First off I would like to send a huge thank you to everyone that has contributed to this forum. If it wasn't for all of you, I would have built a Home Theater with a bed sheet, slide projector and some old kitchen chairs and called it a day. I have learned more in the last couple months than I could ever hope for. I feel like I am building a decent theater (not great, but decent), I just hope it comes out like I plan. Long story short....I started planning my unfinished basement about 2 years ago and settled on a design last July and started framing. This is completely DIY so I try and work on it when I can. After finding this forum I decided that I needed to stop for a while and plan accordingly for a Home Theater. This is where I start off:
Finishing off a 2,100 sq ft basement
Bar, TV area, Storage/Workroom, Workout Room, Kids Area, and Home Theater
Currently framed and some electrical run
Home Theater is 12.5' x 23' open to the basement
Two rows of seats with a riser with bar stools behind
1080p Projector with 11'w 2.35 screen (SMX) and lens
Star Ceiling
Not sure of all my equipment yet I am getting there

I will post some pictures of current basement framing along with my master plans and update when I can. Your feedback is always appreciated. Thanks again for opening my eyes to the joy of Home Theaters...I am addicted.

Another victim, cough cough I mean AVS theater builder :) Welcome! Be sure to post plenty of pics. Has anyone else noticed the number of scope screen installs seems to be rising quite a bit lately? Pretty soon having a scope screen will be the norm, and we will have to find something even more exotic... Fun!

I started thinking I was going to put in a 50" Plasma but before long I discovered Scope and away we went!

Ok here is the current basement plan. This was version #832 and it finally got the wife approval. She asked the other day if we could watch regular TV in the HT. Silly woman.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/scan0001.gif

Looks like a cool place to drink with a bunch of buddies while watching a football game :cool:

Wished we had basemants down here..

Looks like a cool place to drink with a bunch of buddies while watching a football game :cool:

Wished we had basemants down here..


Without a basement I would be lost. Where would I store all my junk? :)

Without a basement I would be lost. Where would I store all my junk? :)

Looking at your plan -- where will you store all your junk? The storage room is smaller than the theater... Oh, is the "fitness" room destined for future junk storage?

See personally I'd switch the exercise room and the home theater...

Looking at your plan -- where will you store all your junk? The storage room is smaller than the theater... Oh, is the "fitness" room destined for future junk storage?


There is actually a support pole just to the left of the Fitness room entrance which I did not want to deal with in the HT so I put it in a wall. No way was I going to get ambitous and move the pole. My luck I would have brought the whole house down. I think my exercise equipment can be officailly classified as junk seein as I haven't used it in months. :o

Is there going to be a rail or something behind the barstools on the riser? You don't want people tumbling off backward after a couple of drinks in the dark.

Is there going to be a rail or something behind the barstools on the riser? You don't want people tumbling off backward after a couple of drinks in the dark.

Good point. I will have to look into that. Knowing my friends it is pretty likely.

I think you may want to do a little bit more to scale modeling of the seating and seating heights. I don't see much leg room for the second row.

I'm not sure you'll need a 10 inch riser and you may not need to elevate the bar stools. It all depends on how low the screen will be and how far back your rows will end up.

Here are some great pics of Buffbakers 2 rows with stools and you will notice that the stools are not elevated, so no need for a railing.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=628588&highlight=heynow

I think you may want to do a little bit more to scale modeling of the seating and seating heights. I don't see much leg room for the second row.

I'm not sure you'll need a 10 inch riser and you may not need to elevate the bar stools. It all depends on how low the screen will be and how far back your rows will end up.

Here are some great pics of Buffbakers 2 rows with stools and you will notice that the stools are not elevated, so no need for a railing.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=628588&highlight=heynow


Yep my scale drawing is not too accurate. Eye distance will be 11' and 17' and according to my riser calculator I need 12" riser if the people in the back are 36" eye height. Buffbakers setup is exactly what I want so thanks for the link. Great point about the bar stool row and not having it on a riser. Maybe I should get a bar stool and test this out. Pictures are coming.

View of the bar
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC00856.jpg

Entrance to the Fitness area
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC00859.jpg

View of the Home Theater space. Notice the sweet couches and my weak screen mockup.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC00865.jpg

From a different angle. Outside blue tape is the actual width (or at least close to the actual)
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC00858.jpg

View from the HT to the rest of the basement
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC00861.jpg

Looking at the bar. Bought a fridge last weekend and wired the circuit so now I can move beer out of the garage. Still more workout stuff out of place.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC00863.jpg

Anyone need a nasty mattress?
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC00864.jpg

View of the bar
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC00863.jpg


Greetings from a *reformed* Michigander!

It looks like you have a lot of room to create with. I do miss those BIG basements back there.

But Dude! You have to get the excercise equipment away from the bar. Guilt is such a buzz kill ;)

Good luck, post a lot of pictures, and I'm more people than you would believe will be watching your project with great interest.

Thanks Pat!

I want to be a reformed Michigander as well, want to trade states?

Sorry, once you learn to love these blizzards, avalanches, rockslides, flash floods, the lightning, hailstorms, wildfires, and coyotes eating your cat, there is just no going back!

Maybe I should get a bar stool and test this out.

Bar stool seat height is 30 inches for planning purposes

Bar stool seat height is 30 inches for planning purposes

Thanks bigmouth! Have you heard about anyone with an open back wall (or lack of wall) and where they put their rear speakers? I am thinking that I would ceiling mount and aim down on an angle but not entirely sure.

I have an open back design with a back bar. Here is shot to give you an idea.
still don't have the counter top.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b393/bigmouthindc/DSCN3124.jpg

I took the Audax home theater kit and modified the surrounds using an angled baffle design inspired by the one that Triad makes for the rears

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b393/bigmouthindc/ceilingspeaker.jpg

Then I covered it with fabric and it blends in with the trim that we put on the ceiling to add a little interest to the otherwise drab ceiling.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b393/bigmouthindc/DSCN3321.jpg

Here is the link for the Triad angled ceiling speaker example:

http://www.triadspeakers.com/products/icg6o.html

BigMouth - Great photos! Your place is looking great. Definately what to do a similar back bar layout as yours. Thanks for the speaker suggestion. That is a great idea. I only worry that I am not nearly ambitious and may just use ceiling mounts and angle towards the seats. Can't wait to see your finished theater.

OK so got some things done this weekend. Finally got the fitness room lights wired to the circuit...
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC00869.jpg
...nothing caught on fire. Then I started plumbing with my brother in law and newphew. My first time with plumbing so cut me some slack, I know it is not pretty but no leaks....anymore.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC00868.jpg
This is where it enters into the base cabinet. Still need to work on supports and stuff but fine for now.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC00866.jpg
Great work where we tapped in...actually the burn marks are from the ORIGINAL plumbing when the house was built 4 years ago.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC00871.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC00870.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC00867.jpg
The carnage from trying to fix a leak after pressurizing the lines.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC00872.jpg
After 2 hours we just heated it up, pulled apart the leaking joint, cleaned it up and redid it.
This weekend is my sons 3rd birthday so Saturday is lost and Sunday I have to go into work to get ready for some clients coming in town so probably not much going to happen until next week. Oh yeah, one last artistic picture...
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC00873.jpg
...I call it "code violation". Not thinking, I ran a couple wires on an angle through the walls. Easy fix. Trying to do everything to code (or close to it).

Jay, nice start. My theater dimensions are very similar to yours 12.5' X 22', I'm a little farther along (Drywall is up) , any ideas on what equipment you will be using sound wise.


btw looks like we live in the same area.

Matt

Matt,

Not sure about the equipment choices yet. They will be based on my budget (which I haven't set yet) so most likely I will have a flashlight and SlideMaster as a projector, some rockin' speakers I got from a Craig radio I bought in '84 and a few lawn chairs. Seriously I hope to do the following:

Sony 1080p projector
2 rows of 3 Coster Seats
Axiom Speakers and sub
Not sure on a receiver yet
power cleaner
Blue Ray DVD Player
PS3

I am sure it will change 47 times until I am ready to buy it all but its kind of a wish list.

Where do you live in Macomb? I am near 21 and Romeo Plank. Would love to stop by and see the progress you have made some day. I hope to have mine finished by September but have a busy summer coming up so not sure if that is going to happen.

Jay

Jay,

I've changed my equipment choices many times, I was also going with the Axiom speakers at first but then switched over to Klipsch Reference Line after hearing them (the Axiom are great speakers, I just liked the sound of the Klipsch horns). I'm also going to try and go the DIY route on the sub, at first I was going to pre-order the new SVS Ultra in May but changed my mind after stumbling on to the DIY speaker thread.

As far as were I live, I'm just over at 23 Mile and Card not even three miles away. I'd be more then happy to have you over, we could exchange ideas.

Ok, plumbing is done. Next I am finishing electrical this weekend and then on to the speaker and other wiring. My thoughts are that I would run speaker wire to each general speaker location (7.1 setup) but I am confused on what I should run for the future? What should I run for my sub? I am planning on a single sub for right now but would like to add a second some day. What about cat5e and should I run any of that for a media PC? My brain hurts. I swear if I finish this thing by Christmas it will be a miracle.

The wife is out of town for the week so I am playing Mr. Mom and haven't gotten a single thing done this week. Where do you all get the time to work on your rooms?

I have to wait till the kids (3 and 6months) go to sleep around 9:00 then I try to get about 2 hours in every night. If I go down there before my 3 year old goes to sleep he just sits at the top of the basement stairs and never goes to sleep. Weekends are when I get the most done when I'm in town.

No more SMX for the DIYer. :( That is going to be a real setback for my screen. I should have ordered it when I had the chance. Anyone have any other AT screen ideas?

Do you know why they call it mothers day....because apparently you have to get your wife cards and visit family and you aren't allow to work on your "baby". I feel like I am giving birth...doesn't that count?

Considering building my own speakers now because of some threads I saw....you guys are killing me. :)

I can't believe it has been 2 months since my last post. This summer is flying. With work, tee ball, vacations at the cottage, guys golf weekend, etc there has been little time to work on the basement. Here is an update:

Finished my "rough" electrical
Ordered my SMX screen material
Ordered 500' Speaker Wire (14g)
Ordered Cat5e
Bought 65 rolls of insulation (Thanks to HD and a $200 rebate)
Boxed in my support posts and beams

Need to start getting some insulation up in places I don't need to run Speaker and Cat 5 so that I can move. Pictures to come tomorrow so that you can see the progress or lack there of. Looks like a bomb went off downstairs.

Some pictures of the latest progress...

Framed the columns and support beams.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01014.jpg

Wired pool table light and soffit lights.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01010.jpg
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01021.jpg

Ran electical for star ceiling. Switched outlet and light box will be in exercise room and then run over the wall to the home theater.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01020.jpg

65 Rolls of the pink stuff. Will pack ceiling with rockwool first above theater to help a little with sound.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01012.jpg

500ft of 14g speaker wire
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01023.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01021.jpg



I used the exact same lights in my light tray. I assume you got them at the big orange? they were on clearance down in florida, I think I paid $40 for 6 of them or something like that.

I like them, but the only issue I have is they generate alot of heat...

I used the exact same lights in my light tray. I assume you got them at the big orange? they were on clearance down in florida, I think I paid $40 for 6 of them or something like that.

I like them, but the only issue I have is they generate alot of heat...

Mine are identical. I actually have one that generates enough heat that after an hour or so the thermal protection kicks in and it shuts off. After about 10 minutes it comes back on and stays on for another hour. The cycle then repeats. When I get time I'll figure out why it's doing it.

As a safety FYI, don't work anywhere near them or touch them when they're on. They WILL burn you! Also, don't install them anywhere too close to a proscenium wall. I was working on my proscenium panels and I left one leaning close to the light. It melted a quarter-sized patch in the speaker cloth fabric on the top edge of the panel. Not burned, melted.

-drin

I used the exact same lights in my light tray. I assume you got them at the big orange? they were on clearance down in florida, I think I paid $40 for 6 of them or something like that.

I like them, but the only issue I have is they generate alot of heat...

Yep, exact same ones except you got a better deal. Mine were $12 ea but I only needed three.

