New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Flyboyusa's Basement Theatre - Page 5

post #121 of 234
[quote=flyboyusa99;21208206]Tape, mud....tape, mud....tape, mud... does it ever end???

Yeah it ends and then you get to sand!!!!!! I am getting the taste of fine drywall mud particles in my mouth right now.

Looking really good. It will all be so worth it. I wish I documented my basement finish this well.
post #122 of 234
Dave,

It's coming along very nicely. I really like the attention to detail that you are putting into it like the arched doorways and openings. And that fireplace just looks great!

Just don't do what I did and stop working when you are 95% done. I did this on my project and had a very hard time finding the energy to finish that last 5% and left it for over a year.
All that was left was to trim out three windows, and do some touch-up paint work here and there but I was enjoying the space too much to force myself to get back to work.
My wife was a saint and never complained, but she gently reminded me that we were having both of our familys over for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, so I finished those last few things these past few weekenda and now I feel even better about the space than I did before.

Keep up the great work, you should be very proud of yourself!
post #123 of 234
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brent A View Post

Dave,

It's coming along very nicely. I really like the attention to detail that you are putting into it like the arched doorways and openings. And that fireplace just looks great!

Just don't do what I did and stop working when you are 95% done. I did this on my project and had a very hard time finding the energy to finish that last 5% and left it for over a year.
All that was left was to trim out three windows, and do some touch-up paint work here and there but I was enjoying the space too much to force myself to get back to work.
My wife was a saint and never complained, but she gently reminded me that we were having both of our familys over for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, so I finished those last few things these past few weekenda and now I feel even better about the space than I did before.

Keep up the great work, you should be very proud of yourself!

Thanks to all for the compliments and encouragement!
My strategy is to hold off buying the screen or PJ until almost everything is finished! This will keep away the urge to call it done and start watching movies.
post #124 of 234
Thread Starter 
Spent 2 days this week installing a battery backup sump pump! I have been reading of horror stories of flooded basements and I had to put this possibility out of the question.

More pictures of a sump than most care to see!












Also, bought and hooked up a water sensor on the floor near the sump pit, it is directly connected to our Ademco security system and I'll get an instant call if there is water in the basement.
Anyhow, now I can sleep better knowing that a basement flood is pretty much out of the question!
On to work on mudding, fun...fun.
post #125 of 234
My, my, my,

You need only to visit my thread to know how much I LOVE and HATE sump pumps. Wise choice on the battery backup, mine has worked to save me several times from failed pumps and water in the basement. Many here underestimate the assurance of having the knowledge that you have a backup just waiting to go to work.

I have had water in the basement and it my friend is way not fun.

I too have the Basement watchdog, different model, but it is a good system and the company is great with excellent customer service.

Regards,

RTROSE
post #126 of 234
Thread Starter 
The theater continues to move forwards, slowly but surely.

Finished the oak plywood on all the soffits and above the stage. Also installed the 3" lights in the soffit:











Also, got the riser framed and mostly sheeted. Still have to bracket it to the concrete, fill with Roxul and get the riser lighting installed before I can finish the plywood.







Also, the wife and I started looking at colors. We're leaning towards a dark red/purple for the walls, dark black/brown for the ceiling and a dark brown/red stain for the soffit, but I'm sure this will change 10 times in the next month before we finalize.

Here are a few samples were looking at:
post #127 of 234
Wow, your theater is looking awesome! I love your soffit work especially how the ceiling matches the curved stage -- NICE TOUCH! Keep up the great work.
post #128 of 234
Looking good. Really starting to come together for sure. I like the thought of purple and black, very classy choice. I understand the whole "it will change 10 times" that is just part of it. I knew that I wanted blue as my color choice, but the "blue" I wanted changed several times during my build. Just part of it. Oh, and I love your choice in theater seating. Looks comfy.

Regards,

RTROSE
post #129 of 234
Thread Starter 
Thanks to all for the compliments and suggestions, it helps to have folks to bounce ideas off of and get feedback.

RT, the chair I have in the HT for now is just an old chair I had laying around that I'm using for checking positions/distances from the screen, it won't be there for much longer. Thanks to IUSteve, I have nice dark brown suede set of 3 reclining Berklines to put on the riser, just don't have them down there yet until drywall and painting are finished and most of the dusty work is done.
post #130 of 234
Quote:
Originally Posted by flyboyusa99 View Post

Thanks to all for the compliments and suggestions, it helps to have folks to bounce ideas off of and get feedback.

RT, the chair I have in the HT for now is just an old chair I had laying around that I'm using for checking positions/distances from the screen, it won't be there for much longer. Thanks to IUSteve, I have nice dark brown suede set of 3 reclining Berklines to put on the riser, just don't have them down there yet until drywall and painting are finished and most of the dusty work is done.


