So anyways, I'm not carpenter and building my own acoustical treatments and making them look anywhere near decent was more than a little intimidating for me but I tackled it anyways and figured I'd share my experiences with everyone else here who might be considering the same.

I'll keep this as "leymans terms" as possible.

All total, I spent about 200 dollars on the whole project (thought I got a fantastic deal on the 703). That yielded me a 12 count of 2 x 4 acoustical treatments.


Here's the materials:

Owens Corning 703 fiberglass insulation
I somehow picked up 12 of the 24 inch by 48 inch by 2 inch thick boards for 105 dollars locally, expect to pay about 50 to 80 dollars more than that though.
http://acoustimac.com/products.asp

Roughly 15 2 inch by 2 inch by 8 foot long wooden boards

Find this anywhere for roughly 1.50 per board


Any thin, soft, and porous fabric will work. The broadcloth fabric from Hancock Fabrics would probably work (I picked up something somewhat similar to this stuff).
http://www.hancockfabrics.com/product/iMainCat/3232/iSubCat/3321/iProductID/9101/9101.html

About 3 dollars per yard.


Any thin cotton batting from Hancock Fabrics will also work. I just found the thinnest and airyest batting that I could find at the store and had them cut up sheets of that for me. Just go in and ask for batting, they will know what you are talking about :) Have them cut into 50 inch tall and 50 inch wide squares so that you can fully wrap the insulation with it.

This stuff is very cheap.


Next is rubber footings to put on the back of the boards to give them some spacing from the walls. I used 1.5 inch screw-through rubber feet, but anything will work really.
If you go into Home Depot and look on the aisle with the "felt pads for the feet of furniture so they don't scratch up hardwood floors" they will send you directly to the right aisle and section you are looking for. The rubber feet are just mixed in with those.

These are about 2 dollars per pack of 2 or 4.


Finally, go to a hobby lobby, picture framing shop, or other type of store and have them attach "wire hangings" to the back of each of your frames. They are very cheap and easy to install if you wish to do it yourself. Its basically just two screws stringing a wire across the back of your frame just like a picture.

This stuff costed me nothing because we own a framing shop, but it cant cost much.


Screws. Some 3 inch wood screws to build your frame. Some 1.5 inch wood screws to attach your plywood triangles mentioned below.

Once again not expensive.


The last material is just cheap and thin plywood. You'll cut this into triangles and run it across the corners of your frame to make them strong and provide a backing for the fiberglass boards so they will stay in place.

Also very inexpensive.



Construction is simple:

Cutting the wood is cake. You will be building 4 foot tall boards for the sides of the frames so simply cut however many of your 2x2x8's in half you'll need. Next take the same 2x2x8's and cut three 27 inch long pieces out of them.

The 27 inch long pieces are the top and bottom of the frame, the 48 inchers are the sides (note the 27 inches is 3 inches wider than your board because it will overlap the side boards to screw them together). Basically you just "butt joint" all the boards together and make a big retangle out of them. Use the 3 inch wood screws to tack these together.

http://www.ripsdiy.co.za/graphics/woodbutjoin.jpg

Next take your plywood and cut triangles out of it. Put a triangle at each corner of the frame and screw it in using the 2 inch wood screws to reinforce the corner and to provide a corner backing for the insulation.

That takes care of the framing.

Next take the Owens Corning 703 and wrap a piece of cotton batting all the way around it. Next slide the batting with the 703 inside of it into your frame, it should be very snug but manageable.

Next take your fabric of choice that you are using to dress up the front and sides and wrap it around the front, top, bottom, and sides and staple gun it to the wood. Be sure to stretch it well to pull out all the wrinkles and whatnot.

Once you are done with that cut off the excess fabric, attach the rubber footings to the bottom corners, and attach the "picture hanging wire" somewhere around the top 1/3rd of the frame.

That's pretty much it.


Now granted these wont be the most beautiful acoustical treatments you have ever seen, especially on the back. But who really looks behind them anyways? These might not have a very high W.A.F. but if you have a dedicated dark HT room, managable wife, or are a bachelor and love ugly **** like myself they'll do just fine.

The quality control on ours was somewhere between **** and horse **** (occasionally lack of fabric made us put a staple somewhere where we didn't want to or whatnot) but I must admit even ours looks pretty damn nice. But I'm not your wife thank god so who knows.

Maybe next I'll post the easiest way to build a forgiving wife. Then I'll be rich!

I will post pics soon, probably tomorrow.

