Mr. "T" Home Theater Construction - Page 3

I don't think I shared these photos with you back in March. So in an effort to keep the photos in chronological order here are photos showing the installation of the foam rafter baffles back in march.







Kurt

OK, now the good stuff. I finished insulating the theater room today. I worked half a day Friday and all day today. I'm trying to get it done as quick as I can to beat the hot weather. Today's temp was in the upper 80's. Not too bad. BUT...the attic temp was 115 when I checked it today. Today alone I soaked (we're talking swimming pool-like soaking) two long sleeve t-shirts, it was N-A-S-T-Y. I was a sweatin'. But I got it done, and I'm very happy about that. It looks like a real room now, sort of.

Tomorrow I'm going to call around town and see what I can get price-wise on getting the dry wall delivered upstairs to the room itself. I can get the dry wall at Lowes, but I'd have to haul it upstairs myself. I'm going to price it with in-room delivery to see what it is. If it's too much I guess I'll have to buy a keg and invite the guys over next weekend for a little "dry-wall kegger" party.

In the mean time, here are the pics of the room with all the insulation installed.













Next stop, dry-wall,
Kurt

I called around a few places and got quotes for the dry-wall, delivered with a flight of stairs involved. I was surprised to find that more then one place would sell me and deliver the drywall, including hauling it up stairs to the theater room, for slightly less than Lowes' off the shelf (no delivery) price for the same size and amount of drywall. It definitely pays to shop some of the builder supply places in town for dry wall.

Dry wall is being delivered Friday morning. In the mean time I need to shop around for a dry wall hoist thing that holds up the pieces of dry wall to the ceiling while I secure them. I need to price one and see if it's worth buying one (hopefully used form ReTool or off ebay maybe) or renting one a few times. Problem I have is that I'm not going to do all the dry wall at once, so renting will consist of several rentals. Plus, everything I do, I'll need to do twice since I'm putting up a second layer of dry wall with green glue on it.

Next post might be a while, but I'll try to post some in progress pics if I get the chance.

Kurt

Drywall was delivered this afternoon. I now have two nice, neat stacks of 1/2" 4' x 8' drywall in my room. 50 sheets total, should be enough for both layers with green glue in the middle. My plan now is to get one layer installed and see how much drywall I use for the first layer. Then use that number to figure out how much green glue I need to order.

When I finish the first layer I am going to caulk all the joints to seal the room up the best I can before I add the green glue and second layer of drywall. What is the recommended type or brand of caulk for that application?

Kurt

The more I look at the room the more I realize that I too will not be able to utilize a lifter for more then a few sheets that go on the ceiling just above the entry. The rest of the room is either small managable sizes or weird angles that will require the help of a second person anyway. So I've just decided to rent a lift and get all I can get done with it in one day then do the rest with some assistance.

Kurt

Previously asked, but no reply...

"When I finish the first layer I am going to caulk all the joints to seal the room up the best I can before I add the green glue and second layer of drywall. What is the recommended type or brand of caulk for that application?"


Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

I have finished the first layer of dry wall in the theater room, but I still need to dry wall the closet. The closet will only have a single layer of dry wall (no green glue) so I wanted to finish the room first to see how many pieces of dry wall I used (to determine how much Green Glue to purchase).

I ordered the Green Glue last night, should be here in 3-4 days.

In the mean time I started foaming all the big gaps and places that needed a little more insulation. I went through 2 cans of the foam in no time, therefore I need to buy 2 more cans today at lunch so I can finish the foaming this evening. After that I will start caulking all seams, cracks, canyons, crevices, etc. with 50-year acoustical caulk.

This coming weekend I plan of finishing the dry wall in the closet, finishing any caulking left at that point, and then possibly starting on the second layer of dry wall with Green Glue.

My wife and I went to look at theater seating yesterday. The seats we originally picked out last fall are no longer stocked. We looked at a couple other furniture dealers in town and I found another brand/model that will fit my needs. I still want to do some more shopping here in town, as I don't like only having one option. Well, only one option in my price range that is. I just don't see why theater seating is so much more expensive that the same number of comparable recliners. I mean if you think about it, if a manufacturer uses the same material and frame for a recliner as they do a theater seat, the theater seat should be cheaper since the middle seats are manufactured with only one arm (since they hook into the adjoining seat). That's less framing per seat, less leather to cover it, less labor to build it. It's supply and demand I guess.