Mine are identical. I actually have one that generates enough heat that after an hour or so the thermal protection kicks in and it shuts off. After about 10 minutes it comes back on and stays on for another hour. The cycle then repeats. When I get time I'll figure out why it's doing it.

As a safety FYI, don't work anywhere near them or touch them when they're on. They WILL burn you! Also, don't install them anywhere too close to a proscenium wall. I was working on my proscenium panels and I left one leaning close to the light. It melted a quarter-sized patch in the speaker cloth fabric on the top edge of the panel. Not burned, melted.

-drin

I'll have to keep an eye out for the heat issues. If you figure it out let me know. Luckily they are going in empty drywalled soffits so hopefully I won't have any problems. I will switch over to a Halo remodel 4" can if they give me problems. Thanks for the burn warning. Knowing my luck I'll still fry myself!

A month???!!!! It's been a month since my last post and I had hoped to have awesome photos to show the great progress, but unless you want photos of me visiting my sister in Windsor, visitng the folks, touring Wrigley Field, travelling to San Fran for work, going to birthday parties or 100 other things I have had to do this month these will have to do.

Stairs to the basement. I need some sort of sign there.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01078.jpg

Bought a new toy. Boy I wish I had bought this earlier. It drives screws like a champ. Ended up returning it to The Big Orange and buying a combo kit with that and the 18v XPR Hammer drill for $50 more.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01070.jpg

Also found some Roxul (for the HT ceiling) less than a mile from my house. 4 batts fit in the Jeep perfectly.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01061.jpg

Got a PowerBridge for the Projector. I think I am over doing it...I should just get a Cummins Natural Gas Generator and skip the PowerBridge. Then no worries about power failures (which I have had 1 in 4.5 years and that was when the entire East Coast and Midwest went down).
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01068.jpg


Got my screen! I need to find a better place to park it. At this rate I wont get to it until next year.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01073.jpg

Haven't had the chance to get mush done in the last month but here goes it...

Ran PVC pipe from HT ceiling to where my star ceiling iluminator will go.

Ran 14g speaker wire, RG6 quad sheilded cable, Cat5e from equipment rack location to each of 7 speaker locations. So I should be a little future proof. Also ran RG6 to each sub location.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01062.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01065.jpg

It may look like a rats nest but I labeled everything. I knew that label maker would pay off one day.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01075.jpg

This was a ton of work! You can also see some of the Roxul I put in the ceiling along with all my fancy fireblocking.

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01066.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01063.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01064.jpg

Put in all the Roxul in the ceiling above the HT. On top of that goes R13 pink stuff for no good reason.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01067.jpg

My tools of the insulation trade...
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01076.jpg
PS. Don't forget to wear a long sleeve shirt like I did the first 30 minutes...

The regular fluffy fiberglass does not irritate that bad. The worst itch I ever got was messing around with these yellow fiberglass ceiling tiles. Easily 10 times worse itch than fluffy stuff.

Keep on trucking through with the construction, whenever you feel like you aren't getting anything done (usually happens in the electrical the most) just look at old pictures from when you started and it will give you motivation to finish. ;)

ugh yellow fiberglass ceiling tiles....

The regular fluffy fiberglass does not irritate that bad. The worst itch I ever got was messing around with these yellow fiberglass ceiling tiles. Easily 10 times worse itch than fluffy stuff.

Keep on trucking through with the construction, whenever you feel like you aren't getting anything done (usually happens in the electrical the most) just look at old pictures from when you started and it will give you motivation to finish. ;)

Agreed. Ceiling tiles are MUCH worse! My goal now is to do a little bit of isulation each night. If I do a roll a night I'll be done in 65 days. Not too shabby! :rolleyes:

I bought some 2" Carlon conduit to run from my AV rack to my projector location. My question is how do I terminate it? It is too large to work with Carlon lov voltage boxes I have been using and I can't figure out what to do. Has anyone else run into this issue?
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01085.jpg
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01086.jpg

I have also made an alternate projector location with and outlet should I need it. Now have locations at 16 and 19'.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01090.jpg

Got most of the insulating completed in the Home Theater area. It is starting to look like something. Only 1800 more square feet to go and the ENTIRE basement will be insulated.:D

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01091.jpg


Here is my conduit for my fiber optic star ceiling. It runs into the exercise room where I will house the light box.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01083.jpg

Maybe I'll be finished by Christmas???? If so then the first film has to be Christmas Vacation!

My New Years Resolution is to keep this thread updated. Obviously I didn't accomplish much this Fall so maybe this Winter will be better. I can't believe that I thought I might have this done at Christmas. I must have been drinking. If i was only doing a Home Theater it wouldn't be so bad but trying to finish 2,200 sq ft by yourself is slow going. Here is the update:

Finished all the insulating, put Intergrity Gasket on all the floor joists (that's the green stuff a couple of pics below) and started drywall with a brand spanking new drywall lift I bought for $80
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01405.jpg
Ordered 2 25' Series-1 Belden Bonded-Pair HDMI cables from BJC
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01263.jpg
Ran cables through my conduit for my projector...anyone have any suggestion on how to terminate 2" flexible conduit? Does Carlon make anything? Right now I just cut a small hole for the cables to come through the ceiling but I would love a neater solution.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01409.jpg
Here is what it looked like before I started to drywall
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01086.jpg
Any suggestions for terminating that 2" beast behind my AV rack?
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01085.jpg

I also bought this fun toy as a Christmas Gift to myself. It's a holiday tradition I like to keep. You see I buy something and then the wife yells "That's your Christmas present!". Ah Yes, the sounds of the holiday.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01413.jpg
Tried to buy the Berkline's at Costco but as you can see I am nowhere ready for seating and she called me out on it.

So I would like to have drywall finished by end of January but seeing I have wasted every other timeline I think I will make it end of February. No way am I mudding and taping, I'll pay some poor sap for that.

PS. Why didn't anyone tell me how freaking heavy 5/8" drywall is???? I think my back is broken.:D

Looking good so far. Hopefully you didn't get a noisy 80 gig.

Actually quiet as can be. I can hardly hear it.

So I would like to have drywall finished by end of January but seeing I have wasted every other timeline I think I will make it end of February. No way am I mudding and taping, I'll pay some poor sap for that.



Starting to come along and look like a room now. Nice work! I agree with you on mudding and taping. I did my own and i hated it!

i want to go on record as saying I hate anyone that is allowed to run romex and meet code, that's just waaaaay too easy. I wish, so jealous.




looking good though, thanks for the updates!

Thanks! Plus at my Mach One speed I wouldn't finish mudding and taping until 2025!

It does make the running electrical a lot easier that is for sure.

Gee in three months I have managed to hang all the drywall. (Ok let's be honest, I am really CLOSE to having it all hung...like 97%, just a few pieces here and there.)

Here is the HT area. Still need to build my stage and false wall and make a plug for the window.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01457.jpg

Bar area is coming along. Still need a few sheets to finish up so I will get them this weekend and get er done.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01460.jpg

Kids play room.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01462.jpg

I have all my mud and tape in the garage already. It was a freebie from my brother-in-laws construction project. Just need to schedule my wife's uncles to come over to do it all.

I am still a ways off. My realistic goal is to finish by Christmas. (Of couse that is what I said last year.) Once I am done with the drywall then I can really make some progress!

Hey Jay, Im at 22 and romeo plank! I 'm actually in the planning stages right now for my basement and theater. question for ya, how high is your ceiling in the theater part of your build after drywall? Im worried mine will be too low cause I have some vents running where Im planning to place my theater and the ceiling will only be about 6' 5" after I hang the drop ceiling. Looks great so far by the way, keep up the great work.

Hey Jay, Im at 22 and romeo plank! I 'm actually in the planning stages right now for my basement and theater. question for ya, how high is your ceiling in the theater part of your build after drywall? Im worried mine will be too low cause I have some vents running where Im planning to place my theater and the ceiling will only be about 6' 5" after I hang the drop ceiling. Looks great so far by the way, keep up the great work.

I am south of 22 east of RP in Beacon Square. If you ever want to stop by and look at my insanity you are more that welcome. Just drop me a message and I will send you my contact info. I planned my basement one house ago and when things weren't working out the way I wanted I went and bought a new house with a bigger basement just to do what I wanted. Ceiling is actually 8'-9" or so. Had it made extra deep so I would have room. Put the drywall right to the floor joists as I knew I wasn't going to really have a sound proof room. Wish I had done hat channels on the ceiling. Would have made the drywalling easier.

Gee in three months I have managed to hang all the drywall. (Ok let's be honest, I am really CLOSE to having it all hung...like 97%, just a few pieces here and there.)

If it makes you feel any better, I've been doing drywall for 11 months. Initial drywall, change of plans, drywall the new back-stage, then double drywall everywhere. But its DONE! (~two weeks ago).

Paul

If it makes you feel any better, I've been doing drywall for 11 months. Initial drywall, change of plans, drywall the new back-stage, then double drywall everywhere. But its DONE! (~two weeks ago).



Congrats on being done! I thought about double drywall but my HT is not closed off from the rest of the basement so I figured it would be a waste. Thinking back I probably should have DD the ceiling but I wasn't motivated enough to haul more 5/8" drywall into the basement!

Getting my last few sheets of drywall tomorrow to finish this. Then on to the mudding and taping which I am hoping to farm out.

Getting my last few sheets of drywall tomorrow to finish this. Then on to the mudding and taping which I am hoping to farm out.

If there is one thing I learned: farm out mudding/taping. I did everything else (framing, drywall, greenglue, floor, plumbing, electrical, insulation) so I figured I could do mud/tape/float. I can do mud/tape, but not efficiently. I can't float the nice final surface.

A lot of the other stuff it would be hard to get somebody else to do it the way I wanted for a reasonable amount of money. Mudding/taping/floating/texturing is something I can get somebody else to do.

Paul

If there is one thing I learned: farm out mudding/taping. I did everything else (framing, drywall, greenglue, floor, plumbing, electrical, insulation) so I figured I could do mud/tape/float. I can do mud/tape, but not efficiently. I can't float the nice final surface.

A lot of the other stuff it would be hard to get somebody else to do it the way I wanted for a reasonable amount of money. Mudding/taping/floating/texturing is something I can get somebody else to do.

Paul

The thought of mudding and taping the ceiling just gives me the chills!

Here is a fun conversation I had with the Wife.....

ME: "Hey Honey, have you heard back from your uncle on the price to mud and tape the basement? He is family and I would like to have him do it, plus it would be much faster. He could knock it out in a week."

WIFE: "Why yes he did. The price he quoted me was $3,000. When should I call him to start."

ME (in a rage): "Start??? Call him and tell him to drive off a cliff. $3,000????!!!! Are you kidding me? I asked him to mud and tape the basement not the Taj Mahal. $3,000 and I have already hung the drywall and have all the mud and tape in the garage!! Where is the family discount?"

ME AGAIN: "Screw it. I'll do it myself."

And so it begins.....Wait until you see my handy work. Pictures to follow for your viewing pleasure.

What have I gotten myself into?

$3,000 to mud and tape in that room???? i had no idea drywalling was such a lucrative industry. i shoulda skipped out on college and went straight to mudding n taping.

One of the main keys to mudding is to mix the mud and add enough water so that it will apply to the wall evenly.....making a lot less work on the sanding phase.

Ray

Use more thin coats and keep it smooth all the time, then the sanding is minimal!

Hey, Jay..

Greetings from Rochester, MI! (Just a stone's throw from you guys).

I almost bailed on the SMX when I found out it was no longer available as DIY.

Instead, I forked over the BIG (and I mean BIG - what on earth are these guys thinking, charging what they do for a SCREEN?!) doneros for a "finished" 16:9 110'' SMX screen.

Room is nearing completion after a YEAR (ugh!), and screen is a week or two away from getting put together. (Upholstery guys are coming over tonight to work on putting the Linacoustic and fabric walls up..what a..cough.."journey"..that whole experience has been, let me tell ya!)

Give me a holler sometime. Would love to compare notes, Michigander to Michigander..or, should I say..Macomb to Oakland.

Cheers..