Me and 2 friends cranked out about 12 of these things in under 3 hours. Thats way more than enough to cover my 17 wide by 22 deep room.


http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/3116/treatments001uu7.jpg
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/184/treatments002re3.jpg
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/1659/treatments004hs0.jpg
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/1530/treatments004hd0.jpg
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/6020/treatments005az0.jpg
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/5011/treatments006aj8.jpg

Nice post....I need to do something.
Questions...
Are you sure it's 2x2s....they would be thinner than a 2" Owens Corning....and your picture makes the boards look like 1x3s.
What's the batting for ?---could you just wrap the Owens Corning with the fabric ?
I never understood batting, and I have no idea what it looks like.

Thanks

Post pictures

Nice post....I need to do something.
Questions...
Are you sure it's 2x2s....they would be thinner than a 2" Owens Corning....and your picture makes the boards look like 1x3s.
What's the batting for ?---could you just wrap the Owens Corning with the fabric ?
I never understood batting, and I have no idea what it looks like.

Thanks

Post pictures

The picture I just nabbed off of google to illustrate what a butt joint is. Basically you don't cut 45 degree angles and piece together.

Just leave em square.

But mine are 2x2's yes.

The batting is just in place to keep fiberglass from poofing out everywhere if you handle the panels alot.

If you poke your finger or tap on the panels with a porous outside fabric then that insulation will get out (especially from behind if you don't fully cover the panel) and that **** is itchy as hell.

The batting prevents that and is very inexpensive and has no negative effects that I can forsee.

The picture I just nabbed off of google to illustrate what a butt joint is. Basically you don't cut 45 degree angles and piece together.

Just leave em square.

But mine are 2x2's yes.

The batting is just in place to keep fiberglass from poofing out everywhere if you handle the panels alot.

If you poke your finger or tap on the panels with a porous outside fabric then that insulation will get out (especially from behind if you don't fully cover the panel) and that **** is itchy as hell.

The batting prevents that and is very inexpensive and has no negative effects that I can forsee.

A 2x2 would only be around 1.5" thick wouldn't it? How are you able to get a 2" piece of fiberglass and batting to fit within the width of a 2x2 when it's not even 2"? I think that is what PG was asking as well.

A 2x2 would only be around 1.5" thick wouldn't it? How are you able to get a 2" piece of fiberglass and batting to fit within the width of a 2x2 when it's not even 2"? I think that is what PG was asking as well.

In short, I didn't but that kinda adds to the charm of it.........

The frames will be universally square.
When you stretch the fabric across and pin it down then you have a very square and uniform looking bulge right in the middle of it that sticks out about 1/2 an inch.

I personally prefer that over the perfectly flat look but you could achieve that look if you used 1x3's.

I edited in the pics so you can see how they turned out.

BTW the batting is the white cloth you see on the backs of the treatments in those pictures.

Its just a very thin and airey cotton based fabric that I used to wrap around the insulation.

In short, I didn't but that kinda adds to the charm of it.........

The frames will be universally square.
When you stretch the fabric across and pin it down then you have a very square and uniform looking bulge right in the middle of it that sticks out about 1/2 an inch.

I personally prefer that over the perfectly flat look but you could achieve that look if you used 1x3's.

Now it makes sense. Thanks. I actually ripped down MDF boards to 2" for mine.

BTW the batting is the white cloth you see on the backs of the treatments in those pictures.

Its just a very thin and airey cotton based fabric that I used to wrap around the insulation.
Looks pretty cool.
I would make one small suggestion, and I would use some kind of flame retardant (http://www.natfire.com/products.html) on all the cotton batting.
Call me too cautious, but ya just never know...
JMHO

Best,

Tom

Would mineral wool panels in this same size work better and not have the itchiness?

Would mineral wool panels in this same size work better and not have the itchiness?

The mineral wool isn't rigid so you would need to attach it somehow so it doesn't sag.

Somebody else would have to speak to the itchiness.

I was looking at these boards. Seems rigid...no?

http://www.insulationworld.com/prodView.asp?idproduct=631

I've hung 8 of them now. I think the last 4 have to go on the ceiling so I'm not sure how I'm going to do that quite yet.

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/1579/treatments2rm6.jpg
Shot with FinePix F20 (http://profile.imageshack.us/camerabuy.php?model=FinePix+F20&make=FUJIFILM) at 2007-08-11

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/6944/treatments2003mb0.jpg
Shot with FinePix F20 (http://profile.imageshack.us/camerabuy.php?model=FinePix+F20&make=FUJIFILM) at 2007-08-11

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/3962/treatments2002ts7.jpg
Shot with FinePix F20 (http://profile.imageshack.us/camerabuy.php?model=FinePix+F20&make=FUJIFILM) at 2007-08-11

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/6918/treatments2001rd6.jpg
Shot with FinePix F20 (http://profile.imageshack.us/camerabuy.php?model=FinePix+F20&make=FUJIFILM) at 2007-08-11

hmm did you know that treating a room with any kind of absorbers before measuring is like ordering something you have never eaten before(it might taste horribly)? sure reverberationtime is probably better @ 1000+hz but i don't think anyone should put midrangeabsorbers in their room without knowing what problems a room have?

well as long as you are having fun i don't see any problem but please measure first then fix :)

I have to admit I am curious as to what measurements you took for the reflection points in your room before mounting these panels. The one behind the chair in particular. I'm having trouble imagining that you'll get too many reflections from a wall hidden behind a chair... :)

-drin

hahahah! Kitty is thinking... "yum, new scraching posts!"

