[ts40ounce]

Hi All - After lurking in the digital bushes for the last several months, I think I know just enough to ask stupid questions to you fine folks. Before I start, I want to say thanks to all of you who document your successes and failures, and make it easy for newbies to get on board.


We moved about two months ago, and I finally have a space where I can create a nice bar and cinema space in the basement. There are three concerns with the space. One, there is a lally column in it. From what I've gathered, this is not ideal, but is it really a deal breaker? Second, it's below our master bedroom and my wife goes to bed much much earlier than I do. So I'll definitely want to soundproof as best as I can. Third, one of the back walls needs to be angled to provide access to the heaters. I haven't seen much positive or negative about angles in rooms. Should I add a second for symmetry?


I would like to have a 10' screen, 3 rows of seating (4 wide preferred, 2 rows of theater seats, and a bar like Big's and others serving as overflow). I was thinking of doing as much DIY as possible as far as the screen, masking, star ceiling, etc. The space is currently up to 26' long x 16'9" wide prior to framing, and 8'10" tall. I could rotate the room 90 degrees to get the column out of the picture, but the WAF took a major hit on that initial design. I can also go a bit wider if needed, and possibly another foot or so back.


Proposed space with lolly col. The red dot in the middle, column. The other, is a waste pipe, which could be incorporated into the room:

Proposed space with rough seating, bar placement, screen reference, etc:

Equipment I'm considering -

Panny PT-AE4000U - seems like a popular choice and is right in my wheelhouse for price.

AT Screen - 2.35 CIH, DIY?

Receiver, Speakers, Subs, unknown

Seats - Unknown


Again, thanks for all the advice you've given others over the years, and I look forward to hearing some thoughts on my proposed space.

 

[BIGmouthinDC]

Welcome to the madness. Thank you for citing my theater as a reference. As you start the process I would do everything to see if there is something you can do to get the WAF, rotate the theater 90 degrees and eliminate the pole problem. Perhaps if you showed us your thoughts for the entire basement and location of windows we could make suggestions to get your wife to Jump with Joy.

 

[adammb]

You may find that the width will be a bit close for your proposed 4 seat width. You may want to reconsider the width and depth. Bigger is almost always better.


For sound isolation you should check out soundproofingcompany.com They have some really good info that you would like to read.

 

[ts40ounce]

Yeah, I'll definitely be going the route of 5/8" DD / GG for ceiling and floor. I believe it's the Dark Knight theater that I liked the idea of using can lights, but only in soffit built after drywall was complete. I'm not sure if I'll run new ceiling 'joists' to decouple there, or go with the hat channel and clips. I'm also slightly unclear at this time how to best decouple my walls, from whatever the ceiling framing is. But, I have a lot more reading to do before I start actually building. Currently I'm reading through Staffy's hilarious build.


Later this evening, I'll get logged into my work PC with Visio and pull the complete basement plan for some additional advice. The initial problem is the one wall where I could go 17' wide without any columns, is the only wall below grade where the wife wants windows added. It's also where I was thinking I'd add a door to a 3 seasons/sun room below the yet to be started deck. She also gave me the, "We don't need to use 1/2 of our basement for some theater, we don't even know how much we'll use it..." line. I haven't counted how many windows there are on the other two levels of the house, but personally, a dark basement is OK with me ... keeps the tornadoes out they say.


Thanks again!

Tom

 

[ts40ounce]

Here is one option of how we might finish the basement. The goal of the basement is to have a home theater, workout room, bar, and be open for other games (darts, pool, whatever). There is a full bath roughed in, and I'm going to add an additional 1/2 bath in a central location. Here's my current plan. As you can see, if I rotate the theater, I get a bigger shop, no column, more unfinished storage. But, I lose some of the valuable bar / game area which is important to both of us.


Here is the current complete basement plan:

 

[adammb]

I think the size of the theater is great but if you are going to do the 2 rows of 4 you may want to look at what seats you want and the size of them. I have a 19' wide room and after a row of 4 I have about 2.5' on one side and 3.5' on the other. I wish my basement was that size to do all the things you are. Looks like it will be an awesome space.


With the MB right above the theater you may want to conside as much of the sound isolation options as possible. Maybe even adding more than 2 layers of drywall to play it safe. You can check out my thread to see how I isolated my side walls with the special clips. The big key is to have as few holes as possible and when you do to make sure to protect them from leaking air, add as much mass as you feel safe doing, and isolate from existing structure. All of these along with insulation should put you in a tremendous room.

 

[carboranadum]

Tyson's Theater? Are you Tyson or are you in NoVA?

 

[ts40ounce]

No, I'm Tom and just outside of St. Louis. Tysons Corner is the name of our subdivision, and it was the best I could come up with so far. We'll see, it may change once construction gets underway ... I suppose I should update my profile though.

 

[BIGmouthinDC]

Any chance of moving that support column even with the end of the bar? With the investment you will be putting into this space it is worth exploring the possibility. If you get far enough to the side you might be able to do something interesting with architectural elements to totally make it disappear in this space, Maybe something like this for the rear bar:



Naked:

Dressed:

from this thread:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...1022589&page=3


While you are at it it really isn't a big deal to move a water heater to open up that back corner a bit if you need to.

 

[ts40ounce]

Hey Big - Can't believe I never stumbled onto that build, what nice woodwork. Indeed, I was planning on moving the HW heater. I need to call my HVAC guys and see how much room they really need on the front side of the furnace to work. I'd also planned on adding a decorative and funcational aspect to my column such as narrow shelving for a few BDs, remotes, etc. I've been staring at the blank walls and playing around in Visio with other possible arrangements. I'm also fairly certain that I will not be able to have seating for 12 based on my current plan (8 theater seats, 4 bar stools). I may have to compromise in this house and go smaller.


Also, I just found Sandmans build ... can't believe I missed that. I'm still not through it, but will probably spend some evenings this weekend reading up.


I also just realized that bpape is near St. Louis, so will see if I can get some cheap advice from him regarding angles.


In all, I guess I'm not near ready to start construction, but will keep reading and posting questions here.


Anyone else have any good ideas?


Thanks again! Tom

 

[BIGmouthinDC]

Furnace access in front for servicing the unit is usually 30 inches minimum by code.

 

[tumby]

As Big stated in a previous post, and as we discussed last night, demand the WAF to allow the 90 degree rotation of the theater...then the pole situation is moot!

 

[ts40ounce]

Bump.


Moving the pole may be an option. Somewhere I have the number for the engineer that designed the home, so perhaps he can weigh in on the situation. I'm also toying with the idea of rotating it 90 degrees so I could be more 17x24 or so. What's the optimal width for a room with a row of 4 Berklines?

 

[adammb]

You probably could get away with 17' but this comes down to preference and what design you pick. Some are skinnier than others. My set of seat/loveseat/seat and curved is about 11'7" if that helps. So depending on whether you want an aisle down both sides I would account 2.5-3 feet plus whatever wall thickness, acoustical treatments, or decorations you will be using.