Hi,

My first post here but been lurking for well over a year. I have to say this forum has been of invaluable help to me during that time but I finally had to overcome my shyness and write my first post.

I'm in the middle of building my first HT, and am about to start the framing of the proscenium. I plan to cover my proscenium with GOM, but it suddenly occurred to me that I don't know the best way to attach the GOM at the point where the proscenium sides butt up to the ceiling, floor and side walls and still make it 'clean' to the eye. I'm planning on stapling the GOM to the proscenium frame, but once the framing is in I won't be able to staple the outside edges (except on the the front face of the frame)since the floor, wall & ceiling will be in the way.

There's probably a very simple answer, but sometimes 'simple' is hard to see.

Also, I noticed that most people use linacoustics (1/2" or 1") but this material is very thick compared to some of the other alternatives (1/8") that have similar STC ratings and are much thinner. What is it about linacoustics that makes it so popular ?

Hope you guys & gals can help

Alan

First you need to look at NRC for reflective surface treatments not STC.

http://www.bobgolds.com/AbsorptionCoefficients.htm

As for the front wall you have three alternatives

Build a fixed in place frame wall, staple on fabric and cover staples with some kind of trim. On one edge you can use the staple and fold over technique.

Build the wall in movable sections that can bet set in place. Stable the fabric on the sides and backs of the sections before setting in place.

Build simple frames covered in fabric that can be set in place resting against a fixed frame structure creating the wall.

see for the later:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=837848&highlight=minimalist

What ever method you choose remember that you will need access to the speakers from time to time.

I did not treat my proscenium walls, but my screen wall is treated, as are the sides and back of the my theater. For the proscenium, I built the frame first. I then put MDF over the frame. However, before I secured the outside piece of MDF to the framing, I stapled a large piece of GOM to the back of it (at the point where it would butt up against the side wall) and wrapped it around the MDF so that it would stretch across and cover the entire proscenium wall. This took care of hiding the staples on the left and right sides (because I wrapped it around to the inside of the proscenium wall and stapled it to the back of it). I then stapled at the top and bottom and covered the staples with molding. I don't have detailed pictures of each step of this process, but if you follow the link in my signature, you may be able to get an idea of what I did.

jj

Great, thanks guys. I'd already thought of using trim to cover the edges, but thought there might be an alternative.

Jeff, I like your idea of the MDF, that might work for me.

BIGmouth thanks for the advice re NRC's, that's an area I obviously need to read up on. Also, the simple frame approach had crossed my mind, but I'm worried about gaps between the panels.

Also, the simple frame approach had crossed my mind, but I'm worried about gaps between the panels.

If you are doing black you don't see the seams. and if you put them where you want it looks like part of the design.

I forgot another method and thats the use of a track system that the edge of the fabric is pressed into.

See Fabricmate.com.

If you use MDF panels wrapped in fabric you can screw into them from the back of your screenwall framing if you plan properly. This is the easiest way I have found. I always leave the panels that go over the speaker openings for last and make those removable like DC was saying. MDF is sturdy and easy to work with, paints and routers well.

Good luck!