- B

$3,000 to mud and tape in that room???? i had no idea drywalling was such a lucrative industry. i shoulda skipped out on college and went straight to mudding n taping.

No kidding. Once I become I master at it I am going open up "Jay's World of Drywall". I might even add a museum and show some of my first work.

Hey, Jay..

Greetings from Rochester, MI! (Just a stone's throw from you guys).

I almost bailed on the SMX when I found out it was no longer available as DIY.

Instead, I forked over the BIG (and I mean BIG - what on earth are these guys thinking, charging what they do for a SCREEN?!) doneros for a "finished" 16:9 110'' SMX screen.

Room is nearing completion after a YEAR (ugh!), and screen is a week or two away from getting put together. (Upholstery guys are coming over tonight to work on putting the Linacoustic and fabric walls up..what a..cough.."journey"..that whole experience has been, let me tell ya!)

Give me a holler sometime. Would love to compare notes, Michigander to Michigander..or, should I say..Macomb to Oakland.

Cheers..

- B

We should do that. Since I will probably be working on my basement forever I would love to steal ideas...I mean share notes. :D I can't wait til I get to the end. I really only get to work on it weekends, but on nights I can I will probably mix up a batch of mud to try and keep things moving.

One of the main keys to mudding is to mix the mud and add enough water so that it will apply to the wall evenly.....making a lot less work on the sanding phase.

Ray

Use more thin coats and keep it smooth all the time, then the sanding is minimal!

Thanks for the tips guys. I have definately noticed that without enough water the mud doesn't spread like I would like it to.

Jay

How is the drywall going to me there is nothing in home construction that is worse. Good luck.

Todd

Jay, it sure is nice to visit threads that my own room is keeping pace with! hahaha. Some of these guys are just too productive. :)

Looking good. Slow and steady wins the race.

Jay, it sure is nice to visit threads that my own room is keeping pace with! hahaha. Some of these guys are just too productive. :)

Looking good. Slow and steady wins the race.

Tony not only am I slow at building but looks like I am slow at replying as well. I like to think of my build as a Tortoise and the Hare race except they place 1st and 2nd. I am the worm that places a distant third. Thank god we aren't motivated like everyone else.:)

So in a little more than a month I have managed to tape my drywall. That's right, just tape. I probably could have knocked it all out in a weekend but what would be the fun in that? I am actually starting to get the hang of taping. Too bad, because now I have to do the top coats. Check out the handy work.....

Workout Room
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01565.jpg

Bar area
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01568.jpg

Bar area from other angle
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01570.jpg

Imagine this with cabinets...
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01571.jpg

Looking into the HT from the bar area
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01573.jpg

HT area doesn't look like much now but just wait, in about 24 months it is going to rock!
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01567.jpg

I really need to clean this place up. Wish me luck!

Just ran across your thread after you commented on mine. Doesn't look like your doing too bad. I'm almost a year into my build and its only about a 1/4 the size of yours and your not too far behind which means.....I'm running about half your speed and even slower. Hey, maybe I can audition for the comcast commercial and replace the turtles. Or, at least play a cousin.

Looks like a nice, big space. I'll keep checking in. Like I said, it all speeds up once the sheet rock gets done.

Good Luck!

Did you install the glass block windows, or were they pre-existing? If you did, mind if I ask what that ran you?

Just ran across your thread after you commented on mine. Doesn't look like your doing too bad. I'm almost a year into my build and its only about a 1/4 the size of yours and your not too far behind which means.....I'm running about half your speed and even slower. Hey, maybe I can audition for the comcast commercial and replace the turtles. Or, at least play a cousin.

Looks like a nice, big space. I'll keep checking in. Like I said, it all speeds up once the sheet rock gets done.

Good Luck!

Thanks! That makes me feel a little better knowing I am not the only slow one here. I'll keep checking your thread and try and catch up!

Enjoy!

Did you install the glass block windows, or were they pre-existing? If you did, mind if I ask what that ran you?

That one was pre-exisiting. The builder would not make all the windows glass block so one of my four is just a regular window. I think there is some rule that you must have one operating window in the basement. I have been pricing out replacing that regular window with Glass Block but everyone offers $125 a window with a $250 order. I am seriously thinking about replacing it myself. I mean how hard can it be? I will probably make it 3 times harder than it needs to be. LOL

"How hard can it be?". I can't count the number of times I've said that and ended up spending 5x the time that a pro would.

I haven't really had much time over the last few weekends to work on the basement, with family obligations and all, but the drywall is 95% done. Just need to final coat the corners and do a light sand and I am done. Should finish up the weekend after Labor Day since we are going up north this weekend. Next is MAJOR clean up. Then paint and the drop ceiling in the middle of the basement.

Things I have learned about mudding drywall....
#1 No matter how much you think you will save time by mixing an entire bag of hot mud DON'T DO IT! You will have to toss it before you get a quarter of the way through it. Thank god my mud was free.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01608.jpg

#2 Get a cool little sanding tool like this one. This thing rocks and it makes sanding a breeze!
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01615.jpg

#3 Read everything on Drywallschool.com and follow it. I have very little sanding thanks to that site. See how nice it looks?
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01605.jpg

#4 Clean everything out of your work area before starting or you will have to move everything around like I did 500 times. Look at this junk...I have no idea how I am going to clean that chair. Any ideas?
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01609.jpg

#5 Get a little flashlight to check your seams. If you can see light it ain't right.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01616.jpg
Perfect!
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01617.jpg

#6 Mud can hide anything. This corner was totally jacked and I made it look halfway decent. For those observant folks....yes those are all my cables pouring out from under the drywall. I need to pull them through the hole I made.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01610.jpg
(I've rotated this image is Photobucket 12 times but it keeps posting like this.)

#7 Don't try and make the wall behind your screen wall look perfect. It is just going to be covered. Well at least if the next owner is crazy, and doesn't want a theater, he can pull down the screen wall and have a nice looking wall.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01611.jpg

Can you imagine if I went into business doing drywall....Client - "So how long to you think it will take to drywall my basement?" Me - "About 8" Client - "8 days? Great you are hired." Me - "No, 8 months." Client - "Get out." Me - "So I take that is a 'No'?"

Sincerely,
King of Drywall

It's looking good. You will be amazed how much life it takes on once you get some paint on it.

I must admit one thing, I think I have as much time invested in mudding and sanding as you have with only about a 1/4 of the work you did and yours looks so much better :( ....... I'm thinking of taking my sheet rock picks off my post. :o

It's looking good. You will be amazed how much life it takes on once you get some paint on it.

I must admit one thing, I think I have as much time invested in mudding and sanding as you have with only about a 1/4 of the work you did and yours looks so much better :( ....... I'm thinking of taking my sheet rock picks off my post. :o

Just wait until we compare my trim work with yours....you will laugh yourself silly. You are rocking the trim big time!

Looking good. I think you MI guys have the record for most home theaters in a state! :)

Don't worry about the timeline, it will be done when it is done. I had planned on my theater to be done for this past Christmas... and I have yet to even clean out the room and finish the plan! I'm three years behind - and not even started!

Looking good. I think you MI guys have the record for most home theaters in a state! :)

Don't worry about the timeline, it will be done when it is done. I had planned on my theater to be done for this past Christmas... and I have yet to even clean out the room and finish the plan! I'm three years behind - and not even started!

I was thought it was the Virginia clan that had the most.

I planned for about 2 years and then when I couldn't fit everything that I wanted I went out and bought a new house just to have a bigger basement. The hardest part was transition from planning to building. I was always worried that I hadn't planned enough. After a while I was thinking "Enough already! Just start putting up some walls."

Well it has been over 3 months since my last post and a lot has happened. Just some of the highlights:
1) The Economy collapsed
2) We elected a new President
3) I started the HoliJays(TM) (for those of you that don't know about the HoliJays that is the time of year where I use up all my leftover vacation days and take every Friday off from Oct 1 - Jan 2, gotta love a 4 day work week.)
4) I ACTUALLY MADE SOME PROGRESS ON THE BASEMENT!!!!


Since we last left the basement I was about 95% done with drywall. Well I am proud to say I am FINISHED! I even got a chance to get some drywall primer up on the walls. Here it is, check out my sweet columns!
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01795.jpg

The Bar
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01810.jpg

The theater area.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01817.jpg


I also got the drop ceiling in. I avoided it as long as I could but actually it was simple and turned out great. Went with the 2x2 3D tiles. Ok I have a few pieces to finish but mostly done. I'll finish it this coming HoliJay.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01813.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01808.jpg

Next up I finished the electrical. Added my last four circuits (2 20amp and 2 15amp). Hooked up all my lights and wired all my outlets. This was the one thing I was really worried about since I closed up the walls without testing my electrical. Luckily all my planning paid off and it all works.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01807.jpg

Installed my PowerBridge from the Projector to my Equipment area.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01809.jpg

You may have noticed that I have a real issue with keeping this place clean. I wish I was like a lot of you on here that cleanup after each day. I have crap all over the place. I swear I waste an hour a day trying to find my tools.

So here is my major project punch list:
1) Paint
2) Order cabinets and finish the main bar
3) Start building the stage and riser/bar
4) Flooring
5) Star Ceiling

I guess the cool thing now is that I actually get to start focusing on the HT area. I hope to have the stage and Riser built by the end of the year. And for all you smart alec's out there, I mean this year!

lookin good. I was starting to worry about you, thought you may have just given up lol.

Yeah I was wondering the same thing! Some weekends I feel like I make no progress. With the 11 feet of snow we are currently getting I am pretty sure I won't be heading out to HD to get the wood for my stage. Maybe tomorrow if they dig us out. LOL

Finally started the stage. Wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do for my stage so I made it up as I went along. I know I wanted a simple design and didn't want to carry 500 bags of sand into the basement. Those were the only rules I had. Ended up with something about 12.5' wide and 5' deep. The screen wall will sit about 2' from the wall so that I can place my speakers (yet to be bought) behind my SMX screen (yet to be built but I have the fabric).

Started with some 2x10's (12ft). Since I am doing most of this myself I decided to build it in 2 sections and then join them together. Figured I would lay down some pink foam since I did want to build the stage with pressure treated lumber.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01855.jpg

I forgot I still had some sound isolation tape left over from drywalling my ceiling so I scraped the pink stuff and used that instead for the bottom. I actually had enough left over to put some on top as well. It actually worked out great.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01858.jpg

Following my sand rule I decided to build areas where my subs will be. I figured 6 bags of sand to fill. I was pretty close.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01862.jpg
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01863.jpg

Laid down some poly and filled with sand. I was lucky because the sand I got was dry as a bone. Must have been sitting at HD for years.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01864.jpg
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01865.jpg

Next I realized that I didn't want a basic stage anymore and it looked too boring so I added these boxes to the left and right to frame the step. Had some leftover sand so I dumped it in there.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01866.jpg
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01867.jpg

Then I remembered I still had 2 rolls of the pink stuff taking up space so I decided to put it into the stage. I should have hidden some of my leftover lumber and drywall in there as well.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01869.jpg

Went with a 3/4" top. I don't think I will double layer it.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01870.jpg

Last was to build my step. It was all crafted out of extra lumber I had stting around.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01871.jpg

You are probably asking yourself the question "Hey Jay, why didn't you finish the step?" Well I was going to top it off when I got home from work today but ended up not getting home until well after 8. Well I was actually home at 7 when I walked in the door and my wife and daughter asked "Where is Evan (my 4 year old son)?" Well I forgot that my wife stayed home from work today because she was sick, so I was on pickup duty. Problem is his daycare is by my wife's work about 30 minutes away. Daycare had been trying to call us since I was already 30 minutes late. So I hauled A$$ back to get him. I gave the poor woman stuck there $30 for her trouble and I will probably be dinged about $1 a minute for being late. So a $90 tab for my Father of the Year antics! Needless to say I felt pretty guilty and couldn't justify working tonight. Hopefully I'll start my riser this weekend.

