Mike Mags Home Theater/ Basement Project

I would like to thank everyone here in the forum. I have been researching for months and could continue for years through all this great info. Thanks and I hope the help continues now that I am starting my thread. OK, OK, on with the project.

My Basement has aprox. 1100sf of living space. I am designating a workout area, bar area, and a media room.

The plan I uploaded here has been modified slightly in the media room. I decided to bump out the entrance way to the media room instead of having a plain rectangular room. For now the room will be designated as a theater room, however it may be a bedroom at one point.

The room is standard 2x4 construction. No offset of the 2x4's.
I plan on double drywall with Green Glue.
Thickest insulation I can fit will be installed.
I plan on many lighting features throughout. I am an electrician by trade
I have made an opening for components to be recessed in the utility room (wiring closet)
Multi-Zone Audio

Current Equipment:
50" pro1140HD Pioneer Elite
Sony HTIB

Main Objective - to finish my basement and to build a media room where I can crank up the movies and the tunes without disturbing the little ones in bed!! All on a budget of ZERO, of course

Thanks DC, Here is my attempt.. GOT it NOW

BigmouthinDC,

You da Man. Thanks again for your help. I will update more tonight.

Audixium,

Thanks for the post. I will update in more detail as the days go by. I haven't yet determined if I am going to install row seating. Keep in touch.

Here are the framed dimensions of the theater room. I plan on using a 4' French Door at the entrance. The media components window is framed 48" x 22". I will continue to work on a couple of other drawings to detail the ceiling.

Scott,

The look at this point is overriding the sound factor. I will install door "window" treatments to help with the sound while theater is in use.

Open to alternatives, but the solid doors doesn't appeal to the boss aka the wife.

Thank you for your input.

Thanks DC,

I will be venting it outside of theater room into the Bar area.

Haven't had too much time to work on the project. The rough plumbing is complete. I am cleaning out the theater room of all the storage to get ready to start work in there.

I will be posting some pics of the theater room soon. Some questions I will be asking are:

With the layout of the room do you think I should do theater seating with a riser?

Also, I don't think I'll be able to do 7.1 surround?? With the layout of the room I don't think it's possible?

Hope to hear some input. Thanks!

Mike

Here is a picture looking into the theater room from the doorway. Notice how I had to soffit down where the steel beam is and where the main HVAC trunks are located.



Here is another angle of the soffit. No, that is not my actual screen size. Just a piece of cardboard I had laying around to distinguish the screen wall.


Another angle of the ceiling framing.



I wanted for forum viewers to get a feel of the space I am working with. I hope to get some ideas on additional framing features. Obviously the room is not a perfect square or rectangle. The ceiling is much lower where the screen will be. Does this hinder installing a riser with theater style seating? Also, I am a bit worried on speaker layout with my room. At least the speakers in the rear of the room.

I think I will be going with a plasma. I don't think I will be able to a projector with this room??

Thanks, I hope to hear some feedback.

Mike

Bud,

The aprox. finished ceiling height where the TV would go is about 7'. I have thought of the 180 myself and I agree with you that a riser would not work in that scenario.

Do you think a small riser would be OK with the current layout? The ceiling height in the seating area would be aprox 8.3'.

At this point I think I am going to hang a plasma. I agree with you, not enough room for a projector and screen setup. That's OK with me.

Thank you for the input.

BigmouthinDC,

Disclaimer, "I'm an electrician, not a magician" Which means, limited framing experience.

Just to clarify so I understand your suggestion.
I used 2x4's across for the ceiling where the TV will be, I ripped 2x4's in 1/2 to build the ladder going along the steel beam. I'm not sure where you are suggesting I should have used 3/4" plywood??

Again, I am pondering all suggestions. I still can make changes to the framing!!

Now, I went back and forth with the decision to run the 2X4 ceiling joists flat rather than the way they are (TV area). Which would gain a little more room. However, I felt it would make the ceiling wavey over time? I hope you know what I am trying to explain.

Thank you.

I think I am locked in on hanging a plasma while staying with the current layout. Yeah, I think the riser will work too. I started reading through the riser build thread. The "boss" and I originally were going with a large sectional with recliners. We'll see what she say's about theater seating.
Thanks

Currently planning out the custom bar. I want to lock in the layout of the bar to help move along with my electrical/ lighting plan. I will be using purchased bar plans to assist me in the bar construction. Once I have a final rendering I will post it.

Mike

Theater room only:

Is it recommended that I use rigid insulation on the concrete walls in addition to the normal R-13 R-19 batts? Is this Overkill? I have the room to put both materials if needed.

Double drywall with gg will be installed as well.

Thank you for your feedback.

Thank you Steve. I think I read somewhere that a little space between the insulation and the concrete does not hinder anything, including sound isolation?

Yes I know about the french doors hindering the sound isolation. I will do my best with treatments on the inside of the doors. I assume you looked at my 2nd drawing where I bumped out the doorway about 4ft from the original plan. Having the doors swing out is a possibility, I will definitely re-think that. Thanks for your input.

If not french doors, what would your suggestion on the doors be? Solid Core double doors I assume?

Steve are you a Mizzou fan? Tiger Football is pretty good this year. They should win the the Big 12, hopefully.

Thanks.