you could use for something like that present an issue of producing toxic smoke if they caught fire and may have some undesirable off-gassing/odors aside from being a colossal amount of square footage for the amount you might need to cover. Can't say I've seen that option from Wenger before, at least factory-direct, so having a hard time visualizing it, but my off-the-cuff idea would be to slice up my rolls of thin poly sheeting staple/fasten it into place or tack it with spots of adhesive spray. Covering it up it is probably a better route than spraying it with some kind of coating.

You can get wide rolls of poly sheeting in various thicknesses from Lowe's/Home Depot/etc. Probably can do quite a few platforms with a single roll, if not all of them.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back