[JamesG]

I'm planning on putting a home theater into a 20' long by 15' wide section of my currently unfinished basement. Unfortunately, there are two steel support columns about 2' from the left 20' wall. The two columns are seven feet apart, and located next to where my seating would go. I have two options:


1) Build out the wall around the columns, resulting in a 20' long room, the front 13' of which would be 15' wide and the rear 7' of which would be 13' wide). Built-out section could be used for recessed gear and media storage.


2) Frame the room as a 20' by 15' space, and encase the two columns in wood.


I've seen nice looking columns in other people's home theaters, but never just 2' away from a wall. Anyone done this? There would be a 2' wide soffit above the columns running the length of the room, so they might look ok.


I hate to loose 2' of width, especially since it would screw up surround placement. But I also don't want a room that looks like it was designed during amateur hour.


Any thoughts?


James

 

[patrickwebb]

Do you have any pics?

 

[George]

I kinda had the same problem.


I got away with dry walled columns only 15 inches deep.


I was able to hide my rear surrounds in the columns which is cool.


IN your case I would box them in and hide your speakers including your subs.


send me a direct email and I'll send you some pics from my HT.


The columns will also help brake up the sound reflections.


Think out side the box, you may some cool ways to take advantage

of this. check your PM, for my email.

 

[JamesG]

Thanks, mzk4c3. I sent you a direct email.


patrick, I don't have a digital camera or any knowledge of how to post pictures, but I do have a scanner, so I'll do a little research and see if I can get something posted.


James

 

[Layne J]

Maybe you could split the difference - frame your wall 1 ft. out and then frame a 1 ft. column around the supports. This would give you a 14' wide room and some nice columns. The 1 ft. of "dead space" could be used to build in some storage for your DVDs or other items.

 

[Ted White]

Well, I installed a new beam with a much higher span rating, thereby moving the columns out of the picture altogether. Actually, there is one technically within the room, but it is behind the screen wall. I encased it on double drywall to maintain the acoustic envelop. My website has pics of the process.

 

[George]

hey


If you have MS excel, you could adjust the cell's H & W to resemble

graph paper. Make them look like squares.


Then you could a room or space layout using excell and your

work dimensions.


send post here for everyone to look at.


There will be bunches of people to help you figure it out.


As you will see, I found creative ways to use the columns.

I was lucky, I had poles on one side of the room which lined up

with PVC drain pipe on the other side.


So I added columns to both sides.


On the left I made a DVD rack between the front and rear columns

on the right side I place two doors.


all four columns have room for speakers and I ran

all Audio /data & power to each column. I plan to create

a 9.3 system later this year. Four of the speakers will be hid in the columns


Later, email me if you want more pics, and no laughing at my dry walling skills

 

[Snakehunter]

Ted White - a couple of questions about your I-Beam replacement:


1) I assume you had to hire an engineer to come out, look over the situation, and tell you what you needed. I'm also going to assume that you hired someone to do this project. What did the "I-Beam Replacement" project finally end up costing you (the engineer, the laborers, the materials, etc)?


2) How did you get a 20'+ big I-Beam like that into a basement that already has a house built on top of it?

 

[---k---]

Quote:

Originally posted by Ted White Well, I installed a new beam with a much higher span rating, thereby moving the columns out of the picture altogether. ... My website has pics of the process.

As a Structural Engineer who sepecializes in failure analysis, your comments about replacing a beam scared the hell out of me. BUT, I checked out your website and photos and was much releived. It appeared that you knew what you were doing or had someone who did (although I didn't see shoring)


So was the $$$ to replace the beam worth it?

 

[Ted White]

I used to manage a group of building material retailers, and I built the house 10 years ago. My people did the original beam, joist and truss take-offs, so when it came to consider replacing the beam, we had all of the old prints and point loads. So I guess you could say the engineering aspect was free. Beam was $850, another $500 for columns and temporary wall support and some equipment rental.


I planned it over a two month period because as mentioned, it was no slight trick to get an 1800 lb. 24 foot beam in a house already built. I had to disassemble a couple of walls and re-build later.


The planning paid off because when the day came, it was 1 hour to remove the old beam day 1, and 2 hours to get the new beam in place day 2. Much faster than anticipated. I had 12 guys on hand "just in case" but there were only 2 guys needed at a time. The others just ate and watched. The beam never touched the ground. Wisked into place. It was a lot of fun, actually. The house never even creaked during the whole process.


The temporary walls built to hold up the house were dismantled and I used them for theater walls.


BTW the beam came in through a "Bilco door" that is opened from the outside and has stairs to bring you into the basement. A backhoe with chains eased the beam in and the leading edge of the beam rested on some custom made dollys. Two Genie hoists lifted that puppy into place and that was it.


I would comment that two huge footings were poured to accomodate this beam. I did the work. No biggie. Just dirty.

 

[Jellyman]

I have Identical dimensions and identical support posts. Although I am still in the framing stage I have thought on this subject and plan on wrapping the post in a fluted column and mirror them on the opposite side of the theater. This could make seating a little tight, but I ultimately do not want to lose the sq footage. Also I feel this will add a nice touch of class to the room when trimmed properly.

I'll be following your thread for ideas.

 

[schmidtwi]

This type of problem seems to be a commonality. I have a support beam along my future left wall that's 13'3" from the right concrete wall, with a support post 11'4" from the front wall. I plan to frame the inside of the left wall back to about 14' from the right concrete wall, allowing for 5" of total wall framing/drywall on both sides for a finished room width of 13'5". Then build a 12" deep MDF soffit around the beam and build a column to hide the post. I'll mirror the soffit and column on the right side.

 

[JamesG]

Here's a floorplan I drew in Microsoft paint.


The black line around the outside is the foundation wall, which is already framed in.


The two red lines are my main support joists. the five black dots are the steel columns which support the joists.


The screen will go on the wall which is 14'10". The joist labelled "A" defines the place I am planning on putting the left wall. The problem is that two of the columns that support joist "B" fall within the space I'd like to use for the theater. So the question is how to incorporate those two columns into the room.


I hung some cheap black plastic sheeting from the ceiling to simulate the two options I was considering at the beginning of this thread. To my surprise, both my wife and I like the feel of the room with the columns better, even though, architecturally, they may not be the most elegant solution.


thanks for the feedback so far. Any other thoughts?


James

 

[George]

are you planning to put a wall between the theater and pool area? I'm guessing no, since you don't show one.


Know the you will get a better picture the closer your A/V is to your PJ.

I would offer that you should make a local island to display your A/V equipment.


in otherwords box the whole thing end with both a fron and rear access panels/doors etc..


With some nice floor and over head trim, it can look like you planned to do it.



You may want to add some arrow to your pic to show how traffic is planning to move between the two rooms. This may help other to help you.



Did those pics I sent do any good?

 

[schmidtwi]

James - I also sent you a file that gives you an option. You should enclose the back wall, and you have different options to do this.

 

[Orlando]

How much did that beam replacement cost? I have the same problem and was wondering how much it would cost to removed them.