The Long Road (Progress on my HT) - PICS

[erandmckay]

I was getting ready to post some new (updated) picture of my home theater on a thread I started previously, and in looking at it, found myself confused. So, I'm going to repost a couple of the pictures and attempt to do a better job at explaining them (the pictures). I don't have any gif or jpg blueprints of the room, so I'll do my best to describe it.

When I started, the room had most of the stud framing completed and the two exterior wall had been insulated. No sheet-rock had been put up yet. In fact, the previous owner hadn't even put lighting in the room. The room did have a heating duct for the room, but no cold air return.

The room is 14' wide x 23' long x 7 3/4' high. The only protrusion in the room is a cold air return on the left side (when facing the screen). It runs nearly the whol length of the room on the left side. It 18" wide x 9" tall --after I built the sofit around it. I have two risers built, the first row being 12" and the second 24".

Comments, Questions and Suggestions are very welcome.

[erandmckay]

Okay, first picture (dated about 6/15/04). This picture (taken of the entry of the theater, after the risers were built, but no insulation or sheet rock and still some framing to do on the wall.

[erandmckay]

This is a picture (with my back to the screen) of the enterance as well, taken after I began building the sofit for the cold air return and had insulated it with 1 1/2'' foam. I also finished the stud wall on the right (the previous owner had 2 sets of door frames build into the wall. You can also see the recessed lighting I put in the room (it was nice to actually have lights in there, as I had previously been working by a mini spot-light). Date of picture was 7/8/04.

[erandmckay]

This is the other end of the cold air return and you can see where I opened this end to make a cold air return for the room. 7/8/04

[erandmckay]

This one is a picture of the left side of the room (back to the screen). You can see the risers, steps and insulated exterior wall. I made the risers mostly from scraps my father in law had. Saved me a nice little bit of money and once the carpet is on, no one will know the difference. 7/8/04

[erandmckay]

This is a picture of the floor of the entry and the railing that's next to the riser. At this point, I realized that I forgot to take a picture of the supports for the riser before I put the plywood on (oh well!). 7/8/04

[erandmckay]

This is a picture of the space under the stairs where I'll eventually put the equipment rack. It will be right behind the chairs on the second riser (which you can see through the stud walls). 7/8/04

[erandmckay]

At this point in the process, I realized that it was going to take a lot longer than I had planned/hoped. Between saving pennies for the next step and finding time to actually complete the next step, weeks were flying by.

This picture is of the left side of the front wall (facing the front) just after I reinstalled all the insulation after removing it to run the speaker wires, subwoofer line and the I.R. wire that will be on the front wall. 7/23/04

[erandmckay]

Just another picture of the front right side. 7/23/04 (oh yea, you'll notice the white step ladder, wow that's been about the handiest tool I have)

[DWhite]

Thanks for the pics.
I am curious though.... Anyone who cares to please respond.
Why do some people build their risers and soffits first and then drywall while others drywall first and then build the risers, stage and soffits? Is there a prefered way?

I can totally relate about the weeks ticking away while completing your project. I too have to wait for the funds to trickle in before I can move on to the next item.

Good Luck and keep us updated.

Thanks,

DWhite

[dwightrahl]

I drywalled before building my stage and riser primarily so that I would have a wide open floor space to stack the drywall and other building materials on. The last thing I wanted was to be tripping over the stage, riser, and the step in front of the riser while carrying a 4x8 sheet of drywall...

Instead, I got to trip over piles of drywall and building materials! ;^)

Dwight

[erandmckay]

Originally posted by dwightrahl
The last thing I wanted was to be tripping over the stage, riser, and the step in front of the riser while carrying a 4x8 sheet of drywall...

Been there, done that ! I built the risers and sofit first, because that's what made sense to me.