You are probably asking yourself the question "Hey Jay, why didn't you finish the step?" Well I was going to top it off when I got home from work today but ended up not getting home until well after 8. Well I was actually home at 7 when I walked in the door and my wife and daughter asked "Where is Evan (my 4 year old son)?" Well I forgot that my wife stayed home from work today because she was sick, so I was on pickup duty. Problem is his daycare is by my wife's work about 30 minutes away. Daycare had been trying to call us since I was already 30 minutes late. So I hauled A$$ back to get him. I gave the poor woman stuck there $30 for her trouble and I will probably be dinged about $1 a minute for being late. So a $90 tab for my Father of the Year antics! Needless to say I felt pretty guilty and couldn't justify working tonight. Hopefully I'll start my riser this weekend.

Oops! :D

Somehow I think the tab from the daycare is nothing compared to the wrath of your wife! :p

Just tell your wife it is her fault for forgetting to remind you.

Just tell your wife it is her fault for forgetting to remind you.

That may result in not having any more kids..... or even 'practicing' for more kids..... :D

Oops! :D

Somehow I think the tab from the daycare is nothing compared to the wrath of your wife! :p

Agreed! I am in the dog house!

Just tell your wife it is her fault for forgetting to remind you.

I tried that but she then pullled the sick card (and I was the one that got her sick) so I had no leverage.

That may result in not having any more kids..... or even 'practicing' for more kids..... :D

That reminds me I have to make an appointment to get snipped. If I ever want to finish this basement I am going to have to make sure no new kids are made.

That reminds me I have to make an appointment to get snipped. If I ever want to finish this basement I am going to have to make sure no new kids are made.

Just think about baseball!

Just think about baseball!

I tend to think about humping (pun intended) 5/8" sheets of drywall down the stairs. That usually does the trick!

So I messed around a little bit with Google SketchUp. Basically deep red walls with wood panel containing sconces (FPO sconces -For Placement Only) and a black screen wall.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/basement7.jpg
The black mass to the right is actually the double doors to the exercise room (which I painted this weekend). The boxed area to the left of the bar stools (also known as the cheap seats) is the equipment cabinet.
View from the forementioned cheap seats.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/basement9.jpg
Little overhead view.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/basement8.jpg
Should turn out fairly close to this. I may actually have more room between the bar and the equipment closet. As you can see right now the bar runs right along the cabinet to the wall. I think the bar will probably be a tad closer to the front, allowing for more bar stools and an access panel to the back of the cabinet.

Going to start painting the ceiling black this week. Got Tricorn Black from Sherman Williams so that should be black as can be.

hey Jay, How high off the floor is the bottom of your screen going to be? Also, any idea how high the riser will be?

This project is really looking good I know you cant wait to see the finish and I am looking forward to the pics as well very nice...excellent workmanship and yes 5/8 rock truly bites...

hey Jay, How high off the floor is the bottom of your screen going to be? Also, any idea how high the riser will be?

I believe it is going to be 33". At least that is what I put in for my riser calculator. That made my riser 10 1/16" high. I am going to make it out of 2 x10 and 3/4" plywood so it should be pretty darn close.

This project is really looking good I know you cant wait to see the finish and I am looking forward to the pics as well very nice...excellent workmanship and yes 5/8 rock truly bites...

Thanks. Hopefully it will look as good as I envision it in my head!

Thanks. Hopefully it will look as good as I envision it in my head!
Hows the project coming along any new pics,just trolling along checking for updates on some builds,keep us posted....

Hows the project coming along any new pics,just trolling along checking for updates on some builds,keep us posted....

Things have slowed a bit. Started to struggle with my riser design, since it is butting up to my proposed equipment cabinet. I want to build a door on the side so that I can access the back of the equipment rack. I also realized I never planned an electrical outlet in my riser (I have since decided on power recline) so I will have to pull from an exisiting outlet. I think I may be ok. Next weekend I start the equipment rack and riser build. I am spending today re-working all the numbers since I think my google sketch-up my be off a bit. I believe I actually have more space than it looks. I did paint the workout room and I am ordering the rubber flooring tomorrow. I also painted the HT ceiling black. I'll post some pictures a little later today of my awesome painting skills. Thanks for the interest!

Did a little bit of painting last week. Stopped by my local Sherman Williams store (just opened), got some paint and started painting the workout room and HT ceiling. I really hate painting but it wasn't too bad.

Crazy color "Carnival" actually wasn't the color I was expecting it to be. Didn't think it would be sooooooo orange looking. I really don't hate it and it is starting to grow on me.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01874.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01875.jpg
I have to pull everything out of the workout room this week so that I can start cleaning the floor to prep it for the rubber flooring I am ordering. Too bad I can't use my tax refund this year to pay for it....why you ask???...cuz I owe! I can't believe it.

One coat of grey primer and some Tricorn Black and the ceiling looks great. It is so dark it disappears!
Above the pool table....
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01876.jpg

In the HT area...
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01877.jpg
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01878.jpg

Yesterday I decided to forgo Sketch-up for a while in order to use old school pencil and paper to layout my riser. Major problem is whether I can or cannot fit 105"w 090 Berlines in my room on my riser. Riser will probably be 120"w from the wall. If I go with the 090's my seating will be a little off center and I will only be leaving 28" between the right wall/workout door, and the riser. Not sure if that is enough. I could go with Berkline 13175's at 93.25" and save a bunch of room, but I am not sure I like them. Guess I will have to sit in them first. I also figured I can run 4 bar stools behind the bar (using the 28" center of seat to center of seat industry guide for bar stool seating) which is great and I can still access my equipment cabinet.

Here are my cheesy layouts. Notice that I actually made 3-seat Berklines so that I could check spacing? This is to scale with 1 square = 4". I'll scan them in later so you can get a better look.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01879.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01880.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01881.jpg

How embarrassing....

I like that color in the gym I used the same in my utility/laundry area and a powder room its a crazy color but it just makes me smile,and your ceiling looks like it would dissapear its looking good keep the faith your getting there..:)

I like that color in the gym I used the same in my utility/laundry area and a powder room its a crazy color but it just makes me smile,and your ceiling looks like it would dissapear its looking good keep the faith your getting there..:)

This is why I suck. You are nice enough to comment and I, being the idiot, don't respond for 2 weeks. Sorry about that!

At first I wasn't sure I liked the color but now I really do. It has really grown on me the last few weeks. I am really happy with how the ceiling turned out. Now if I can just find some time to get this thing finished.:o

Finally started the riser. I decided to go with one 10'l x 7'w. I decided to start it against the left wall since few people will be walking along that side. I can also put 3 wider chairs instead of maybe a thinner chair like the 13175 Berklines. Not sure what I am doing yet for chairs so I want to be covered.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01883.jpg

Found out I had made a pretty big mistake when I never planned on electrical for my riser. I guess the reason for this was that I never planned on getting power recline chairs. Since I am now going power I had to figure it out. I put in a plug for the front row and I will have a plug against the bar back for the second row.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01888.jpg

Here is where the back plug will go. Still need to cover my bar with wood facing and stain it before granite
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01887.jpg

Good news is that I can pull power from a plug at the end of a run nearby. I will probably just run some of that awful conduit that runs along the wall, the kind you use when installing a ceilng light in a room but don't want to fish electrical through the walls. It will be mostly hidden by the equipment cabinet and bar stools so I really don't care. I just don't want to cut open the walls that I spent 6 months finishing. Maybe I will fish it through the wall, who knows.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01889.jpg

One interesting thing you probably can't tell from the picture...this bad boy will be covered in reclaimed wood. Actually it is just left over plywood scraps I had laying around.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01884.jpg

Next on the list....equipment cabinet.

Jay, is that PT lumber for the riser?

Jay, is that PT lumber for the riser?

No. You probably can't see from the photos but I put down the pink sill insulation down first. Basement is really dry and honestly didn't want to spend the cash on PT.

yeah I see the pink stuff. I was thinking of doing the same thing myself which is why I asked. Same thing for the stage I assume?

yeah I see the pink stuff. I was thinking of doing the same thing myself which is why I asked. Same thing for the stage I assume?

Stage is the same. For my walls and bar I did PT but riser and stage are both free floating and not attached to anything so if I ever had to tear them up and rebuild it wouldn't be a big deal. As long as my basement never floods I am good. I hope I didn't just jinx myself.

Caught you link in your Logan plea. Another 3ed row bar design. Check out my build with my signature link.

By the way... thanks a lot. Just had gall bladder surgery yesterday and your humping drywall quote had me laughing out loud.... WHICH HURT LIKE HELL.:D

When considering seating, think about one love seat. I have six chairs 2 front and 4 rear with one love seat configuration. Then If I put two of the two armed chairs together I can have two love seats. Not the same for two rows of three but having multiple of each chair type (some with two arms, some with a right and some with a left) allows you to swap them around to spread wear amonst all chairs.

I was trying to arrange a snip job myself... wait, that doesn't sound right...

I was trying to schedule at the same time as my gall bladder removal so I didn't need to be awake but I couldn't get two surgeons to work their schedules out.

Caught you link in your Logan plea. Another 3ed row bar design. Check out my build with my signature link.

By the way... thanks a lot. Just had gall bladder surgery yesterday and your humping drywall quote had me laughing out loud.... WHICH HURT LIKE HELL.:D

When considering seating, think about one love seat. I have six chairs 2 front and 4 rear with one love seat configuration. Then If I put two of the two armed chairs together I can have two love seats. Not the same for two rows of three but having multiple of each chair type (some with two arms, some with a right and some with a left) allows you to swap them around to spread wear amonst all chairs.

I was trying to arrange a snip job myself... wait, that doesn't sound right...

I was trying to schedule at the same time as my gall bladder removal so I didn't need to be awake but I couldn't get two surgeons to work their schedules out.

Drywall was a never ending project. I saved $3,000 but it set me back 9 months! Hope the gall bladder (or lack there of) is feeling better:D.

I never thought about the loveseat idea. I will check that out and see if it will work. Your riser/bar was one of my inspirations. I almost forgot electrical, and totally forgot some Cat5 as a just in case. I thought about adding the extra supports like you did but I wanted to make sure I can get 4 chairs back there. I think I will go with cobells(?) instead for support.

Didn't get much time to work on the Riser this weekend but I got something accomplished so that is a start. How come my build always looks like a bomb went off?????

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01896.jpg
Covered the bar in blond hardwood. Getting ready for stain. Also finished the electrical so all set there.

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01895.jpg
Back of Bar

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01894.jpg
You can't tell from here but I was able to finish covering my riser with left over plywood so I saved some dough. Yeah me.

Oh I forgot, that money I saved on plywood I spend on stain samples.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01890.jpg

These are samples without using wood conditioner (which I should really use) so they will look more even when I do the actual stain. Right now I am heavily leaning towards #2.

#1 Cabot Red Mahogany
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01891.jpg

#2 Cabot Cherry
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01892.jpg

#3 Minwax Red Mahogany (Why is this SO different from the Cabot brand?)
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01893.jpg

Anybody have a favorite?

Got a call from the exercise room flooring guy. My 3/8" rubber flooring is in and they are going to try and deliver Friday. Just to be clear this is what my room currently looks like...
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01874.jpg
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01875.jpg

I have to get everything out and find a spot for it somewhere else in the basement. Then I have to scrub the floor clean. I sense the next two nights are going to be late ones! I was really hoping to take my time getting it cleaned out. No such luck.

Almost forgot, my tickets for the Final Four arrived the other day! I officially won't be working that weekend (ok maybe I might squeeze something in on that Sunday). Detroit looks so much better as a hologram!
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01897.jpg

Since my brackets are already trashed I should just go downtown and try to hawk them for cabinets for my bar.
Buyer - "What you asking?"
Suave Seller -"Uppers and Lowers"
Buyer - "Will you take Oak?"
Suave Seller - "Cherry or nothing."
Buyer - "Cherry it is. You got room in your trunk?"

Just like that I have new bar cabinets. I have a feeling it may not work that way.....:D

Finally moved everything out of the workout room since the flooring is coming tomorrow. I swept and vacuumed it out for two hours. It was a disaster as I probably hadn't moved a thing in that room in 2 years. Oh sure I make the attempt every once in a while to pump some iron but it usually ends with me yelling for help to get the bar off my chest. With a new floor I'll be a new man...I promise!

