I been reading, ravenously, for days. I have a solid idea and my wife is prepped for the level of commitment (both financial and time wise) required to pull together a nice DIY room in our new house.

I'll add some really rough drawings in the next in the coming days, but wanted to get some things out of my head on here while at the same time, potentially garnering some feedback on construction choices I need to make now, while the house is still on someones CAD program and not in construction. They builder figures we have about 5 months.

I will have great attic access to the entire ceiling as well as attic access to the projector wall, fwiw.

My current issues:

- the are going to prewire the house for 7.1. I am unsure what wire will be used for this so I am really tempted to request that they don't run wire, but run 3/4 flex PVC to the specified locales which will allow for ahy future cabling, fairly simply.

- having the builder wire for sconces is pricey (from my perspective) since I have ample access, would it be better for my to do it after the fact?

- will one dedicated 110v circuit to the component closet be enough for all of the goodies?

- I have the option to run an AC vent directly into the component closet. With the closet being 4' x 3.5' I am tempted to just use a small vent fan in the roof to deal with the heat issue.

- since the room is on the second floor, should I entertain the idea of having them insulate the floor and interior during construction to help with the sound factor?

Thanks!

Supply the correct wire.

What is pricey sconce wiring?

One dedicated 20 Amp circuit will probably take care of the closet but most here will say get two. Don't forget to put a circuit in for the projector.

Don't forget a BIG conduit from the equipment closet to the projector location

It is more important to get the hot air out of the closet than to push cold air in. Push extra cold air into the theater proper. Don't under size the supplies most builders don't get it right. Be sure the room has a return air duct so that when you close the door you get circulation. The HVAC can be a pathway for sound to travel throughtout the house, there are ways to mitigate and you should have a plan.

Think about a heavy weather stripped door for the room (think exterior door)

Yes, insulate but it won't help with the low frequency action movie sounds. Go to soundproofingcompany.com and read the library of articles.

Think about staggered studs, and double layers of drywall with Green Glue.

150 a drop on the sconce wiring and 200 for the switch. So, at four sconces, 800. I can DIY it for far less I am thinking just tying it all together myself.

I had thought two dedicated lines, but was anticipating it would be overkill.

I hadn't thought about the AC from a "whole system" perspective but had anticipated sealing the entryway door. >.< With the positioning of the closet, I can simply exhaust it from the ceiling side and let the ambient air from the main room flow in, kind of using a bottom to top air flow.

Was anticipating 2" conduit to the projector, that should cover any size anything that would need running.

The wall piece I had a good idea on with the staggered joists and the like, its the floor I am finding troubling, tbh. The room sits over the entryway, living room and master closet/water shed. My only real concern is sound carrying into the master bedroom. Granted, the master closet is ridiculously huge, but it will have both our wardrobes in it, so that may help dampen some of it. But, from an acoustics perspective, I am getting out of my league.

I would have them leave the space bare while you come up with a plan for sound isolation/insulation and HVAC. Once you have that, you can decide what wiring you need that preserves the sound isolation. You have a lot of planning to do before anyone should be running wires.

Read the more popular forums and come up with a list of items/decisions that need to be made and then put them in the order that they have to happen. That will give you an outline of issues and then you can start looking at the details.

Best of luck.

That's the rough layout we are looking at. My initial thought is to place the return air behind the false wall, furthest from seating and likely the least noisiest place.

Overall, I haven't been very concerned with sound penetration upstairs as much as I am through the floor. The upstairs is mostly entertainment space as is, so there isn't a significant appreciable impact overall. My thought was the floor mostly, due the fact that most everyone seems to deal with cement floors.

Builder's update. >.<

They aren't too keen on using any wire that I would supply and aren't keen on switching to even a 16G pure copper wire for the speaker drops. They also don't have any interest in staggered studs or the like. Still waiting on a return air bid.

So, we've decided to DIY it all. They will frame out and finish the room, and we will go back through and pull down the sheet rock and flooring, insulate and redo. I am unsure of we would be able to re-use the first layer of drywall or if we would need to just tear it out claw hammer style.

Still monkeyin' with SketchUp to craft what we are looking at, room wise, but the sale of our current house and the move this weekend are taking more time than I would like. Once we get through the move and closing next week, thigns should settle down a bit more.

At least they need too... :rolleyes:

-=Kirt

Builders are dying for business and you are in the drivers seat. Their method of doing business in the past has been "we build it our way or we'll just sell it to someone else" and they are very skilled at saying things like " we can't use your wire because we don't know if it will pass inspection". Unfortunately you didn't make it clear from the beginning of the contracting process that there would be some special wiring, insulation, framing and HVAC needs for the theater room and that they were going to need to work with you meet your requirements. Hind sight is always 20/20 but now you know for the next house you build.

