Our native mobile app has a new name: Fora Communities. Learn more.

Family Media Room

1197 Views 16 Replies 5 Participants Last post by mkoskinen, Apr 30, 2014

mkoskinen

Discussion Starter · Feb 16, 2014

Well after reading people threads on their amazing builds until my eyes feel like they are going to bleed I'm ready to start mine. I relocated to the twin cities for a job about 7 months ago and our new place doesn't have a finished basement which is tough since our last house had a "big movie" screen as the kiddos refer to it. Nothing big I was running a Optoma hd20, cheap 120" motorized screen, Infinity floor standing, cheap sub and some in ceilings for rears. This time around I want to do it a little different with a A/T screen, better sub(s), upgraded rears, false wall with a "hidden" access door since I also want to have my gun safe hidden back there and make it so the kids can't touch the equipment. I really like how Big has the swing away door, I'm thinking about incorporating that into access for the equipment and a door to behind the wall.

The room has 9' ceilings with all the HVAC on one side so I have a estimate to have a contractor move the return to the other side, install 5 supplies, 3 returns, vent for bathroom and a whole home air exchanger. The plan is to install soffits along the permitter of the room with 4" air tight halo lights in the soffit with a rope light in the tray. All the ducts are metal doesn't duct wrap help quite a bit of should I try to have the guy run insulated flex? This is in no way a dedicated room but I thought I would install 2 layers of drywall with a layer of green glue in-between the joists to help with noise since we have wood floors upstairs.

I have noticed quite a few people are installing pink foam insulation against the concrete walls before framing, is this a good idea living in Minnesota or is just standard insulation with a vapor barrier ok?

http://s766.photobucket.com/user/mkoskinen/media/Floorlayout.jpg.html

I welcome any ideas and comments, the more I keep looking at all the amazing setups I keep changing my ideas.

Thanks for looking. I should have some pics of the basement up today.

Mike

If someone could tell me how to make the picture bigger I would really appreciate it!

See less See more

1 - 17 of 17 Posts

MrMag512

· #2 · Feb 18, 2014

Whats your budget???

mkoskinen

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 16, 2014

4

Well I've made some progress on the room. I moved the return duct to the opposite side of the room, Framed in the sofits and walls, installed entirely to many lights in the ceiling and am probably 80% done with electrical.

I am planning a 100" a/t screen with the LCR speakers built in behind the screen and a Sub built in a alcove under the middle of the screen with a/t material. Am I best off putting the sub in the middle of the wall or would left side under the media rack work in a alcove. I have 2 toddlers and one of my main concerns is them not having the ability to "play" with speakers and the sub.

The media rack will be in the left side with a "hidden" door and the right side will be a have the same door as the media rack but will provide access to stooge room. Am i asking for trouble placing the speakers in a alcove? Any suggestions or advise would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

See less See more

Reactions: 1

Tedd

· #4 · Mar 16, 2014

You get a big thumbs up from me.

But why the little screen and all the framing up front, when you could go bigger?

See less See more

mkoskinen

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 17, 2014

I went back and forth for awhile on how to set up this room. It came down to wanting to hide my gun safes to I wanted to build a full wall with a hidden door to make sure no one other than the wife and I know whats sitting behind the screen. The bad part is hidden door equals smaller screen.

Tedd

· #6 · Mar 17, 2014

You could still have access and have the larger screen. The front wall could simply have much less framing.

You could have narrower side panels with the screen hung via cleats from a short section of ladder framing below

the soffit. The goalposts could be removed where the screen is, and the bottom panel would then support the bottom

of the screen.

mkoskinen

Discussion Starter · #7 · Mar 17, 2014

Its funny how you think you covered all your bases and then you have that moment where we realized you made yourself more work than was needed......I'm right there. I'll post pictures of what I did last night, I absoluletly went the more framing is better route.

mkoskinen

Discussion Starter · #8 · Apr 15, 2014

So I realized I made a big mistake installing the new construction can lights instead of remodelers since now I can't run a hat channel and 2 layers of drywall. Would I be better off with 2 layers of drywall with no hat channel or 1 layer of drywall with a hat channel.

Thanks in advance,

Mike

mikewilson253

· #9 · Apr 17, 2014

I'm assuming you consider the new construction cans a mistake because the trim won't work with the double drywall thickness/gap created by hat channel. If that's the case, there's absolutely no reason to alter your drywall plans. You have a couple of easy options: A) build backer boxes for the new construction cans (increases sound proofing and allows you to lower the cans a bit to make the trim work or B) go buy remodel cans and replace the new construction cans. Both options should be under $150 total (unless you have a LOT of cans), but the backer box option would be far more time consuming. If you're set on DD/GG/etc., it would be quite silly to allow a problem that can be fixed for ~$150 to change that. If the $150 presents a problem, the DD/GG probably shouldn't have been in the plans anyway.

mkoskinen

Discussion Starter · #10 · Apr 19, 2014

Yes I didn't even think about the added thickness of the hat channel & 2 layers of drywall when installing the new construction lights. I have been thinking about the back box idea but I have 24 lights in the basement. I have enough clearance for 2 layers without the hat channel or 1 layer with hat channel, I just wonder which would be more effective at reducing sound transfer upstairs?

