Dining rooms fall under DIN 18041 room group B: instead of a target value, a minimum absorption per cubic metre applies, so the level does not rise with every table. The calculator starts with 480 m³ (Restaurant), requirement at most 0.90 s, and suggests the area needed from 2,004 products with measured data.
Requirements by standard
Requirements for dining rooms in three room sizes. DIN 18041 sets a minimum absorption via A/V, the calculator converts it into a maximum reverberation time.
| Standard | Use | 200 m³ | 500 m³ | 1,000 m³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIN 18041, group BDIN 18041:2016-03 | Restaurant (B3) | at most 0.90 s | at most 0.90 s | at most 0.90 s |
| ÖNORM B 8115-3ÖNORM B 8115-3:2023-07 | Dining room, canteen (Klasse B) | at most 0.55 s | at most 0.55 s | at most 0.55 s |
| SS 25268, offices (Sweden)SS 25268:2023 | Dining hall, ceiling height below 3 m | at most 0.50 s | at most 0.50 s | at most 0.50 s |
| SFS 5907, classes A1 and A2 (Finland)SFS 5907:2022 | Canteen, dining hall (A2) | at most 1.20 s | at most 1.20 s | at most 1.20 s |
| NBN S 01-400-2, schools (Belgium)NBN S 01-400-2:2012 | Dining room (normal) | at most 1.00 s | at most 1.00 s | at most 1.00 s |
| CTE DB-HR (Spain)CTE DB-HR (2019) | Restaurant, dining room | at most 0.90 s | at most 0.90 s | at most 0.90 s |
Typical measures
- Acoustic plaster or a seamless acoustic ceiling where the ceiling stays visible.
- Absorbing wall areas as acoustic pictures or fabric-covered panels.
- Upholstered benches, curtains and carpet islands lower the level in the seating area.
- Treat bar and kitchen separately: tiles and stainless steel reflect.
Acoustic ceilings, rafts and acoustic pictures with measured data
All products in the search
Frequently asked questions
What reverberation time is right for a restaurant?
For dining rooms DIN 18041 requires a minimum absorption of A/V from 0.20 m⁻¹ at room heights up to 2.5 m. Converted, that gives reverberation times around 0.6 to 0.8 s. Above 1 s the level rises with every guest.
Why do restaurants keep getting louder?
Because every guest speaks against the level of the others. Absorption breaks this cycle: every halving of the reverberation time lowers the level by around 3 dB.
How much absorber area does a dining room of 500 m³ need?
At least 0.20 m² per cubic metre, so around 100 m². Class A acoustic plaster over the whole ceiling achieves that. The calculator shows how many rafts or pictures it takes otherwise.
Other room types
Formulas, DIN 18041 and worked example on the calculator page