Well it is nice to know that Iusteve is at least good for something. Good to hear that you have made arrangements for "proper" HT seating anyway.

Regards,

RTROSE
post #131 of 234
great work...seriously. I just found this thread and was going through all the posts saying to myself...can't wait to see the final pics...then I realized it's a current build.

Keep up the posts and hope your finger is feeling better.
post #132 of 234
Thread Starter 
Thanks daronk, it's been a long process but fun. Anyway, I'm close to finishing mudding and should have primer done by the end of the week, more pics to come.
Yep, the finger is much better now, gotta be careful with new razor blades, they can do some damage real quick.
I've got my sights on an Epson 8350 for sale on craigslist and just about to close the deal on it and try it out to verify my proposed screen size. I was really wanting to go with a Panny 4000 or 7000, but this deal is too good to pass up on the Epson so I'm going to give it a try, I'm sure it will be fine.
post #133 of 234
Looking really nice. Isn't it so rewarding to see your work in these pictures? I like the sone work you did around the fireplace. I'd go crazy trying to get that loose stone put up randomly--I guess I'm too much of an engineer. lol Have you considered changing that receptacle to a gray bodied color?

Quote:
Originally Posted by flyboyusa99 View Post


I don't mean to be a know-it-all, and I should mind my own business, but is that flashed properly? I'm unable to tell, but it looks like water may get down under that top flange. A driving rain may be the only concern if its under an eave.
post #134 of 234
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lakee911 View Post

... but is that flashed properly? I'm unable to tell, but it looks like water may get down under that top flange. A driving rain may be the only concern if its under an eave.

...and proximity to mulch? Snow clearing before usage...


I'm also considering an Epson 8350. Just moved about a year ago and the basement is itching for a projector. Remember not to start it up until the room is finished

Curious - what's your finished ceiling height?
post #135 of 234
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by daronk View Post

...and proximity to mulch? Snow clearing before usage...


I'm also considering an Epson 8350. Just moved about a year ago and the basement is itching for a projector. Remember not to start it up until the room is finished

Curious - what's your finished ceiling height?

Yea, the fireplace guy suggested I clear out the mulch and dig out and install a window well underneath the FP termination, he said it's usually not a problem unless we get a massive amount of snow built up in which case he said the FP just wouldn't stay lit well due to starving for O2. Also, I believe the termination has a flashing built in behind the siding, I believe he peeled off siding, installed term., installed flashing and then re-installed the siding with proper weeper flashing draining to the bottom edge of the lowest pc. of siding. That upward flange is there to deflect the heat away from the vinyl siding to keep it from melting.

The finished height from concrete floor to finished ceiling is approx. 93".
post #136 of 234
Good. I'm glad its done right.
post #137 of 234
While we are questioning the vent...have you checked the local building codes? In this instance, proximity to the window. Not that anyone would often be using the fireplace and open an exterior window, but there are often minimum distance requirements...just in case.

Very nice work by the way. Makes me want to rip out my basement and start over now that the kids are grown and gone.
post #138 of 234
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Krispy Kritter View Post

While we are questioning the vent...have you checked the local building codes? In this instance, proximity to the window. Not that anyone would often be using the fireplace and open an exterior window, but there are often minimum distance requirements...just in case.

Very nice work by the way. Makes me want to rip out my basement and start over now that the kids are grown and gone.

Thanks Krispy. Yeah the code is 24" min. to any opening and the termination meets that. That was one of the first things I asked when they installed and its fine.
post #139 of 234
Thread Starter 
Made some progress today, got the ceiling textured in the sitting room area. It's a messy job but looks nice when done:

First start by thinning down mud to slightly thinner than pudding, then roll on a 4'x4' area:



Then, pickup some mud in the crowes foot brush and start stamping the ceiling:







The finished product:





Gotta get another bucket of mud (this will be bucket #4 total including all joints, etc...) then gonna get the ceiling done in the HT area.
post #140 of 234
Thread Starter 
Ahhhh...the ceiling texturing is completely done! My neck feels like jello from looking up for the past 5 hours. Agenda for tomorrow is priming the ceiling, finishing final touchups on the mud on the walls and trimming out the soffit. More pics tomorrow.
post #141 of 234
The ceiling looks great. I have that type of texture in the rest of my house, but went with the "knock down" "orange peal" texture in the basement for a different look.

When I had my water issues and had to have my drywall ceiling redone I learned a lot about how to do ceiling texture from my drywallers. They used a similar "crows foot" like you did and it was round. To get the knock down they used the crows foot then lightly dragged a wide drywall knife to get the look they wanted.