mikewilson253

· #11 · Apr 21, 2014

I'm certainly not a sound proofing expert, but I'd say that hat channel and 1 layer should out perform 2 layers screwed directly to the joists (assuming insulation is installed). I'd still stick with 2 layers and green glue and replace the new construction cans with remodel cans. A 6 pack of IC-rated remodel cans is $53.22 at Home Depot, that works out to about $213. If you've recently purchased the new construction cans, you should be able to return them. If not, donate them to Habitat For Humanity and (maybe) get a tax write off. You'll likely regret compromising to save ~$213.

jcr159

· #12 · Apr 21, 2014

So.... if not building backer boxes on the cans, does it matter anyway? I'm struggling with this question for my basement... If I don't do backer boxes on each can light, does it matter at all what i do on the ceiling? 15-20 6" holes in the ceiling seems like it would negate just about all the soundproofing i'm gaining from DD and green glue, or hat channel... or do the cans seal up well enough that it is still an improvement?

thx,

-j

mikewilson253

· #13 · Apr 21, 2014

I know if you read the dedicated build forum enough, you'll be convinced that anything short of 7 layers of drywall with 8 tubes of GG per sheet inside of a hermetically sealed room is a waste of time. In the real world, 5/8" DD + GG with 20 6" cans in it is going to be exponentially quieter than a single layer of 1/2" drywall with those same 20 6" cans in it. As much as some folks here will hate to admit it, you'll get the VERY vast majority of your sound reduction out of the basic stuff (decoupling/insulating/etc.,). After that, you can continue throwing time and money at it for backer boxes, putty pads, acoustical sealant, etc., and so on, but the return on investment won't begin to approach what you got out of the first few steps.

ETA: more IS better (quieter), but don't let the folks here convince you that sound proofing is absolutely all or nothing. Basically, if you have the time and money available to do stuff like putty pads, have at it! But don't skimp on your seats/carpet/equipment because you blew another $1k chasing that last 1 DB of sound reduction.

See less See more

jcr159

· #14 · Apr 21, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by mikewilson253 /t/1518141/family-media-room/0_50#post_24630713

I know if you read the dedicated build forum enough, you'll be convinced that anything short of 7 layers of drywall with 8 tubes of GG per sheet inside of a hermetically sealed room is a waste of time. In the real world, 5/8" DD + GG with 20 6" cans in it is going to be exponentially quieter than a single layer of 1/2" drywall with those same 20 6" cans in it. As much as some folks here will hate to admit it, you'll get the VERY vast majority of your sound reduction out of the basic stuff (decoupling/insulating/etc.,). After that, you can continue throwing time and money at it for backer boxes, putty pads, acoustical sealant, etc., and so on, but the return on investment won't begin to approach what you got out of the first few steps.

ETA: more IS better (quieter), but don't let the folks here convince you that sound proofing is absolutely all or nothing. Basically, if you have the time and money available to do stuff like putty pads, have at it! But don't skimp on your seats/carpet/equipment because you blew another $1k chasing that last 1 DB of sound reduction.

SANITY NOW!

Thanks for some common sense Mike! sometimes it can get tough to find in the aforementioned forum... : ) i lurk there a lot as you can tell...

So, at the risk of hijacking the thread (feel free to beat me with a noodle if need be), I think I saw the OP is using sealed cans... Can't say I ever ran across those... Are they a lot more than regular cans, and do they make much difference? (I've seen IC and non-IC, but thought that just referred to whether they can be in contact with the insulation...)

Thanks again!

-j

See less See more

mikewilson253

· #15 · Apr 21, 2014

Air tight cans are designed to prevent air from non-conditioned spaces from reaching conditioned spaces (i.e., attic air reaching the living space). An air tight can isn't going to be measurably quieter than a non-air tight can from the same maker. If your theater is in the basement and the first floor is above it, they aren't going to do a whole lot for you as far as sound proofing. BTW, don't lose track of the IC part.. there are non-ic air tight cans out there.

jcr159

· #16 · Apr 21, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by mikewilson253 /t/1518141/family-media-room/0_50#post_24630841

Air tight cans are designed to prevent air from non-conditioned spaces from reaching conditioned spaces (i.e., attic air reaching the living space). An air tight can isn't going to be measurably quieter than a non-air tight can from the same maker. If your theater is in the basement and the first floor is above it, they aren't going to do a whole lot for you as far as sound proofing. BTW, don't lose track of the IC part.. there are non-ic air tight cans out there.

hmm... thanks for clarifying! Rule #1 is don't create a fire hazard....

Glad to hear I can probably save a ton of work!

mkoskinen

Discussion Starter · #17 · Apr 30, 2014

I'm torn on the L/C/R speakers. I own Infinity P363 for the L/C/R but to put them behind the screen they will be approx 28" off the ground. Is it a terrible idea to try to angle the speaker down alittle since they are meant to be on the ground? New speakers aren't really in the budget but is this something I should be planning for or do you think my currents will be ok?

Thanks,

MIke

1 - 17 of 17 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.