If only everything else in the basement was this clean...
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01900.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01901.jpg

One of these days I might even put a ceiling in.:D

Finally moved everything out of the workout room since the flooring is coming tomorrow. I swept and vacuumed it out for two hours. It was a disaster as I probably hadn't moved a thing in that room in 2 years. Oh sure I make the attempt every once in a while to pump some iron but it usually ends with me yelling for help to get the bar off my chest. With a new floor I'll be a new man...I promise!

If only everything else in the basement was this clean...
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01900.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01901.jpg

One of these days I might even put a ceiling in.:D
Cover everything and spray it black. It'll look just like a gym. I'm impressed that you OWN a hack machine. nice.


I used that minwax red mahogany on my stuff in my den. I like it, but I also mixed it with some expresso or something they had half and half to make it darker.

I would throw some poly over your stain choices as that really changes the look.

I agree I like stain color #2 also

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01892.jpg

I'm a fan of three...but maybe not for red walls - I just like the stain color. I'm more a fan of red and black than with wood so I don't know if I can put a vote in on it.

Cover everything and spray it black. It'll look just like a gym. I'm impressed that you OWN a hack machine. nice.


I used that minwax red mahogany on my stuff in my den. I like it, but I also mixed it with some expresso or something they had half and half to make it darker.

Just because I own it doesn't mean I use it! My legs look like two pixie sticks. Man I have to do something. I was really dissappointed with the minwax stuff. Not that it is a bad product I just didn't feel the red in the mahogany was very strong.

[QUOTE=W00lly;16133904]I would throw some poly over your stain choices as that really changes the look.

I agree I like stain color #2 also

QUOTE]

Good suggestion W00lly. I am going to run out tomorrow morning and get some wood conditioner and poly and test again. #2 just seems to be more the look I am going for.

I'm a fan of three...but maybe not for red walls - I just like the stain color. I'm more a fan of red and black than with wood so I don't know if I can put a vote in on it.

All votes count, just like in American Idol. I do like the look of red and black as well, but because the the HT is open to the rest of the basement I thought doing it in the whole basement so it matches might be a little overwelming.

I thought about adding the extra supports like you did but I wanted to make sure I can get 4 chairs back there. I think I will go with cobells(?) instead for support.

I looked into corbels when I was designing. All the decorative ones I found were only decorative. They were not meant to support any weight. I don't think that makes much sense, as anything you attach to both the wall and the under side of the countertop would support it but that's what I found.

The other concern I had with corbels is that they are not very obvious so I think it would be easier to wack your knee on it when sitting at the bar.

I did see one other build where someone used a steel bar across to support.

You have quite a span but maybe if you keep it shallow toward the stools and run it out over the wall support (toward the front of the room) to balance it, AND attach it really well, you will be ok.

You have quite a span but maybe if you keep it shallow toward the stools and run it out over the wall support (toward the front of the room) to balance it, AND attach it really well, you will be ok.

I think you're right. I was planning on getting some hardwood corbels from Outwater Plastics (they have everything). I probably need a little more thinking here. Thanks for the help!

Got the flooring in Friday for the workout room. It came in 6 rolls 19' long 4' wide. It is 3.8" thick and it is exactly what I was looking for. Just needs to sit for a few days before I stick it down with carpet tape since it will shrink a bit.

I guess I will need to wipe it all down to get the footprints off
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01904.jpg

Has some grey fleck in it...nice and thick so it should hold up well. Glad I went with 3/8 instead of 1/4.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01905.jpg

After much internal debate and mixing of colors, I finally decided to stick with the Cherry color I orginally wanted. I set up a little testing lab yesterday to see what would happen if I combined colors and brands. In the end the Cabot Cherry won out. I did decide that I would need multiple coats to achieve the Cherry that I want. Here is the first coat:

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01902.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01903.jpg

I used the wood conditioner to even out the color a bit. You have to be very careful with it because if you let it dry and don't wipe off the excess it will completely seal the wood and it will have a hard time holding stain.

Well I am now off to do coat #2. One question, and I supposed to sand between coats?:o

Have you thought about enclosing the space for sound isolation purposes? The space appears perfect for a dedicated room.

Have you thought about enclosing the space for sound isolation purposes? The space appears perfect for a dedicated room.

Originally I was going to do that but those pesky support poles kept getting in the way. Some of my original plans involved an enclosed room, even in the current spot where it is now, but when I did that the basement looked tiny. Ultimately I wanted a big looking basement to help one day sell the place and start on HT 2.0, and to be able to have some sweet parties.

Jay, looking good. I would have picked the same stain color also. Did you get that rubber flooring from someone local, or did you have to order it.

Jay, looking good. I would have picked the same stain color also. Did you get that rubber flooring from someone local, or did you have to order it.


Thanks, now I just have to find molding to finish off the bar. I am going to pick up some test pieces this week and hope the wood matches when stained.

Got the flooring from All-Pro Exercise in Farmington Hills. Sometimes they have some in stock, but of course they didn't have enough for mine so I had to wait about a week and a half.

So I finished staining the back bar and was able to skin and stain the main bar. I am pretty happy with the finish. Still need to poly it all but so far so good.

Back Bar
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01906.jpg

Main Bar
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01908.jpg

Here is where the problem starts....I used Blondewood from Lowes, and apparently it could be any type of wood, no one really knows what it is. So what type of wood molding do I use trim all this out with so that when I stain the molding it matches?

Any thoughts?
:confused:

Sorry I missed the question about sanding. If you didn't figure it out, you are technically supposed to do a very light sand between the coats. It is intended to even out the stain and get rid of any mistakes. Looks good. :)

Sorry I missed the question about sanding. If you didn't figure it out, you are technically supposed to do a very light sand between the coats. It is intended to even out the stain and get rid of any mistakes. Looks good. :)

Thanks. I hope to start sanding tomorrow night, haven't had a chance to do any this week because work has been nuts. I'll update when done.
Appreciate the feedback.

Finally finished the floor in the fitness room last weekend. Installing that floor was easily the toughest thing I have had to do yet in the basement. Each rubber flooring heet weighed about 175lbs and was a nightmare to move and cut to fit. It is just held down with carpet tape, but because it weighs a ton it is going nowhere. You can hardly notice the seams.

Still need to install molding but here it is.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC01911.jpg

Here it is with the equipment in.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/DSC01920.jpg

I guess I have to start working out now.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/DSC01919.jpg

My body aches just looking at it....

looking good......man, you are gonna get HUGE!!:D

looking good......man, you are gonna get HUGE!!:D

The problem is I already got huge. 50lbs since I have been married, over 10 years! Now if I ever finish the theater I'll probably put on another 30lbs in popcorn alone. I need to get one of those fake butter topping machines! YUM!

The gym turned out really nice it looks great,very clean and uncluttered so far.I think someone pointed this out already but I'll remind you again,when you clear coat the cherry wood before the first and second coats sand the wood with a 000 steel wool especially between coats of clear it just makes the cherry pop.

The gym turned out really nice it looks great,very clean and uncluttered so far.I think someone pointed this out already but I'll remind you again,when you clear coat the cherry wood before the first and second coats sand the wood with a 000 steel wool especially between coats of clear it just makes the cherry pop.

Thanks. I actually worked out today so I got some use out of it. Wood looks pretty good so far. I am in the middle of trimming out the bars. I am using a select pine and it is staining very nice so far. I'll try and get some pictures of the progress today.

So progess has slowed to a screeching halt over the last 2 months. I typically don't get must time to work on the HT during week nights so I am stuck trying to get everything on the weekends. That has proven to be very difficult lately. Seems like every weekend a family get together or vacation or my general laziness stalls my forward movement. Well not anymore! Got some work done this weekend, although truth be told, it wasn't much. I finished my big trim around the bars. Still need so detail trim and corner trim but hey, it's a start.

Bar behind the second row
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02072.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02073.jpg

Main Bar
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02074.jpg

Still need to decide what I am going to do for a counter top
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02075.jpg

Funny story...couldn't find my finish nailer. Looked all over the house, and it was no where to be found. I feel like I had just used it. Needless to say I went to the Big Orange and picked up a new Porter Cable. Had it for about 2 months now. Then the other day I got a message from a buddy telling me that he still has my nailer and he will drop it off to me this week. I lent it to him 2 years ago! My brain is failing me big time.

I just realized that the last photo looks like I am using my saw horse to cut up dead bodies. I swear I am not!

say what you want, but I would give those a good cleaning before the authorities arrive! The theater is coming along nicely. Keep up the good work. I am just south of you down in Monroe County. Love the look of the stain on the bar.

Thanks for sharing!

say what you want, but I would give those a good cleaning before the authorities arrive! The theater is coming along nicely. Keep up the good work. I am just south of you down in Monroe County. Love the look of the stain on the bar.

Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for the comments. I have no idea where everybody on this site finds the time to work on their rooms. I feel like I am moving in sand this summer, and I am not sure I am going to be finished by xmas. Stain color turned out ok. Looking back at it I think I would have gone with a darker stain, but I can live with it. Have a friend that is from Monroe and another that lives in Ida so not too far away. Maybe one day we can get some SE/S MI people together to view rooms.

P.S. Authorities will probably pass right by the blood stained horses on their way arresting me for the mess in my basement!

I think that would be an awesome idea...I don't have a room yet, but I hope to be starting soon. Let me know if you need any help. I am not handy in the least, but will help where I can!

Don't get discouraged by the slow progress...summer in Michigan is a tough time to be indoors!

I grew up in Monroe, and just recently moved out to the "country". :)

My daughter is supposed to have a softball Tourney today (who has a tournament for an 8 and Under league????) but we may get rained out so I have two options. 1) Go to my sister-in-laws baby shower and provide man support for her husband or 2) Work on the basement. Gee which will I choose. Today might be a good day to take some cabinet measurements and get some quotes. Baby Shower.....my wife honestly thinks I might attend, that is just plan crazy talk.

Haven't had any time to work much on the HT/basement. This summer has been non-stop since June. What I have accomplished:
1) Finished trimming out the main and rear HT bars

Main Bar
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02170.jpg

Main Bar
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02171.jpg

Rear HT Bar
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02168.jpg

Rear Bar
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02169.jpg

I am pretty happy with how it turned out. Could be worse. I have had about 4 hours this summer to work on this.

2) Ordered Cabinets
Ran into a huge problem with the stain on the bars and trying to match it. I thought about buying unfinished cabinets from Big Orange but they only have oak and when I did a stain test on the oak it was going to look totally different then the wood on the bars. So I decided to not go cheap and spend a few bucks on nice cabinets. Cabinet company was able to bring the design in my head to life on paper. Here it is:

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/scan0001-1.jpg

They can match the stain and I will get some nice maple cabinets. Same company did our kitchen cabinets so I trust them. Should be ready in four weeks and will fill in this space...

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02173.jpg

Next up:
Find a used server rack and build my equipment area
Order countertops
Screen wall
Paint
Carpet

Should be done by the time the Lions win a regular season game.

Should be done by the time the Lions win a regular season game.

Ouch! Jay, that isn't really putting a timeline on your project! I may finish my home theater that is still firmly located only in my head before the Lions win a regular season game! :D Oh, and yes...I am a HUGE Lions fan!!

Ouch! Jay, that isn't really putting a timeline on your project! I may finish my home theater that is still firmly located only in my head before the Lions win a regular season game! :D Oh, and yes...I am a HUGE Lions fan!!

I know, I can already feel my season tickets going to waste yet again! Hopefully I will make some progress in the next couple months. This has to be the slowest build ever. Ugh.

We have the Tigers and Wings... I guess we have to pay somewhere.

P.S. Cabinet plan looks good.

We have the Tigers and Wings... I guess we have to pay somewhere.

P.S. Cabinet plan looks good.


Good point but I fear those Twins spoiling it for us.

Hopefully the cabinets will work out the way I envision them. After they are in I am going to finish up the HT area. Gotta get moving on that.

I love the stain color you chose.

I love the stain color you chose.

Thanks Jason! I am pretty happy with how it turned out. I made sure I prepped the wood first so that made a big difference in making the stain look good. I hope the cabinets match as well as I think they will.

Well summer is over and not much happened. A little work on the bar and that was about it. But Fall hits and I finally make some progress! Cabinets came in last week and I was able to get them installed this weekend. My worry about matching stain was for not as the color matched exactly. I couldn't be happier with it.

