Furniture with acoustical treatments

A sound absorbing desk in combination with a room in which said desk is located, said desk comprising:

• a) structures having vertical and horizontal surfaces, said horizontal surfaces including a writing surface;
• b) at least one of said structures consisting of at least one panel having (i) a front veneer with micro-perforations extending completely through vertical surfaces thereof, (ii) a sound porous core behind said front veneer, and (iii) a rear veneer behind said sound porous core and having micro-perforations extending therethrough, said micro-perforations of said front veneer acoustically connected to porous aspects of said sound porous core;
• c) said structures with vertical surfaces chosen from the group consisting of one or more of a door, a drawer front, and a support leg;
• d) said micro-perforations having an average diameter within a range of from 0.25 to less than 0.45 mm;
• e) said desk being located within said room whereby sounds within said room defined by soundwaves impinging upon said at least one panel are attenuated when they enter said micro-perforations;
• and
• f) whereby as compared to another article of furniture devoid of said at least one panel, said desk including said at least one panel exhibiting enhanced sound absorption measured by increased Sabin values and reducing sound reverberation time, thereby enhancing ability of occupants in said room to clearly hear spoken words and to communicate.

A structure for use in being incorporated into an article of furniture, comprising:

• a) a front veneer with a plurality of micro-perforations therethrough;
• b) a sound porous central core;
• and
• c) a rear veneer with a plurality of micro-perforations therethrough, said micro-perforations of said front veneer acoustically connected to porous aspects of said sound porous core;
• d) said micro-perforations in said front and rear veneers having diameters within the range of from 0.25 to less than 0.45 mm;
• e) said structure, when incorporated into an article of furniture and located in a room absorbing sound waves in said room and reducing sound reverberation time, thereby enhancing ability of occupants in said room to clearly hear spoken words and to communicate.