[erandmckay]

Okay, update on the pictures. The next few are once the sheet rock started going up. This one is with my back to the front taking a picture of the entry (the flash didn't work). 8/21/04

[erandmckay]

This one is facing the front, with my back to the entry (flash worked). 8/21/04

[erandmckay]

This one is of the cold air return after I finished the sheet rock. 8/21/04

[erandmckay]

This picture includes my helper. He's probably as eager (if not more) for me to get the home theater completed. 8/21/04

[erandmckay]

Okay, now for the pictures from yesterday. This one is a picture of the front wall. I had to redo it, because I messed up on the first sheet rock I put up. I'd been using 4x8, but because of how the stud wall was built, I had to replace the 4x8 panels of sheetrock with 4x12. 10/27/04

[erandmckay]

Back left corner. 10/27/04

[erandmckay]

This is a picture of the back wall, riser and railing for the riser. 10/27/04

[erandmckay]

The next two photos are of the entry (finally sheetrocked). 10/27/04

[erandmckay]

Another of the entry. 10/27/04

[erandmckay]

I guess I wouldn't normally be so "picture happy" and post so many photos, but this process is taking soooo long (6 months and counting) that any progress I make seems to give me reason to celebrate. That and the fact that my original target date of completion was the week before Christmas, so my family could watch all three LotR extended DVD's as an intro to the theater. We still will, but I doubt it will happen before Christmas (unless Santa's elves decide to pitch in and help :) !)

[scooterboy]

Well I see an R2 unit in the background - can't he help?

[erandmckay]

Originally posted by scooterboy
Well I see an R2 unit in the background - can't he help?

I was wondering if anyone noticed.

[Jeff Hovis]

Originally posted by dwightrahl
I drywalled before building my stage and riser primarily so that I would have a wide open floor space to stack the drywall and other building materials on. The last thing I wanted was to be tripping over the stage, riser, and the step in front of the riser while carrying a 4x8 sheet of drywall...

Instead, I got to trip over piles of drywall and building materials! ;^)

Dwight

I'm also building mine riser after the drywall has been hung. Furthermore, I'm not going to build or at least put it into place until after carpet has been installed. That way, I can move the riser if I don't like it's position and not worry about bare concrete under it.

[bapenguin]

Looks good. I like your entryway.

[AcroFlyer]

erandmckay,

You are doing a fine job, keep the pictures coming !

I am taking my time doing my construction too. I am ready to be done but I am enjoying the experience for sure. I love building and creating and this has really been a good time.

Chris

[Penniman]

what do you have planned for the ceiling and floor?

[erandmckay]

Originally posted by Penniman
what do you have planned for the ceiling and floor?

The ceiling will get about 10" of insulation, then two layers of 5/8" sheetrock. The ceilings already low (not even 8') so I didn't feel I had enough space to make a floating ceiling. It won't be decoupled from the joist like I wanted, but I'm hoping with the insulation and 2 layers of sheetrock, it will be good enough. Also, I'll be putting up some accoustic treatments as well (likely 2" OC 703) which should help. There are two bedrooms above the HT, so I'm trying to be creative without being too expensive.

As for the floor, I'll put a nice thick carpet pad down, then a berber of some type/color (still haven't picked out the final one).

[rhiggs]

Personally, I would have sheetrocked first before building the risers. Mainly for the easy of sheetrocking and you already bought the materials. Plus, should you ever (heaven forbid!) decide to change the room, the walls will be finished to the floor.

Looks like you are doing a great job on your project!

[squighound]

Speaking of flooring, is it beneficial to go through the trouble of installing a sub-floor? Or just lay the pad and carpet down directly on the concrete? I've been looking at dri-core (http://www.dricore.com/en/eindex.htm) sub-floor products, but I'm worried that the

airspace in there may screw up the acoustics... anyone used this stuff before?

[erandmckay]

To be honest, I'm not sure. It depends in part on your budget (in my case, it depended entirely upon it). When I was looking at things like sub-flooring, I decided the bang for buck wasn't high enough.

[PAP]

We used subflor which is very similar to dricore. Theater is not done yet, but no reason it would "screw up the acoustics." Makes the floor warmer and a lot more comfortable to walk on.

I've finished several basements before and always hated the hard cold feel even with carpet down, so I'm doing our entire basement in the subflor product this time. It is expensive though, that is for sure.

[erandmckay]

Originally posted by PAP
but no reason it would "screw up the acoustics."