I'll try to get some pictures of the first layer of dry wall this week and post them here when I get the chance.

Kurt

At what point do you suggest I replace/install the doors in my theater room? Immediately after I finish the second layer (with Green Glue) of dry wall or after the walls have been completely mudded, taped and texturized?

I will be installing 3 new doors with new door jambs and all, and replacing the existing door including a new door jamb due to it all being "thicker" because of the 2 new layers of drywall on the theater side of that door. The replacement door had no drywall on the theater side of it, and the door jamb was even with the 2x4 studs on that side. Adding 2 layers of 1/2" drywall on the theater side of that door will require a new door jamb and molding and all.

Thanks,
Kurt

The place I rented the lifter from charged $30 a day. They are closed on Sundays so I rented the lifter on a Saturday morning and I was able to keep it until Monday morning for the price of a one day rental.

Once I got to work lifting the sheets of drywall I found that there was only 2 full sized sheets of drywall and a piece that was about 7' x 3' that I could use the lifter for. The rest of the sheets were on the walls or on the angled cathedral parts of the ceiling that the lifter would not allow me access to. It took me most of the day to get the 3 pieces up that the lifter would lift, as they had all the can light and HVAC registers to make cut outs for. So there was a lot of up, down, up, down trial fitting that day.

The angled parts of the ceiling required the help of two friends in the neighborhood. I had precut the panels to length and when help got here it only took us about an hour to get the sheets up and screwed in. We spent more time eating doughnuts and talking that morning then we did working on the room.

I'll need to rent the lifter again next weekend to get the second layer of drywall up on the ceiling with green glue on them. Still, the lifter will only help with about 3 of the sheets, but with all the cuts for lights and registers it absolutely necessary to have the lifter, even if I had help.

Kurt

As promised, here are some pictures of the room after the first layer of drywall. Keep in mind this was my first attempt ever at drywalling and I was always aware that there would be another layer on top of this one that would cover up any goofs I made this layer. There are a couple places with framing showing through, those are the "weird" spots that will require foam insulation and some additional layer(s) of drywall to make them flush with surrounding walls.

Today I started putting up the second layer of dry wall with Green Glue on it. As always, I'm starting with the ceiling pieces. To do this I had to take the light bulbs out of the can lights in the ceiling. While I was up there I noticed that there is a lot of heat coming out of the can light fixture, even with the light off and the bulb out of the socket.

The cans are 6" IC rated. When I installed insulation (R30 in the ceiling) I made sure to stuff all around them, but I can't remember if I laid any insulation on the top of the cans. Since I just finished installing the second layer of drywall on the ceiling, obviously I can't get to them to check or add any more insulation if I needed to.

Is there anything I can do at this point? Can I use the expandable foam insulation in a can and somehow blow it around the can from the inside of the can fixture? Will that cause any sort of fire hazard? Any other ideas?

Thanks,

Still putting up the second layer of drywall. The first layer was fairly quick, as I wanted to get it done. The second layer is just a little here, little there sort of thing. I guess I sort of have that "been there, done that" attitude now since I'm on my second layer of drywall. It's just not as "fun" as the first layer was. But I'm about 60%-70% done with this layer. I'm hoping to get a lot done this weekend.

I'll keep you up to date,

Drywall installation is complete. I JUST finished it. Used all the green glue I had and I have one full sheet of drywall left. Pretty good estimation. If you check the time stamp on this post it's about 1:13am. Needless to say I'm going to bed now after my marathon drywall day.

It's done (the drywall part), yeah.

Mud and Tape starts tomorrow. Weee....

I finished installing the corner beads this weekend and (with the help of my father) installed the door that goes to the HVAC unit. After that it was a complete cleaning of the room, getting rid of all that scrap drywall and pieces of wood still in the room. All the tools and left over insulation (to be used inside the riser) were moved down to the garage.

I decided that I will be installing a second layer of 3/4" OSB on the floor with a layer of roofing felt between the existing subfloor and the new layer. There is just too much sound coming through what I have there now. After all the work I did putting up 2 layers of drywall with green glue, I'd hate to be disappointed just because I was too lazy to do the floor as well.

I'll post pictures when the mudding is complete.

Mud, tape, and texture are complete. Next step is to get a second layer of 3/4" OSB down on the floor and get the doors installed.