Looks like you might have a future in drywall finishing if you so desired.

Regards,

RTROSE

On a side note I was shocked just how much the primer soaked into the "green" drywall. I underestimated the amount of primer I needed the first go around.
post #142 of 234
Thread Starter 
Thanks RT, I was strongly considering the knock down look, I really, really like that look if it's done correctly. I'm still a novice when it comes to mudding & texturing so I wasn't sure I wanted to attempt it and not have it turn out good. So I stayed with the crowes foot pattern to match the rest of our house.

Anyhow, now I have a dilemma and I need some advice. In looking at how I have my screen planned, I'm not sure it will look right. The reason is I am going with a 2.35 screen and planning to zoom the PJ to fit 2.35 material. This will leave the black bars top/bottom approx. 8" above and below the screen. Measuring this out on my current layout will put the top bar projecting onto my curved soffit on top of the screen.
Will this look funky? Has anyone tried this?



I know they are supposed to be completely black, but I'm sure the Epson 8350 I'm going with isn't totally black.
I could shift the entire screen down 5" and that would take care of it, but I want the screen up as far as possible to make for comfortable viewing.

Any thoughts/comments from the peanut gallery?
post #143 of 234
Hmmm........I would be leery of projecting the image on the soffit, if it were part of the masking or the AT material I'd say differently. Refresh my memory, what size is your screen and what is your primary seating distance. I dare say that you might think about going smaller (gasp!) with the screen size. From your pic it looks like if you did move it down it would basically be on the floor I would not want that. Before you commit can you put up a temp screen say a sheet or two to test out what works? Might be a thought.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

RTROSE
post #144 of 234
I'm with RT here, I would consider reducing your screen size just a tad to accommodate the overage that you are showing with the red outline.
post #145 of 234
Quote:
Originally Posted by Iusteve View Post

I'm with RT here, I would consider reducing your screen size just a tad to accommodate the overage that you are showing with the red outline.

Ya know there IS such a thing as TOO big. Usually in home theater bigger is better, but in this case a smidge smaller might be just right.

Regards,

RTROSE
post #146 of 234
Thread Starter 
Thanks guys, I was maybe planning for too large of a screen. Everything I read during planning said to always plan for bigger, but I may have to re-consider at this point.
So, current screen size is 120" wide x 51" tall (2.35:1), which a standard proj. 16:9 image zoomed to fill side-to-side would be 120" wide x 68" tall (hence the black bars would overlap the soffit). I would need to shrink the screen to 94" wide x 40" tall to not have overlaps when I zoom to fill the width.
This seems a bit small for my room. I think what I'll do is wait until I get my PJ, then do a mockup with sheets and see both sizes and also how bad the overlap would actually look.
Thanks to all for the advice.
post #147 of 234
Thread Starter 
Or....IUSteve could bring his projector over and we could mock it up
post #148 of 234
Thread Starter 
More progress has been made:

Got the ceilings and most of the walls primed and painted in the sitting room:









Also got the ceiling in the HT primed and 1st coat of flat black, what a difference the ceiling color makes in a room:





View from the sitting room looking into the HT:



Temporary screen (2 rolls of expensive wrapping paper, the wife wasn't too happy ). This is 16:9 for now, I just talked to Chris at Seymour AV and put in my order for a 120" wide 2.35:1 cut of CenterStage XD material once he gets it in stock.





My new purchase - an Epson 3010 - on temporary stand until I can get it mounted:







Man is that 3010 bright, especially when shooting onto highly reflective wrapping paper into an all white room. But I did notice a significant improvement in black levels and overall picture once I got the ceiling painted black. I was on the fence about the 3010 since it doesn't have lens shift, but I think it will work just fine. Best Buy really knows how to lure you in with 3 years no interest and they price matched Amazon for a deal I couldn't resist. So I broke my rule to wait on the PJ until everything was done, but I think it was worth buying at this stage so I could verify screen size and get that ordered.

Off to do a bunch more painting this weekend and then start on some finishing/trim work.
post #149 of 234
Things are really coming together over there. I remember when I painted the ceiling black, we went from all white room to black ceiling/white walls and that made a big difference. Wait until the walls are all painted and carpet is in. Again looking real nice Dave.
post #150 of 234
Beautiful build!

How much water does the sump have to deal with? I ask because if it is anything like the house I grew up in, the battery back up was great - for about 20 minutes. Of course you lose the power in a huge storm when the demand is greatest. If you have a lot of water to take care of, we found out you need either a motive flow pump (Flyboy must know how those work!) or a automatic generator.

Anyhow, a great home theater in the works!
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home