New Studio Design - Comments Please!

Hi John, Steve et al, I’m glad the website is back up and running – really missed it the last couple of weeks! I posted a couple of earlier designs which I’ve now revamped, hopefully not making the same mistakes as in the past! The outer skin will be constructed of concrete blocks, the 4 main rooms floated and isolated with double walls throughout in accordance with some of John’s examples in the SAE site. The type of work I want to do includes recording acoustic / electric drums / guitars, as well as vocals, keyboards etc. I know John – you dislike having to walk through the studio to access the control room – but this not critical to me. I think I’ve made the best use of the available space in the revised layout below. There is no possibility of access to the building from either the sides or the back of the building. External height will be 10’ or thereabouts – the site is currently surrounded by trees. Yes I have a tree surgeon friend who’s looking at what can be kept, lopped or felled. There should be more than enough space at the rear of the control room for adequate bass trapping, sides will be slat resonators. One question – is it necessary for there to be 2 double walls where the Control Room abuts the Vocal Booth / DJ Booth & Live room? Or will one suffice in those areas. I’ve read Steve’s guidance as in Mass-Spring-Mass but admit to still being slightly confused. Any comments or improvements you guys can make will be more than welcome. This is not a rush job. I intend to work on this project mostly myself as time and funds become available, but I do have access to a professional chippy – part of his wages will definitely be of the liquid variety! Other friends in the building trade have also kindly offered to donate their services. Sorry this is quite lengthy but hopefully all/most relevant information is included above. Cheers lads! Colin (Moleymole)

Ok - here is the pic.

Colin - are you suggesting having a single wall between each room - you say 2 double walls - what do you means by that. Looking at your drawing it appears that your walls are double thickness. could you please define your intentions a bit clearer. cheers john

Hi John, thanks for the speedy reply. My intention was to build your "inside out" walls (8" = 200mm) and these are the thick black walls represented on my diagram. Does this make sense? Perhaps the word "double" is a bit misleading? Perhaps I'm losing the plot quicker than I thought! Thanks Colin

ah - ok then - why 8"?? cheers john

Hi John,

ah - ok then - why 8"??

John, if I understand your construction details correctly, your design allows for a wall thickness of 4", plus a cavity of 4" to allow for acoustic treatment (on the inner side) 4" + 4" = 8" So to go back to my original question, is it neccesary for there to be two of these constructions between adajcent rooms, or will one suffice - or - is this type of wall only suitable as outer walls (inside the brickwork). If this is the case, what do we do for the inner walls, i.e. those that are not adjacent to the brickwork. I hope this makes sense John, Cheers, Colin

Colin -I assume we are talking about my inside out design. In this case we have a 4" wall (4" studs) with the drywall on the outside and the 4" cavity on th einside. Still only a 4" wall. The other rooms (adjacent) is built the same way with a 4" air space between rooms. Total wall thickness is 12" for both walls. Check out left bank at the studios under construction site and you'll see it being built there. http://johnlsayers.com/Studio/index.htm cheers John

Total wall thickness is 12" for both walls

i.e. both the leaves (leafs?) of a double wall?????[/quote]

Total wall thickness is 12" for both walls

i.e. for the 2 leaves (leafs?) of one double wall?

Yup - like this cheers john

wall + air + wall = 12" 4 + 4 + 4 = 12" Total thickness.

So........and I thought there was light at the end of the tunnel - turned out to be some b£$%&#d with a torch - Do I need 2 of these double walls to separate e.g. control room and live room? Or (and I hope this is the final or) do the white areas above the studs relate to the 2 different rooms. My gut reaction is the former, as otherwise there'd be mechanical coupling between the 2 walls. (BAD) John, many thanks for your help so far. Depending on the answer to the above I'll go away and redraw it all. As far as basic design is concerned, any issues or problems that you can see with my original drawing? (other than redrawing the walls to the correct thickness). Cheers, Colin

Yes colin there are two walls back to back with a 4" air gap. cheers John