On a side note, my projector arrived yesterday. I took advantage of a $100 internet coupon I found and the $400 mail-in rebate through the end of the month. I purchased the Panasonic PT-AX100U projector. I will resist the urge to install the projector before the room is done. I have heard that is a bad idea. However, I do foresee a "drive-in" movie or two with the kids (blankets and pillows on the living room floor) over the next few weeks.

Picture time. Since the last update I have primed the walls with Gliddon Grey Primer (in anticipation of a dark red paint) and installed a second layer of 3/4" OSB flooring with Green Glue between layers. It took 5 gallons of primer for the room. I had guessed 2-3 gallons to start with. Good thing I figured that out on the primer not on the expensive color coat. Here's the pics.

First are a couple pictures after mud and tape was compete.






Next we have pictures of the room after the primer coat is on and with the majority of the second layer of flooring down.

A lot has happened since the last post. I'm not sure I can remember it all, but I'll try...

• Built riser (Based on Ronnie Jackson's riser)
• Painted screen wall with 2 coats of Mouse Ears Black
• Painted the rest of the room and closet with 2 coats of Merlot Red
• Installed small door to storage attic space
• Installed glass door for equipment closet
• Installed all power receptacles
• Painted HVAC vents and return black
• Installed all lighting
• Installed Insteon dimmers and keypadLinc unit (for scenes)
• Ran wiring for rope lighting (to be completed after carpet)

I'll be calling for final inspection later this week, then picking out carpet and scheduling the install soon. Once that's done I can proceed with the screen wall insulation board/fabric install, screen build, trim work, and order the furniture. That's should be about it. I'm sure there's more things I'll find along the way, but I'm getting real close. I've been shooting for a Halloween deadline, but it looks like I'll be a few weeks over that. That's OK, I'm pretty much on track and a few weeks isn't going to kill me. I'll make me fidget and moan, but it won't kill me.


Riser being built:







Screen wall painted "Mouse Ears Black":



Room painted "Merlot" and riser finished:

When I was wiring up the riser for the rope lighting (had to wire it before I screwed down the "lid", but I don't what to install the lighting until after the carpet) I needed 2 short lamp grade extension cords. When I started installing them I noticed this (see image below). I'm curious, at what point do we stop warning people about possible dangers and just let them experience life a little? I mean come on, it's an extension cord. Do you really think there might be a little danger with electricity involved in the process? Four warning labels, seems a little excessive to me. By the way, I used a sharp pair of scissors to remove the labels. I think I even ran a little while carrying them. I'm such a rebel.

The city inspector came out yesterday and did the final electrical and final building inspection for my theater room. Both passed. The only comment he had was the the two doors that lead to attic space (storage door and HVAC door) needed to have weather stripping installed. I have the weather stripping still in the package, I was waiting until after I painted the doors before I installed it. He was fine with that as long as I promised to install it. With it starting to get cool around here this week, trust me, it'll be installed.

My wife and I picked out carpet over the weekend and it is scheduled to be installed on Nov 15th. We ended up with a dark gray carpet with some mid gray mixed into it. It's not commercial grade carpet like I originally imagined. We went with "normal" carpet for the softness as well as for acoustical reasons. The pile is a little higher than standard "builder grade" plain carpet. Sort of like a low pile shag carpet I guess is the best way to explain it. I'll post pictures of it as soon as it's installed.


I'll be ordering seating from HTauthority in the next week or so. I've decided on the Studio Collection in black. I'll need a row of 3 and a row of 2. I hate buying it without sitting in it first, but no one in this are has anything comparable. Everyone around here caries Burkline and that's about it. I've seen one or two sets of "low end" seating at some of the local furniture stores, but they were still more expensive than HTauthority. I've heard nothing but good reviews about the Studio Collection, so I'm going with that. I'm planning on having it delivered the week after Thanksgiving.

The screen material from Seymour AV arrived Saturday and I started building the frame for it yesterday.

The center and rear speakers arrived today, completing my set of Athena AS2 speakers. I have been very happy with the front AS-F2.2 speakers I've had for a few years now, so I decided to keep them and purchase matching rears and a new center. I was using Athena Micra 6 speakers for the rears and center before and they sounded pretty good in the living room. But I needed "real" speakers for the theater room.

Carpet is on schedule to be installed Thursday. I will be installing door casing (already purchased) this weekend and start on base boards when the casing is finished.