Good stuff! I seriously think Ill follow this to make mine!

Keep us updated!!!

hmm did you know that treating a room with any kind of absorbers before measuring is like ordering something you have never eaten before(it might taste horribly)? sure reverberationtime is probably better @ 1000+hz but i don't think anyone should put midrangeabsorbers in their room without knowing what problems a room have?

well as long as you are having fun i don't see any problem but please measure first then fix :)

Most rooms require significant treatment, so I disagree strongly with you, as will most acousticians. I certainly agree that measuring is a good idea, but anyone can see that a bare untreated room needs treatment.

Most rooms require significant treatment, so I disagree strongly with you, as will most acousticians. I certainly agree that measuring is a good idea, but anyone can see that a bare untreated room needs treatment.

ya, this is where my HT basemnt is at right now

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x25/tleavit/DSC06728.jpg

I just walk down there and normal convo results in echo, not a good thing at all.

Most rooms require significant treatment, so I disagree strongly with you, as will most acousticians. I certainly agree that measuring is a good idea, but anyone can see that a bare untreated room needs treatment.

so you say...

i can agree somewhat but then all the absorbers should be placed at the first reflectionpoints and behind the speakers...if thats what you mean than we agree..

but placing them as he did well...no there is no guarantee that it'll improve the room

I have to admit I am curious as to what measurements you took for the reflection points in your room before mounting these panels. The one behind the chair in particular. I'm having trouble imagining that you'll get too many reflections from a wall hidden behind a chair... :)

-drin

Yah, I didn't really intend to get much with that.

I did intend to cover the wires coming down from those surrounds though :)

so you say...

i can agree somewhat but then all the absorbers should be placed at the first reflectionpoints and behind the speakers...if thats what you mean than we agree..

but placing them as he did well...no there is no guarantee that it'll improve the room

The horizontal panels near the chairs are the first reflection points for the towers.

The rear panels would help with sound bouncing off the back walls.

I still have 4 more panels to hang, 2 will be going behind my mains.

The other 2 I'm not sure where they are going. Probably on the ceiling.

i'm a little of deadend-liveend school but not really :)

if you take a look at this room which ingvar öhman (ino audio sweden) has built for one of his customers...(30 pictures says more than 1million words :) ) thats what i'm talking about...absorbers and diffusers have more or less a specific function and place in each and every room, and because every room is different each and every one should be treated that way...and of course measurements isn't a must...if you have some feeling and have treated rooms before simple math should sort out the worst problems

Highend.nu hometheatre (http://highend.nu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5&Itemid=6)

so you say...

i can agree somewhat but then all the absorbers should be placed at the first reflectionpoints and behind the speakers...if thats what you mean than we agree..

but placing them as he did well...no there is no guarantee that it'll improve the room

No, there isn't a guarantee unless you measure and know factually what's going on, but common sense will lead to to expect a very significant improvement in SQ in that space with the panels he put up in such a manner.

Certainly it is possible to overtreat, and overtreat the highs especially, but generally speaking the impulse to add *some* appropriate absorption to a room is a good one in pretty much any normal living space, especially for HT where the target RT60 time is going to be shorter than what might work fine with a 2-channel system.

i think we agree....i just don't want people to do stuff without thinking first...often people put down a lot of work at treating the room without knowledge..instead of asking...

no offence grantc79 im not speaking about you :)

My biggest question is how well do they seem to be working? Do you see an overall improvement, and if so, how much of an improvement?

I'm looking at starting my acoustical treatments shortly, and will likely follow this thread's advice on building them (although may put an external frame on top, since it would go better with my theater).

Thanks for the info!
-Scott

My biggest question is how well do they seem to be working? Do you see an overall improvement, and if so, how much of an improvement?

I'm looking at starting my acoustical treatments shortly, and will likely follow this thread's advice on building them (although may put an external frame on top, since it would go better with my theater).

Thanks for the info!
-Scott

Umm, pretty damn dramatic.

I've put the remainder of the panels on the front walls behind the center and the towers and basically I have eliminated any hum from the room at all.

Everything is clearer and snappier.

The only thing I'm not 100% happy with is the lack of bass traps which are on their way, but the treatments work great.