An impressive homemade acoustic wall—here’s how dozens of folded books were put to good use

Tiitu, what sparked your interest in folding books?

I originally saw pictures of folded books on Pinterest and thought they looked intriguing. I’ve always been very hands-on, and I spent my career as a draftsman and a crafts entrepreneur. At first, I folded our old, broken books to decorate a shelf. Then I started designing my own patterns. I chose books from my late father and mother-in-law, but I also received bags of donated books from friends. Among them were classics I couldn’t bring myself to fold, so they ended up on my studio shelf.

I quickly got hooked, and at one point, folding books in front of the TV was all I did in the evenings. Sometimes, while waiting for my singing lesson at the education center, I’d grab some donated, worn-out books from a shelf and start folding them. In the end, I had box after box of folded books.

It takes about a couple of hours to fold one book. The more pages or the more intricate the pattern, the longer it takes.

“Sometimes I split a book or cut it crosswise with a sharp knife. It’s fun to realize you can do it that way too.”

What do you love most about folding books?

It’s wonderful to hold a book in your hands. I don’t read many physical books myself; I mostly listen to audiobooks, but I love the feel of a book and the beautiful fonts and paper. I especially enjoy using the brown pages of older books, which fold differently compared to newer paper.

Dozens of books were used for the wall. Some were split in half, which meant one book yielded two folded pieces.

Tiitu had accumulated 14 boxes of folded books.

How did you come up with the idea for an acoustic wall?

I took up singing in 2016 after I retired, and it’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. I’ve sung with a band and accompanists at dances and celebrations, joined singing competitions, and recorded a single. Being someone who loves a challenge, I also took part in “Talent” to show that even “someone older” can start a new hobby.

We decided to convert the old potato cellar in our farmhouse, which had been a storage space for junk, into a workroom for my husband. I also suggested it could double as my singing room.

However, the large 60-square-meter space echoed. I had 14 boxes of folded books and decided to try gluing them to the wall.

How did you build the acoustic wall?

First, I painted a large sheet of drywall, then hot-glued the folded books onto it with their covers. As my base, I used folded pieces made from identically sized books. In between those, I glued folded pieces of various sizes from other books that had no covers. The technique worked, because the wall has stayed in good condition for over a year. Still, attaching folded pieces to an upright wall was difficult. The glue dries quickly, and climbing ladders is awkward. For the second, narrower acoustic wall, I did the work on the floor and then propped it up. For that one, I used an insulation sheet as the base.

These acoustic walls became eye-catching features and do a great job of reducing echoes along with rugs and other textiles. Now the room is a perfect spot for singing karaoke with friends.

Tiitu prefers folding older books.