I agree, no reason to believe that it would mess with the acoustics (unless you don't lay carpet down and just had a hardwood floor)

[eq_shadimar]

Wow great progress and I love the pictures. You can never have too many pictures.

Laters,
Jeff

[erandmckay]

I'm planning on placing a curtain between the HT room and the room with the equipment. Additionally, there will be a door between the equipment room and the adjoining room. My question is, should I place a similar curtain on the other back wall (see pictures with post 21 and 19)? My thinking is that if I put up an absorbtion pannel on the back left wall (the side w/o the door) the accoustical absorbtion will not be the same, but if I use the same curtain (material and size) then atleast the absorbtion will be symetrical. Any help or input most welcome.

[pete6737]

Great pics, keep 'em coming. Pete

[erandmckay]

Well, lets see what's happened since I last updated...I went and bought a chop saw, a table saw and a router (know that I'd need them prior to completing the theater. Besides, Home Depot was having a sale AND 12 months no interest). And most recently I purchased a pick-up (to haul all the materials to my house).

So, now I'm ready to build, just don't have and $$ left right now to do anything (which my wife finds quite amusing, since I've probably spent enough on tools and the truck to finish off the theater). Oh well, I guess I've got my priorities all messed up.

In the mean while, I'm projecting onto the sheet-rock and enjoying 2-Channel stereo. Ahh, the joys of HT construction!

[timtimes]

Originally posted by erandmckay
Well, lets see what's happened since I last updated...I went and bought a chop saw, a table saw and a router (know that I'd need them prior to completing the theater. Besides, Home Depot was having a sale AND 12 months no interest). And most recently I purchased a pick-up (to haul all the materials to my house).

So, now I'm ready to build, just don't have and $$ left right now to do anything (which my wife finds quite amusing, since I've probably spent enough on tools and the truck to finish off the theater). Oh well, I guess I've got my priorities all messed up.

In the mean while, I'm projecting onto the sheet-rock and enjoying 2-Channel stereo. Ahh, the joys of HT construction!

I'm so been there-done that when it comes to the tool issue. One of the things that slows down progress is the lack thereof. If I have to subcontract a job because I don't have a tool, I'm more likely to buy the tool and do it myself. Buying the tool doesn't usually save any money on the FIRST job you do with it (versus subcontracting), but from then on it's so much nicer to have them around. Have to be careful though. Buying tools can be worse than a crack cocai....err Home Theater habit.

Good job. I know about the delays, etc. I've been rebuilding/modeling my house for the last five years. One day when I'm sufficiently 'vested' around here I'll take the time to do a proper pictorial. Probably at the same time I start my work on the 'media room'. The countdown to the start of that project is less than a month. FINALLY.

Enjoy.

[erandmckay]

Well, as luck would have it, my father-in-law has some tape and mud to do the walls...so I might actually get the walls begun (and done!?!) this week. I'll get some pictures soon.

[erandmckay]

Okay, so I bought a digital camera (guess that'll put me behind a bit in the budget). Anyway, I've got a few more pictures of the insulation I'm putting in the ceiling. Here's a shot looking at the front wall.

[erandmckay]

Here's another looking towards the rear of the room. I only have about 6 ceiling joists left to fill, then I can finish sheet-rocking the room!

[erandmckay]

As you may have noticed in the last picture (as well as this one), I've gone and set up some of the HT equipment I have in the room (I knew this was going to take a while, no sense in having all this stuff in storage). Here's a shot of the front wall and the front speakers and sub.

[erandmckay]

One last picture of my projector mount. I'm a bit proud of it (not so much for style, but rather I was able to save a lot of $$ by building this myself). It allows the projector to be adjusted/tilted in front and back as well as side to side. As best I can tell, I saved about $150 to $200 at least by building it myself.

[erandmckay]

I've finished insulating the ceiling and will add those pictures shortly. I'm hoping to finish sheet-rocking the ceiling by the end of this month, so that I can tape and mud the walls in September (not really likely since each part of the building seems to take five times as long as a plan, but at least its a goal).

[erandmckay]

A shot of the back right ceiling.

[erandmckay]

Back left ceiling

[erandmckay]

One last shot of the whole back ceiling