In your redo, Don't plan on reusing the drywall, the hassle and difficulty isn't worth the effort and the raw materials are cheap, about $10 sheet. If you had them insulate the walls and floor I would be tempted to just punch holes and run the wires. Patch the holes and then add another layer of drywall with some green glue.

That's the rough layout we are looking at. My initial thought is to place the return air behind the false wall, furthest from seating and likely the least noisiest place.


Don't do that. You will turn your false wall into a giant air filter.

I'd also reconsider the sconce up close by the screen, unless you zone it (which is a good idea). Even if you do zone it, you want the screen to be the focus of the screenwall, so I'd pull it closer to the seeting, out of the field of vision and not near your upgrade path when you get a bigger screen.

EDIT - Two rows, with a false wall and space behind the second row for audio all in 19 feet? Are you planning on recliners or traditional theater seats? I suspect you will need to at least put your second row by the rear wall.

Step on the brakes... I'm with Big, you need to let the builder know who's the boss and who's money it is that's paying for all this. If you wan't something done your way, you shouldn't have to go in after the fact to tear it up to then rebuild it the way it should've been the first time. Things get changed all the time after initial contracts that's what an amendment is for.

You won't be able to reuse the sheet rock or possibly the floor boards as the builders usually glue the boards down.

Just looked at the layout. With that size room I would push the seating back and think twice about using 2 ft for the false wall, Maybe do a modified front end design like BritinVA. He has all the speakers hidden behind a false wall but it is shaped such that he gave up very little throw distance.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k242/BritInVA/HT/stage4.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k242/BritInVA/Proscenium-1.jpg

Isn't Brit's screen painted on the wall? That gives up VERY little room.

Can't tell if the door to the component closet is drawn to scale or not, but with it swinging inward, there doesn't appear to be enough room for the equipment.

Terrific feedback! Yeah, not having a complete handle on HT construction coupled with pulling the trigger a bit sooner than I had anticipated + my first house build has made this a challenge.

BIG: Based on your feedback, it seems that going through the trouble for staggered studs once construction is complete won't garner me quite what it would be worth to retro, considering double drywall and green glue all around?

I can read what I can read, but never had experience with a before and after of any acoustic and sound dampening effects, I feel like I am flying blind on some of this.

I really like that false wall design that Brit is using. Being so short, room wise, I had fleetingly wondered if something like that might be more feasible or even possible. I'll give his thread the once over for that piece.

DC: Great call on the return, that would be a nightmare. >.<

KJLewie: That was my best Paint pic OI could make, not to scale. I'm not near that craft with Paint or even art for that matter. I am working with SketchUp to get an accurate picture, literally. The closet is 4'6" by 4' I think! I figger I can fit a rack in there, with a swivel or lazy susan type design. If I recall correctly, I saw someone do that with an in-wall stack that slide in and out as well as rotated and thought it amazingly handy from an access perspective.

EDIT: Come to think of it, we may need to alter that door, I'll check it next week at the model.

BIG: Based on your feedback, it seems that going through the trouble for staggered studs once construction is complete won't garner me quite what it would be worth to retro, considering double drywall and green glue all around?



Oh, I didn't interpret your comments to the extent that you would retro fit the room with staggered studs. Either staggered studs or whisper clips and channel on the walls will help with containing the sound in the room. It hasn't been stated what your sound containment needs are going to be. Like light sleepers in the next room etc.

Keep in mind that sound containment is a team effort requiring the walls, floor, ceiling, door and HVAC system connections to all work together. If you connect the theater with metal duct work that T's off of a main trunk that connects to the bedrooms, that duct will act like and intercom.

http://www.srwild.com/images/543.jpg

To say yes do the walls, we would need to know more about everything else to tell you if it is going to be worthwhile.

So, now that the closing is Friday and the move is complete (except I haven't found my tennis shoes yet. >.<) Here is the architects layout for the room and the above inserted pic, both imbedded for your viewing pleasure.

http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp138/Eviserator/NewhouseHT.jpg

And...

http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp138/Eviserator/ht_cad.jpg

There have been two changes the wife and I have discussed which I will detail now. One, instead of the riser being a non attached seemingly floating entity, she wants it to run to both the exterior walls. Two, she wants to add a high backed wall seat in the turret with some type of movable/retractable tabletop so that our son and maybe a buddy will have room to sit and eat pizza or whatnot without sitting in the theater proper. She wants to do like a red velvet type seat, big and puffy with diagonal buttons sewn on. The details on this to be worked out as we go.

Since I am planning some type of soffit box for lighting and am thinking as a likely spot for the CA return.

