[Jockdoc]

Well its been a long time between first and second, but just bought a new home with a large room I'm converting to a home theater. It was formerly an exercise room and is quite large, but has many windows. I would really like this theater to be acoustically correct so I'm going to stud in the windows in a way that the next owner could fairly easily remove the inserts to convert back to windows. The room is at the end of the home and overlooks a conservation area. I'm busy gutting the home as we are renovating most of the home. The theater will have to wait, but some things I would like to do before we move in in the next 5 months. I need o decide which way it will face and exactly where the door will be. Right now it has glass French doors so they obviously have to go. (by the way the home was originally built for David Wells the Yankee's pitcher, the doors have "Well's Gym" engraved on them so if anyone is a big Yankee's fan the doors are for sale). If I could just get some opinions and reasonings so I can at least have a door installed and the false wall for the screen built while we are renovating then I can take care of the rest after we move in.

I've attached a visio drawing of the room, it is about 31 feet long and 20 feet wide with the corners cut off. I've also attached a picture of the right half of the room. My idea was to put the screen wall on the right which would hide two of the windows. Then move the door to the right and have it at the front half of the theater. Since I would have alot of room behind the screen, I planned on putting the equipment behind the screen.


Tell me what you think.

David

 

[Jockdoc]

any thoughts?

 

[ts40ounce]

I would think based on the shape of the room, that the location of the double french doors might be a good center point for your screen. That might allow you do do some interesting curved seating. I'm too new to give much advice, so hopefully at least this will bump the topic to someone with more experience.


Good luck! I'm in the same boat as you, still trying to get a design on paper ...

Tom

 

[forced347]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Jockdoc /forum/post/18251758


any thoughts?

David Wells had a home gym???? I can understand a bar, but not a gym

 

[DublinBen]

I'm no expert, but I threw together a quick mockup for you. That closet there in the corner would be excellent for all your equipment. You probably have plenty of room for two rows of couches or recliners.

http://imgur.com/cGSEf.jpg%5B/IMG%5D

 

[RTROSE]

Are you wanting to change the location of doors and such as the above poster had penned or are you wanting to leave the structures where they are? I would put the screen on one of the 20' walls leaving the double doors as a side entrance to the theater. I have never liked (personal choice) the option of having the entrance to the theater at the front or screen wall. Double doors also are not ideal for sound isolation/insulation, food for thought.


Regards


RTROSE

 

[Jockdoc]

Thanks for the ideas. I'm planning on getting rid of the french doors and making one solid door for sound isolation. The small room is actually a bathroom. I was planning on building a wall at one end, most likely the right side because that would hide two of the windows, leaving only two more to cover. I'm going to tear down to drywall and build a staggered stud wall insulated (mainly because they are outside walls and in Florida so I need the temperature insulation). and then DD-GG. All I really need to know for now is if there would be any reason to reverse the theater and build the screen at the left instead. Once I read a couple thousand more posts and have some preliminary ideas I'm planning on getting some professions involved to assist with sound isolation specifics as I've read many times that it is as important (or more) than the equipment. The only problem is that we are renovating the entire home and I don't have an unlimited budget (does anyone?) So i've got to make my pennies stretch. I will not be poundwise and penny foolish.


BTW there is a bar in the house also hahaha.


David

 

[Jockdoc]

I have two other issues I want help with if you would. Looking back at my visio you will see that three of the walls are exterior and that there are four windows. Assuming I go with the false wall on the right that takes care of two windows. My plan is to tear down the mirrors/drywall back to studs, then stagger a second wall inside, insulate the spaces for sound and temperature purposes, Then DD GG. I've got more reading to do about the floor and also to ponder the convenience of OSB as the inner layer under the DD. I have two concerns. One is that above the theater is an air handler and it supplies only the theater and room outside. It makes alot of noise (relatively). Also the remainder of the area above the theater will be one of my kids Bedrooms. It is super important to isolate the ceiling from the theater. I know I have alot of reading to do and I understand blog etiquette, but you also know how overwhelming this all can be. Can you throw some ideas out to start my research? The other issue is what to do with the windows? I don't want to eliminate them because it isn't necessary and someone else later might want to reconvert the room and use the windows again. If the windows are behind the staggered stud wall and the other layers of sound proofing, do i need to do anything with them. I was just thinking of studding them over and adding insulation over them. Would this affect the sound proofing?


The last issue is where to put the equipment. I would prefer not to see it so the best place would be behind the false wall on the right where I would put the screen. How does one build access to the area? If I use an AT screen with speakers behind it then do I just use the space along side the screen to build a hidden door?


Finally, is the room shape going to pose any difficult problems for me?


Thanks

David

 

[Ted White]

You could use window plugs, perhaps

 

[Jockdoc]

Thanks Mr White for your suggestion. I am plannng on reading the articles on your companies website. I have so much to research because the hvac and the isolation from the room above will be so critical to my wife's acceptance. Are window plugs a specific product? Or are they something I would make? Would they be necessary behind the false wall? Necessary behind a studded wall with DD and GG? Thanks.

David

 

[Ted White]

Window plugs are what you would build. They are removeable. Also, you would only need a signle stud wall in front of the foundation.

 

[Jockdoc]

Well i read all the articles on Mr Whites soundproofing company site. They are excellent. I've also been reading alot of threads. Particulary I now understand the importance of soundproofing from both the outside in and inside out perspectives thanks to the numerous post of Mr Erskine. Below you should see a quick visio of what I had in mind. I was thinking of the screen wall being built out on the right. That eliminates two of the windows and creates a good space to place speakers. Since the room is quite large I still have plenty of space. After reading I was thinking of building a second wall inside the current walls to build a room within a room. One question i had was since three of the walls are exterior, is this overkill? The home is on a conservation with a lake about 200 feet through heavy woods outside the exterior walls.


The ceiling is probably the most important since one of my children will be living in the room above and it will have newly installed wood floors. Is there a product that I can install under the wood floors to help with soundproofing? I was also planning on using RISC clips to attach the inner studs to the joists above. Is this the best way to decouple the theater from the room above? Finally is it agreed that the room within a room would work the best, do I need to do anything to the windows behind the inner wall?


Thanks

David

 

[Ted White]

What are the plans for that right side area? Sorry if you've stated that already.

 

[Jockdoc]

No i didn't explain that, its actually a bathroom for the pool. I started to draw the rooms on the interior wall and put it in there to position the new single entry door for the theater. All I'm really asking opinions on at this point is whether the room within a room is overkill since three of the walls are exterior and the neighborhood is gated and quiet. I'm just adding up drywall, 2 by 4's, and green glue in my head and getting big numbers. Don't mind spending the $ if the ROI is there. So thanks for any opinions. I'm seriously considering retaining the services of Mr. White, Erskine or Pape, but I want to understand things a little first.


I was wondering for anyone who has used them in the design and acoustical treatment phase, are they able to get materials cheaper? i.e. green glue, risc clips, etc.


PS how do I post pictures directly into the post. I tried reading the forum FAQ, but it didn't really explain. Sorry for the stupid question. I really did try to RTFM.

 

[Ted White]

Untreated walls will allow vibration into the walls studs which are connected to the floor joists overhead.