https://youtu.be/8VAl-IJDvvc
By Adam Beranek
At Southern Calvert Baptist Church in Lusby, Maryland, we recently wrapped up an acoustic panel installation that made a huge difference in the sound quality of three key spaces: the sanctuary, the café, and the lobby. While the church had already taken care of the café and lobby themselves, we stepped in to complete the sanctuary install—and I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. In this post, I’ll walk you through the work we did, the challenges we faced, and why acoustic treatment is so crucial for these spaces.
The lobby is the first thing people experience when they step inside the church. The first time I visited, I immediately noticed how untreated surfaces—tile floors, drywall ceilings, and parallel walls—created a loud, echoey space. When multiple people started talking, the noise built up quickly, forcing everyone to raise their voices just to be heard.
To solve this, the church installed Prime Acoustic cloud panels on the ceiling, which made an instant difference. These panels help keep conversations clear without overwhelming background noise. Whether it’s people chatting before service, parents stepping out with a crying baby, or members catching up after church, having a properly treated space makes the environment far more welcoming.
The café, labeled the “Connect Café,” had the same issue. This is a key gathering spot for fellowship, but before the install, even a simple two-person conversation was hard to understand. I know this firsthand because my first discussion with Justin, the worship pastor, was at this very table—and even though we were only two feet apart, it was tough to hear each other.
Now, with eight cloud panels mounted on the ceiling and a slat wall helping to absorb sound, conversations in the café feel natural and comfortable. The church could even add more panels down the line for additional treatment, but the current setup already makes a significant impact.
The sanctuary was where we had to get creative. Unlike a standard rectangular room, this space had multiple architectural elements to consider:
Despite these challenges, the final install looks seamless and symmetrical.
We used 4×4 paintable panels in two different colors to match the sanctuary’s design. A professional painter handled the finishing, and the result was a clean, subtle look—so much so that if you aren’t paying close attention, you might not even notice the panels!
To ensure even spacing, we calculated the optimal layout, making slight adjustments to gap sizes where necessary to accommodate architectural elements. The final look feels intentional and well-integrated into the space.
In the balcony area, we installed six cloud panels per section, plus two directly above the mixing position. This provides:
One of the biggest unexpected challenges was the slanted floor in the main sanctuary. When we brought in the scissor lift, it struggled on the uneven surface. Instead of bringing in a different (and more expensive) lift, we adjusted our panel placement strategy. In the end, this actually improved the design by keeping the panels evenly spaced from the bulkhead to the front of the sanctuary.
Sound treatment isn’t just about making things quieter—it’s about creating a better listening experience.
✅ Clearer communication in the lobby and café
✅ Reduced echoes and better mix clarity in the sanctuary
✅ Less distraction for worshipers & the tech team
✅ A more controlled environment for both live sound and spoken word
The current PA system is still in use, but with this new acoustic treatment, it already sounds better. That said, we hope to return in the future to upgrade the sound system, bringing even more improvements to the worship experience.
This project turned out fantastic, and I want to give a huge shoutout to:
🎤 Justin, the worship pastor, for leading this initiative
🛠 Will, who stepped in last-minute to help with the install
🎨 Mitch from Prime Acoustic, for assisting with the design
If your church is struggling with bad acoustics, poor speech clarity, or distracting echoes, an acoustic treatment solution like this could make all the difference.
💡 Want to learn more? Check out our other acoustic treatment videos on the channel or visit churchfront.com to get in touch.
Stay tuned for future upgrades at Southern Calvert Baptist Church, and thanks for reading!
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