Had a little problem with my wine racks as they are only 13" wide and of course didn't hit a stud so I had to rip out some drywall and add extra bracing.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02252.jpg

I went with a dark color. Not sure why but I started with a grey primer and really liked it so I went with a French Grey. Really looks good with the cabinets. If I didn't have 9' ceilings I probably wouldn't have done it but it works.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02251.jpg

Still searching for a cheap server rack to start my equipment rack. May just bite the bullet and buy a new one. Haven't found one on Craigslist yet.

The HoliJaysTM start this week. This is were I use up all my un-used vacation time to take every Friday off for the rest of the year. So that means this weekend I should build my screen wall and start the equipment rack.

Well at least now it looks like I did something!

That looks really good! Like the grey too, usually not a big fan of it but it works here. Good job.

That looks really good! Like the grey too, usually not a big fan of it but it works here. Good job.

Thanks. I would have never thought grey but when I did the primer it was light grey and I thought "What the heck, I can always change it if I don't like it". So I went with that darker grey and it works.

Hope someone can provide some advice. I am currenly building my screen wall and am not exactly sure how far up from the floor my screen needs to be. Here are my specs.

12' from screen to front row eyes
126"x 53" SMX Screen 2.35:1

The picture below is my blue tape screen (with 16:9 masking). Screen will be 24" from back wall. I am currently 33" off the floor and 23" off my 10" stage.

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/DSC02255.jpg

Not sure if this is too high off the floor or not. Is there a guide?

Thanks

Jay,

I contemplated this for some time before I built my front wall. I'd seen 36" off the floor and felt that was too high. I ended up making mine 24" to the bottom of the white of the screen. This works out pretty well. However, if I did it again, I would raise it to 27" to 28" because sometimes my feet block the bottom of the screen when reclined.

So, having yours at 33" will work out fine -- but you could make it a little lower without issue.

Not sure if this is too high off the floor or not. Is there a guide?

Thanks

Maybe this spreadsheet calculator will prove useful (http://carltonbale.com/home-theater/home-theater-calculator/).

Jay,

I contemplated this for some time before I built my front wall. I'd seen 36" off the floor and felt that was too high. I ended up making mine 24" to the bottom of the white of the screen. This works out pretty well. However, if I did it again, I would raise it to 27" to 28" because sometimes my feet block the bottom of the screen when reclined.

So, having yours at 33" will work out fine -- but you could make it a little lower without issue.

Swithey,

Thanks for the perspective. Makes me feel much better. I may drop it down to 30". I sat in my test seat (had to vacuum it off since it was totally covered in drywall dust) and it seemed just a bit too high. I nevver thought about the foot issue...I will try that out tomorrow and see if my feet don't get in the way.

Thanks again for the info!
Jay

Maybe this spreadsheet calculator will prove useful (http://carltonbale.com/home-theater/home-theater-calculator/).

Lordhits,

Great calculator. I entered my info and looks like my seating will fit within the specs perfectly. Wish I would have found this thing 2 years ago when I spent a month going back and forth on screen size! LOL

I finished painting the ceiling by the bar so I decided to get my pendant lights in above the bar.

I hate painting ceilings...
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02259.jpg

Picked up a monorail system for the pendants. Only problem is the track only is 10.5' and I needed about 13. So I am going to pick up another section of track and one more light.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02273.jpg

I think I may ultimately replace the white shades with some nice amber ones but it will have to do for now.

After much debate I finally put up my screen wall. Originally I was going to recess the screen into an opening but during the build I decided to steal some of BIG's in DC mounting plans. Compared to his, I WAY overbuilt! That's what you get for started to build without being entirely sure what you want to do.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02263.jpg

So I put in some center supports and will hang the screen from that. Then I will build some frames wrapped with GOM to finish it off.

Had some left over flat black and painted the back wall and screen wall. Looks pretty good.

Looks good Jay!

Looks like everything is going well. The room is shaping up perfectly!

Looks good Jay!

Thanks. I started painting today. Funny how a little paint makes things even more finished looking.

Looks like everything is going well. The room is shaping up perfectly!

I finally feel like I am making some progress. Now that most of the bar area is finished I can focus my energy on the HT. I'd like to be watching movies by end of year but not sure if the budget will allow.

very nice!!

Getting closer to the finish line and the excitement is growing...I can almost taste it and it makes me want to work on it every night, which I can't.

Got my first coat of paint on the wall. Went with Show Stopper Red from my local Sherwin Williams and it went on awfully red. It is flat paint and definately needs another coat so I hope it darkens more.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02271.jpg

Maybe I'll like it more after the second coat dries.

Next comes all the expensive stuff I have been saving up for.

Chairs $3,500
Speakers $3,500
Projector $2,000
Carpet $3,000
Countertops $2,000
Receiver $1,000
Etc

Crazy how fast it adds up. Next up on the agenda, Rack Build.

Next comes all the expensive stuff I have been saving up for.

Chairs $3,500
Speakers $3,500
Projector $2,000
Carpet $3,000
Countertops $2,000
Receiver $1,000
Etc

Crazy how fast it adds up. Next up on the agenda, Rack Build.

It DOES add up quickly! I am trying to budget a new custom made shelving unit(~$1400),a projector (~$2200), a screen (~$700), and some chairs (~$1500) into my more modest living room setup before 2010. I could only imagine having to buy all of your wishlist!

BTW In January/February Emotiva is releasing their new UMC-1 processor if you put that with one of their 7-channel amps you could squeak in at around $1000. Their stuff is top notch for great prices.

looking good :)

When I told my dad I had a little over 30k wraped up in my theater basement build he looked at me like I was crazy and im not even 1/4 of the way done. It does add up quikly and I can't imagine what it would cost if I could do nothing and had to have someone do all the work

It DOES add up quickly! I am trying to budget a new custom made shelving unit(~$1400),a projector (~$2200), a screen (~$700), and some chairs (~$1500) into my more modest living room setup before 2010. I could only imagine having to buy all of your wishlist!

BTW In January/February Emotiva is releasing their new UMC-1 processor if you put that with one of their 7-channel amps you could squeak in at around $1000. Their stuff is top notch for great prices.

See now I have to look into that!!!! And the budget continues to grow:)

looking good :)

When I told my dad I had a little over 30k wraped up in my theater basement build he looked at me like I was crazy and im not even 1/4 of the way done. It does add up quikly and I can't imagine what it would cost if I could do nothing and had to have someone do all the work

No way I could afford to have someone do the work for me. That is why I have been working on this thing for about three years. Plus it is been a HUGE learning experience and in the end I can tell everyone that I did it myself. My only rule for this basement was no credit cards. I am trying to live debt free (other than the mortgage) so I can enjoy the basement without worrying about having to pay it off. My dad is going to freak when he finds out how much I will have invested!

Next room I am going to go "balls out" like you did on yours. Your panels and trim are awesome, you can really tell how much time and effort you put into them.

I have been fighting with myself for 2 years now on how I was going to handle my equipment rack. Do I buy something from Mid Atlantic? Do I go DIY and build a cabinet? Or do I do some combination of both? Well I decided to go DIY for now. I liked what was done for the Edwards Cinema so much I decided to steal the design. Only difference is I will be adding glass. Thanks for the inspiration.

Some lovely pieces of Birch
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02272.jpg

Side note: The wife kept asking where I was putting the rack (near the back of the HT BTW) but she couldn't visualize it. I must of explained it 10 times. Then I took her downstairs and showed her, and she didn't understand how it would work. HER - "Why didn't you stain the sides?" ME - "Because they will be hidden by a wall. HER - "But there is no wall there." ME - "That's because I have to build one." HER - "I don't get it." ME - "You are banned from the basement, get out!"

Stained and holes drilled using the Jig-It from Rockler. Only took a couple minutes to do the holes, awesome!
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02279_edited-1.jpg

More to come...Off to watch the Lions lose...why do I torture myself?

I here you jay I have payed cash all the way so far and just like you its taking a bit longer then expected. I plan to build my rack the same way :) I will be watching your progress so post many pics along the way.

I here you jay I have payed cash all the way so far and just like you its taking a bit longer then expected. I plan to build my rack the same way :) I will be watching your progress so post many pics along the way.

You got it Scott. BTW how the heck did you hang your screen? I looked over your build but couldn't figure out how you did it.

So I decided on making the cabinet 24" deep 20.5" wide (19" inside width) and about 7 ft with casters. Built with 3/4" Birch Plywood. I wanted to make it fairly tall to house any future equipment expansion.

Laid out the pieces with a little wood glue and some wood srews. Predrilled so not to split the birch plywood.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02280-1.jpg

You can barely see it but I had to drill a hole for the glass door. Had to drill it before assembly otherwise I couldn't have gotten a straight hole drilled so close to the inside face. Same had to happen for the bottom piece as well.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02281-1.jpg

Here is the bottom of the rack. I used 4 pieces of scrap wood to make it easy to level out my bottom rack shelf. All I had to do was lay it on top, glue the side and screw. No meauring needed. Also installed L brackets to strudy it up some. Edwards version was a little more bulky then mine but this seems to work just fine.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02283.jpg

L Bracket on top as well, attached to the back of the cabinet.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02282-1.jpg

Screwed on some casters, front 2 have locks.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02284-1.jpg

Now I just neeed shelves and some trim.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02285-1.jpg

Nice! By the way how about those lions huh? just like them to play their best game in years and nobody saw it cause of the blackout lol.

Nice! By the way how about those lions huh? just like them to play their best game in years and nobody saw it cause of the blackout lol.

Yeah! Why don't they play that good on Thanksgiving when we all have to watch? :rolleyes:

Yeah! Why don't they play that good on Thanksgiving when we all have to watch? :rolleyes:

I am thinking about putting $1G on the Packers and use my winnings to fund a projector! They should pay me to sit through those games!

Nice! By the way how about those lions huh? just like them to play their best game in years and nobody saw it cause of the blackout lol.

Biz,

Take a guess who left early after the last INT? You betcha! Me. Can't believe I missed that. :o

Biz,

Take a guess who left early after the last INT? You betcha! Me. Can't believe I missed that. :o

oh man, are you serious??lol. That sounds like something that would happen to me, although I have not gone to a game since the first year of ford field. They have managed to turn me into a non fan after the last 6 years or so. I'm afraid my wolverines are starting to bum me out too, actually gave away tickets to ohio state game for the first time ever.

Guys, I am right along with you. I haven't been to too many Lions or Wolverines games, but I have been a loyal fan of both since my birth 30 years ago. I just can't get over how bad the last 2 years have been football wise. This must be how Spartans fans have felt for the last 20 or 30 years! :D

Guys, I am right along with you. I haven't been to too many Lions or Wolverines games, but I have been a loyal fan of both since my birth 30 years ago. I just can't get over how bad the last 2 years have been football wise. This must be how Spartans fans have felt for the last 20 or 30 years! :D

It is painful to be a Detroit Sports fan right now! Why am I going to torture myself at the game tomorrow? I guess that is why we have turned our attention to Home Theaters instead. Speaking of which...got the second coat of paint on the walls. Red is starting to grow on me.

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02289.jpg

Coming along very nicely.

Coming along very nicely.

Thanks. BTW I really like how you trimed out the speaker cabinet in front of your screen. Just gave me some ideas!

I am thinking about putting $1G on the Packers and use my winnings to fund a projector! They should pay me to sit through those games!

What PJ are you getting?? You did throw down the $1k right?? :cool:

What PJ are you getting?? You did throw down the $1k right?? :cool:

LOL... Of course I chickened out. I know they would have covered if I had! I guess I will just have to dish out the cash for the Panny 4000.

