The "I hope this works" Home Theater - Page 3

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.

We should do that. Since I will probably be working on my basement forever I would love to steal ideas...I mean share notes. 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.

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

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


Bar area


Bar area from other angle


Imagine this with cabinets...


Looking into the HT from the bar area


HT area doesn't look like much now but just wait, in about 24 months it is going to rock!


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

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

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.


#2 Get a cool little sanding tool like this one. This thing rocks and it makes sanding a breeze!


#3 Read everything on Drywallschool.com and follow it. I have very little sanding thanks to that site. See how nice it looks?


#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?


#5 Get a little flashlight to check your seams. If you can see light it ain't right.

Perfect!


#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.

(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.


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

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

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!


The Bar


The theater area.



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.




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.


Installed my PowerBridge from the Projector to my Equipment area.


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!

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.


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.


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.



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.



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.



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.


Went with a 3/4" top. I don't think I will double layer it.


Last was to build my step. It was all crafted out of extra lumber I had stting around.


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.

Agreed! I am in the dog house!

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 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.