Build update, We are going to have them put insulation in the floor and we will do the rest of the insulation and such. We are going to run the speaker wiring as well and since I will be up there, am entertaining running 11.1 as some have talked about in the "If I had it to do over" thread. That thread is a venerable gold mine!!!

Like the Chinese Proverb says "A smart man learns from his own mistakes; a wise man learns from others."

It's been a really long time coming, but the framing aspect of the house is well underway. I got them to do a custom staggered stud construction (custom becasue it isn't something they've ever done).

The builder is amazing to say the least. The company was originally intending on not being able to supply any real additional construction for the ht room, due the complexity of the build and nature of the local inspectors. Our Sales guy met with the owner of the company and in discussing some other options we'd looked into, told him about my goals with the room. The owner felt it wasteful for us to go back in after the fact, rip out the floor walls and ceiling to redo the work we were fixin to pay them to do. As such, we got what I felt was a terrific price on staggered stud wall construction coupled with insulation in all walls and the floor.

Which leads me to my current quandary. Since there is concern with the inspectors not passing a house with a true staggered stud construction, they are setting the outer row of 2x4s in 16" centers, as would be expected. They will then insulate all the walls and then place, every so often, the staggered stud that faces the wall internally. I know that from an insulating perspective this will render a good chunk of the R value mute, as mashing the batting has that effect.

The part I am unclear on is how impactful will this be on the sound insulating factor. Should I follow along behind them and cut backing on the insulation where the staggered stud is mashing the batting insulation?

Additionally, should I request that the studs to be added, the staggered studs, on greater than a 16" center? Maybe 32" to help further reduce sound transfer?

Nothing wrong with a staggered wall as far as code. Why would using more studs be a liability from an inspector's perspective?

Compressing the insulation will allow some conduction to occur. Should be avoided.

24" spacing on the studs would be the max. Not such a big deal once decoupled via staggering.

So, things roll.

The shingles are being finished today, and further clarification on the rooms construction. The foreman is a great guy, but playing telephone through the salesman to him is proving a bit frustrating. Both rock, but ensuring my intentions are conveyed properly the first time is the unnerving part.

The first photo is a bit outdated, it only serves as a location reference. The room, as you will surmise quickly is the in the upper left hand corner, where the turret is.

http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp138/Eviserator/431.jpg

This is the screen wall. The wife suggested the possibility of locating this wall a foot or two back, as it is jsut attic space back there and allow for a bit further throw.

http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp138/Eviserator/422.jpg

This is the turret, from the inside. We are envisioning this being a small seating area with a bar type table for eating and such. More for kids eating, but you know what I mean. ;)

http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp138/Eviserator/423.jpg
http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp138/Eviserator/426.jpg
http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp138/Eviserator/427.jpg

Finally, the equipment closet. Not the best pic by far, but I think it can convey the idea and visual representation of it's overall footprint.

http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp138/Eviserator/425.jpg

My wife has dubbed this "The Boom-Boom Theater" after the expected sound emanation as well as a nod to Morgana, the kissing bandit.

I'll update in a couple of days with a more detailed drawing of the riser and such. Envisioning and such becomes much easier once one can stand in the space you expect to build in.

This is the screen wall. The wife suggested the possibility of locating this wall a foot or two back, as it is jsut attic space back there and allow for a bit further throw.


http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp138/Eviserator/422.jpg

From the angle of the shot it looks like a structural wall with that beefy top plate and what looks like some serious roof truss components resting on the wall.
While it could be moved, it doesn't look easy at this point. But now is the time to consider it.

Looking great!

If it is not too late, I would have them change the staggered stud approacha a bit. Yes, they staggered the studs, but from the pics they look like they are physically side-by-side with each other. This produces a huge flanking path which is the thing you are trying to avoid when using a staggered stud wall. You are not decoupling the internal walls. I am afraid keeping it the way you have it gives you no real additional soundproofing versus a standard stud wall.

Have them move the inside room studs to the middle of the stud cavity of the outside studs. You can check out an article here to see how:

http://www.soundproofingcompany.com/library/articles/staggered_stud_wall_construction/

It looks like they may have put the studs together to make the insulation an easy install. They would really need to cut each piece into two and place between the narrow cavities - very time consuming and something they probably would not like.

Robert

Great eye Robert!

That was discussed the first day they put them in. Also, not as discernable in the pic, the turret has the same issue, only it is EVERY board in there.

They had their sales/construction meeting today, so I am eager to see what was decided on that front. I am also having an opening between the closet and the room itself to allow for passive transfer of warm air. I was envisioning something akin to an old floor mount heater vent, that I grew up with in MI. We thought it would look snazzy with a cast iron antique cover.

Big:

I hadn't even seen that, good call. In that case, we might be better off just putting some small, semi recessed boxes in there so everything doesn't protrude out so far. Only an 18' length gives me cause for pause.