Just wanted to say that I think you are a very good writer and I enjoy reading your posts and look forward to more progress pics. I am building an Irish pub in my house and recently started the AV rack for thw two flat screens and jukebox. (One TV for the Mets, one for the Yankees of course). I got my idea for my AV rack from YW84U:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=739342&highlight=

Keep up the good work!

www.oshea12566.wordpress.com

Just wanted to say that I think you are a very good writer and I enjoy reading your posts and look forward to more progress pics. I am building an Irish pub in my house and recently started the AV rack for thw two flat screens and jukebox. (One TV for the Mets, one for the Yankees of course). I got my idea for my AV rack from YW84U:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=739342&highlight=

Keep up the good work!

www.oshea12566.wordpress.com

Thanks for the kind words. I actually hate how I write so I am glad someone enjoys it! I saw Tom's rack and thought about building it like his but since I don't really have a wall for the rack I had to go with this version. One day I will upgrade to a realy rack with faceplates and the whole 9 yards.

Saw you Blog. It is addictive like crack. Wish my life was half as interesting! Loved the fact that you even go the Gas Can involved. Bar is looking good and you can really see the Irish Pub starting to form. Nice job.

So I went to pick out my granite this weekend. Found a local company and since I was only doing the main bar top (not the actual counter area) and the HT bar top I was budgeting about $1,500. For the main bar counters I was going to do do formica myself. Well the salesman used the Jedi Mind Trick or something because before I knew it I was putting in granite everywhere for $3,000. HIM - "These are not the bar tops you are looking for." ME - "These are not the bar tops I am looking for." HIM - "For only $1,500 more you can do the counters as well." ME - "For only $1,500 more I can do the counters (through in the backsplash and we have a deal) as well." Next thing I know I am forking over a check for 50% and trying to figure out how to make up the budget overrun. Anyone in the market for some plasma???? Not A Plasma, blood plasma.

Oh yeah...here is the granite. What do you think?
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/brown-pearl.jpg

May the force be with me, I'm going to need it.

Love the granite! You are going to love that distinctive clink nice glasses make when on a granite bar top. Easy to clean, easy to maintain and will last longer than us.

So, you go in thinking you are going to spend 1500 and wind up spending 3000? That never happens to me because I am not allowed acces to any money. If I was allowed, the mortgage will not get paid but I will have a 100" screen. Plus, I think my wife is a Jedi because mind tricks do not work on her. Unless it is for clothes.

Salesman: This AV rack is 1000. Comes with a fan.
Wife [turns to me; waves hand]: You will build your own AV rack.
Me: I can build my own AV rack!


Saw you Blog. It is addictive like crack. Wish my life was half as interesting! Loved the fact that you even go the Gas Can involved. Bar is looking good and you can really see the Irish Pub starting to form. Nice job.


Thank you for being addicted! Hope you stop by often. Senor GasCan had to make an appearance. I mean, how often does your brother run out of gas and you have to rescue him? I could not let such an opportunity pass. :D

Thanks for the bar compliments. It is coming along slowly. I wanted a home theater at first, but Jedi Master Wife nixed the idea.

She waved her hand and said: "we will have a space that can be used by anyone at anytime"
Me: "we'll build an Irish Pub"

I am just happy she let me tear apart the whole room and the two flat screens wereher idea! :)

Stop by my blog anytime and if you have any suggestions, opinions, ideas, concerns, leave a comment and let me know. Ridicule is welcomed too.

Look forward to more posts about your project. Or is it a hobby? :)


Happy building.

Looks like you got a decent price on the granite... how much per sq/ft? What was the name/type of the granite?

I think you'll be happy having done the whole thing in granite. We have granite in our kitchen, all bathrooms (2 full, 2 half), and the theater/kitchenette.... I wouldn't have it any other way (except maybe some other fancy solid surface or stone).

When we were picking the granite for the basement, we saw a sample we liked at our fabricator's showroom and was quoted a decent price. We then went down to the distributor to pick out a slab. When we got there, the slabs with the same name/type of granite looked MUCH different. When we found a slab that looked like the sample (different name) we got on the phone with our sales person who said THAT variety was more expensive.

The distributor was like 'Don't worry... I give you good price!' and worked out a deal with the fabricator to bring the price down closer to what we were expecting. I have no idea what the cost of the slab was, but it was nice that he was able to work with our fabricator to bring the cost down.

No jedi mind tricks, but we got the granite we wanted and stayed within budget. :)

Looks like you got a decent price on the granite... how much per sq/ft? What was the name/type of the granite?

The granite is called Brown Pearl. I have about 93 sqft including backplash so it comes out to about $33-34/sq ft. That also includes a bar sink and full round edges, so not too bad.

I got to see the full slab and had them shine some light on it to get a better idea of how it looked. My fear is that once it is installed I won't like it. I am sure it will be fine but my brain likes to mess with me.

When we built the house 6 years ago I opted to go with Solid Surface countertops in the kitchen (Maybe 60 sq ft max) and got bent over like a Tiger Woods girlfriend. Builder was a crook and charged me $7,000!!!!

In the end I am going to be happy doing all granite, plus it will just make the build go faster. Now I need to work out a deal on some Axiom Speakers!

Look forward to more posts about your project. Or is it a hobby? :)

Oh it is a project alright, but I think it is going to become a hobby. I have caught the HT bug something awful. Looking forward to more adventures of Senor GasCan. Maybe a Christmas Edition?

Stay strong and don't let the Jedi bring you down!

"got bent over like a Tiger Woods girlfriend"

Very funny!

Senor GasCan will make a future appearance on my blog-if I can convince him to unretire.

Spent Thursday and Friday in NYC for work and since I was staying right on Madison Ave I got the chance to do a lot of walking around and see the sights. Not the first time doing that but it was the first time I did it with my HT design hat on. Lot's of inspiration, just wish I had done that earlier in my build instead of so late. My design is pretty much done, but I'll see what I can incorporate.

The other thing I wished I had done differently....building the frame for my bar. I used 2x2's and they have warped a lot over the last 2 years. Tomorrow I am getting the countertops measured for the granite and I spent all day today shimming and fixing my frame. A complete and total pain! Why didn't I use 2x4's?????? UGH!

Granite company came over on Monday afternoon to measure for the countertops. All seemed to go well, which I hoped it would since I spent all day Sunday leveling and shiming those things. Today I got the call that the install date is December 22nd so I will have them in by Christmas. Now that really doesn't matter because I had no Christmas plans downstairs, but it does allow me to mark another thing off my punch list. I also like the fact that the bar top in the back of the theater will be done so that I can store stuff on it, really I need it. Just thinking.....I could even have a place for the laptop downstairs to distract me from my weekend work!

I hope to see some pics posted as soon as the install guys leave!

I hope to see some pics posted as soon as the install guys leave!

I'll probably take pictures as they install as well. Maybe I'll launch it with a nice beverage since I plan on not going into work that day.

I hadn't checked out your thread in a while, lets see some more pics! Looking good so far. Your bar looks amazing. I wish I had the space to do something like that. :(

I hadn't checked out your thread in a while, lets see some more pics! Looking good so far. Your bar looks amazing. I wish I had the space to do something like that. :(

Thanks. I need to do a better job taking pictures. I didn't really get much done this weekend except painting the rest of the basment. It is Aztec Gold but looks like a cross between vomit and gold. They should call it Vomit Gold instead. I was supposed to be off tomorrow but now I have to go into the office so I will try and take pictures when I get home so that you can vomit as well.

Please don't make me repaint.

Painted the remaining walls in the basement. I call it Vomit Gold. Looks delicious.

Here it is against the red wall in the HT...
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02345.jpg

Against the French Grey in the bar...
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02347.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02348.jpg

What do you think?

I don't think it looks bad. I'm trying to figure out what color would be a good accent to Aztec Gold. Possibly some sort of burnt orange would look nice.

That's the same color as my living room, so I have to say that I actually like it. We have purple accents as my wife is a HUGE purple fan.

Just a thought. Keep up the great work!

I don't think it looks bad. I'm trying to figure out what color would be a good accent to Aztec Gold. Possibly some sort of burnt orange would look nice.

Thanks. Thought about the burnt orange as well. Maybe I'll find a place to get it in.

That's the same color as my living room, so I have to say that I actually like it. We have purple accents as my wife is a HUGE purple fan.

Just a thought. Keep up the great work!


Definately purple would work well with that. My wife likes green so I purposely didn't put any downstairs to keep her away. ;) Any thoughts on carpet color that might go throughout the entire basement? That is going to be the biggest challenge working with my three different colors.

I like it! Job well done.

I like it! Job well done.

Thanks. Glad to hear you got to use the bar a little before the wine tour. Funny stuff!:)

Read through the whole thing, nice progress and is looking pretty awsome ! Great job !

Read through the whole thing, nice progress and is looking pretty awsome ! Great job !

Thanks. I am starting to feel like I am getting close. I really want to get my projector but I know the moment I do progress will come to a halt.

Countertops come on Tuesday AM so I had to install some straps to help hold it up. Used the router to make some grooves so that it would be flush.

Here is the HT back bar
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02349.jpg

Some photos of the main bar
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02351.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02352.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02353.jpg


Also picked out my bar faucet. Unfortunately the supply place didn't have it in stock so it is on order, but I convinced them to give me the display unit so the countertop guys could drill their hole. Ultimately I'll have to return it in a few weeks when the real one comes in.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02350.jpg

Finally finished my shelves for the AV cabinet. Not too shabby for a first time cabinet builder.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02354.jpg

Very nicely done with the cabinet. What are you planning on doing for the front edges?

I like that faucet too.

Man that bar looks really nice! The color is fantastic. I know its probably on the thread somewhere but what kind of stain and color is that? Your gonna have to have me over for a drink when your done so I can test that bar out for ya :D

Very nicely done with the cabinet. What are you planning on doing for the front edges?

I like that faucet too.

Thanks. Can't take credit for the cabinet though. I stole the idea from Edwards Cinema. I will be trimming out the cabinet with some molding and then eventually installing a smoke glass door.

Faucet is a Danze. Saw it online and then was able to find one at a kitchen/bath supply place nearby. It was exactly what I was looking for.

Man that bar looks really nice! The color is fantastic. I know its probably on the thread somewhere but what kind of stain and color is that? Your gonna have to have me over for a drink when your done so I can test that bar out for ya :D

Thanks, I wasn't sure at first but in the end I couldn't be happier with the color. I used Cabot Cherry stain that I got from Lowes. HD doesn't stock it by me. Then I used a MinWax Satin Wipe-On Poly. Two coats with sanding in between. Came out smooth as silk!

As soon as I finish I'll for sure have you over to test it out, it'll be a good time!

I have been following your build great job and thanks for the entertainment lol... Merry Xmas and keep up the good work.

Chester

I have been following your build great job and thanks for the entertainment lol... Merry Xmas and keep up the good work.

Chester

Thanks Chester. I figure I have to offer some entertainment because the progress has been so slow.:)

LET THERE BE COUNTERTOPS!!!! And so it shall be, for today was install day.

Starting to come together. Here is the HT Bar.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02356.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02355.jpg

I was worried about the color when I ordered it, but once it arrived and they installed it I LOVED it.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02363.jpg

Main Bar. The entire thing only took 6.5 hours...I'll explain.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02361.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02362.jpg

The top piece facing the bartender arrived without a polished edge so the installers had to take it back to the shop and have the machine polish it. Delayed things just a bit.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02359.jpg

Still need to trim the shelving..
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02360.jpg

Welcome home Sam, welcome home.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/Basement/DSC02368.jpg

Great work!! Looks nice, and the beer.... DELICIOUS!! :p

Great work!! Looks nice, and the beer.... DELICIOUS!! :p

Oh it was! Amazing how well things taste when you drink them in your own bar. I wonder what I will have next. Maybe some shots?

Wow, the bar tops look AWESOME! I recently had a Sam Adams and boy was it tasty!

Looks great! Amazing how that granite dresses everything up, great choice. How much space is between the front bar and the back bar? I planned 3 ft for mine hope its not gonna be too cramped.

Wow, the bar tops look AWESOME! I recently had a Sam Adams and boy was it tasty!

Thanks. The Sam Adams was a good choice.

Looks great! Amazing how that granite dresses everything up, great choice. How much space is between the front bar and the back bar? I planned 3 ft for mine hope its not gonna be too cramped.

Biz,

The bars are in different areas of the basement so no issue there, as they are about 25ft apart. The Theater bar is about 20" deep, starting from the back of the riser. The only space issue I have is near the wall. That stool that goes there will have to be for a skinny person because right behind the stool will be the AV cabinet, so there isn't much room to navigate. I think I have about 19" inches or so to play with. All other stools are unobstructed and have nothing behind it. If you have 36" for your stools to move you should have plenty of room.

oh I meant how much walking room is in the actual bar. The area between the back cabinets and the front of the bar where you would stand and make or serve a drink. Sorry about the confusion. Like I said I planned for 3ft and I'm just trying to get an idea if it will be adequate or too small.

Wow looks better than a lot of kitchens I've been in.

chester

oh I meant how much walking room is in the actual bar. The area between the back cabinets and the front of the bar where you would stand and make or serve a drink. Sorry about the confusion. Like I said I planned for 3ft and I'm just trying to get an idea if it will be adequate or too small.

Sorry I am an idoit! LOL I have 4.5' between the two bars and I could put on an episode of Dancing With the Stars back there. I just measured 3' and it will be plenty of room for one person. Two people can fit back there with 3' but it would be a little tight. If you want to stop by one night and check it out you are more than welcomed. Just let me know.

Wow looks better than a lot of kitchens I've been in.

chester

You are too kind! If you could only see the stuff that doesn't show up in pictures you would change your mind.:)

Trying not to be redundant on the posts, your bar looks killer...


You are too kind! If you could only see the stuff that doesn't show up in pictures you would change your mind.:)

Sorry I am an idoit! LOL I have 4.5' between the two bars and I could put on an episode of Dancing With the Stars back there. I just measured 3' and it will be plenty of room for one person. Two people can fit back there with 3' but it would be a little tight. If you want to stop by one night and check it out you are more than welcomed. Just let me know.

Thanks, that helps. I was always worried that it might be too tight. Maybe after all the holiday madness i will check it out. Thanks and Merry Christmas!

Trying not to be redundant on the posts, your bar looks killer...

Thanks, compliments are always welcome!

Counter tops looking Sweet!!! I haven't put in my little bar yet but I think I will have to bight the bullet as well and go with the solid surface as well. My third row bar looks so go now I don't think I can cheap out with the other couter tops.

Ok, let's talk colors... What wacky little color wheel did you spin to come up with that combo???:D I thougt I dreaded MY carpet decision.:eek:

Counter tops looking Sweet!!! I haven't put in my little bar yet but I think I will have to bight the bullet as well and go with the solid surface as well. My third row bar looks so go now I don't think I can cheap out with the other couter tops.

Ok, let's talk colors... What wacky little color wheel did you spin to come up with that combo???:D I thougt I dreaded MY carpet decision.:eek:

I thought about doing a true Solid Surface product like Corian but I remembered how much I hate them upstairs in my kitchen that I quickly changed my mind. Loses it luster after about a month and it shows every little scratch. You basically have to polish it every month to keep it looking new. Now the Quartz and Silestone stuff is great because it keeps it shine, but it's expensive. Granite was the cheapest. I am really glad I went with the granite. Broke the budget, but the budget was never set in stone anyway. It was more of a moving target. I really like the way you did built your HT bar out. Is that rope lighting under the lip? Very cool.

I have absolutely no idea where the color pallet came from. I must have been slipped some LSD or something. I literally went to the Sherwin Williams store and bought one color at a time with no regard for anything. The Vomit Gold is probably going to have to go. Causing me major heartburn on how to match carpet. I think I want to go with a grey floor, so next step is to get some samples and start laying them out to see if it will work. If I could do this all over again I would lay out my colors BEFORE to see how they look together with the wood stain and carpet. Ugh.:confused:

Your space is coming together really nicely. Excellent bar top. You've got me reconsidering the wood top I had planned for mine.

CJ

I thought about doing a true Solid Surface product like Corian but I remembered how much I hate them upstairs in my kitchen that I quickly changed my mind. Loses it luster after about a month and it shows every little scratch. You basically have to polish it every month to keep it looking new. Now the Quartz and Silestone stuff is great because it keeps it shine, but it's expensive.


I went with Stylestone but I have a friend that owns the local countertop place and he was having a remnant sale. Still cost an arm and a leg but I have a spare of each. :D

If I am not careful, all of this posting is going to motivate me again to get back to work...:eek:

I went with Stylestone but I have a friend that owns the local countertop place and he was having a remnant sale. Still cost an arm and a leg but I have a spare of each. :D

If I am not careful, all of this posting is going to motivate me again to get back to work...:eek:

I hear you! I am supposed to be laying the Dirta Underlayment for my bar floor tiles, but I am on here instead. Love the Silestone stuff. No sealing, no staining, you can put hot stuff on it and it won't melt. Good stuff!

Today was a pretty lazy day. I avoided laying down Ditra underlayment for the bar floor as long as I could by browsing the forums. Well with no more excuses I attacked the project like a wild animal. In this case the animal being a 3 toed sloth.

This stuff should stop the cracking of any grout lines or tiles. Probably overkill but did it just in case.

First step is lay it down and cut it to size.
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/DSC02398.jpg
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/DSC02400.jpg

Then you lay down some UNMODIFIED thinset (very important) with a 1/4" V-notched trowel, roll the Ditra out and press down with a float. Actually it was pretty easy but all that troweling kills your hands.

Well it is all ready for tile. Now I have to figure out what kind of tile I want. Any suggestions?
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/DSC02401.jpg
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/DSC02403.jpg
http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w142/havoc324/DSC02404.jpg

Jay, just caught up on your thread. Your bar looks great! Wife and I are planning a similar color scheme (from what I can tell) using a tan/dark gray contrast above and below the chair rail. Wife found some laminate at Lowes that she "just has to have" for the wall wet bar counter top. Would have loved granite or something similar to that but I'm not complaining due to cost savings.

Keep up the good work.

Jay, just caught up on your thread. Your bar looks great! Wife and I are planning a similar color scheme (from what I can tell) using a tan/dark gray contrast above and below the chair rail. Wife found some laminate at Lowes that she "just has to have" for the wall wet bar counter top. Would have loved granite or something similar to that but I'm not complaining due to cost savings.

Keep up the good work.

Thanks. I may have to change up some of my colors if I can't find a carpet that will work. I was planning of doing laminate for the bottom of the bar but I got a good deal to do the whole thing in granite so I went with it. The good thing about laminate is it is cheap and there are some really nice pieces out there that look great. Then in the future you can always swap it out with granite if you wanted.

Well it is all ready for tile. Now I have to figure out what kind of tile I want. Any suggestions?

Well just close your eyes and give that little color wheel a spin and see what it spits out...:D

Well just close your eyes and give that little color wheel a spin and see what it spits out...:D

my luck it would come up pink:eek:

Jay,

Don't know how I've been missing your thread, but I am subscribed now.
Your bar cabinets and counter-tops are outstanding !!

As for your comments on picking paint colors LOL - I can certainly relate.

Have a great New Years!

Jay,

Don't know how I've been missing your thread, but I am subscribed now.
Your bar cabinets and counter-tops are outstanding !!

As for your comments on picking paint colors LOL - I can certainly relate.

Have a great New Years!

Thanks! Enjoy the New Year!

You will not have ideal acoustics with that set up. You would be much better off using the fitness area for the theater room.

You will not have ideal acoustics with that set up. You would be much better off using the fitness area for the theater room.

Yep definately agree, but i couldn't get the length I wanted with that room. What you can't see is that all my walls strategically hide all my support beams, except for the one that is smack in the middle of my fitness room. I mapped this thing out 300 ways to sunday before I came up with this design. Was really the only option I had and I wasn't going to hire an engineer to move the poles. Not ideal but good enough. Maybe room 2.0 in a new house will allow more freedom someday.

Wife went to Costco today and calls to tell me that they have a row of 3 Berkline power leather chairs, curved. After work I check them out and they are pretty nice. Only problem is I can't find any info about them online so I suspect that they are special made for Costco. They don't have a model number that I can see but are called Berkline Ovation 17061-5341. They are 111"w x 38.6"d x 42.9"h but I can't find the full recline measurement which is what I am really concerned about. Anyone ever run across these before???:confused:

UPDATE: I believe these may be 1200's

how much?

Have you been pricing out other chairs? Do you feel those are decent? I might swing by over the weekend and check them out. I live at 18 and garfield, so I will try the Hall rd and Hayes costco. I wont be ready for them for a few months. Im waiting for my electrician to finish the theater room so I can insulate and start hanging drywall, but after that it should go pretty quickly. If you're looking for someone who does great work send me a pm. He's been working on my basement and does excellent work. I was going to do it my self to save money, but it would take me years and the work would have been 10% as good as him.

Have you been pricing out other chairs? Do you feel those are decent? I might swing by over the weekend and check them out. I live at 18 and garfield, so I will try the Hall rd and Hayes costco. I wont be ready for them for a few months. Im waiting for my electrician to finish the theater room so I can insulate and start hanging drywall, but after that it should go pretty quickly. If you're looking for someone who does great work send me a pm. He's been working on my basement and does excellent work. I was going to do it my self to save money, but it would take me years and the work would have been 10% as good as him.

Haven't really be pricing out chairs yet. I need to contact Roman and start getting some pricing, I am getting close to needing them.

Luckily I am pretty much done with the basement and Theater so I don't need any help, the hard stuff is done! I did it all myself over the course or 3 years so I made sure to take my time to do it right. Good Luck!

Haven't posted in over a month. Part of that reason is I really haven't done anything in the last month. I hate January and it makes me not want to work on anything. Oh yeah, I almost forgot I have had to do real office work for the last 4 weekends, so that doesn't make it any easier. Maybe if I was getting paid overtime then it wouldn't bother me too much because I could spend the extra cash on the basement.

After all that whining out of the way I thought I would give you all a bit of an update (pictures will soon follow):

1) Bought a wet tile saw. Figured it was cheaper than renting one to cut the tile on my bar floor. Plus it was an excuse to buy a new tool.

2) Mapped out my tile pattern (hopscotch) and bought the tile. I think I shocked the tile guy because I bought it in about 5 minutes. Went in to the store and the guy says, "Can I help you?" and I say "Sure, I want this tile you and I are standing on, do you have it?". He did and I told him how much I needed and $600 later I was out the door with the tile. That's how I roll and it drives my wife nuts. Sometimes I think I do things like that just to get her goat.

3) Started laying tile. I don't want to talk about this anymore. Let's just say you should never paint yourself in a corner and the same goes for tiling.

4) Because I may pull up some of my slightly imperfect tile project I figured I needed a new tool. And what better tool than a Fein Multimaster. So I stopped off at a couple dealers today and they didn't have the kit I was looking for. Oh sure the standard kit would work just fine but what if I need to use the profile sanders? I can't live with that kind of "What if" so I need the Top kit. I am checking two more places tomorrow and if I don't walk out the door with it I am going to lose it.

This is a very sad story so try not to cry for me.

So...you know when you get a phone call at 4:45am and it is your wife telling you that she just totalled her car on the way to the airport in a snow storm? That's the kind of day I had yesterday. Normally I wouldn't be too upset and thankfully she was fine, but wouldn't you know just 3 days ago I got "smart" and changed her insurance on that car to PLPD. So instead of getting $3000 for her worthless car I now get nothing (now it really is worthless). Now since I have taken a NO DEBT pledge I am stuck using my basement savings to go and pay cash for a new car. I want to get my wife a 1994 Caprice Classic with 345,563 miles, she wants a new Audi that costs a small fortune. Can we meet in the middle? If figure if I can get her into a resonable slightly used car I can still have money left to fund the rest of the basement by end of spring. Damn you Dave Ramsey, why must you make me live debt free! My basement would have been finished long ago if it weren't for you. Now Logan will probably finish before me. Ugh.

Normally I wouldn't be too upset and thankfully she was fine, but wouldn't you know just 3 days ago I got "smart" and changed her insurance on that car to PLPD.

Son of a @$#@#$

To be honest I can't believe (knock on wood) that I have crashed (knock on wood) my 98 Blazer (knock on wood) as my wife just dropped it down to PLPD. April or May 1st... ok fine but February 1st??? In the snow??? Why???

Glad to hear the wife came out in one piece.

I hear they are selling Toyota's cheap.:D