SIMO Studio - Construction Phase

:shock: Stunning! Just stunning! That's one gorgeous looking studio you have there. Wow! :thu: :!: Great workmanship. - Stuart -

looking so good Simo :thu: "next installing glasses and door/windows architraves" and cleaning up the front window?? :)

Thanks a lot Stuart - in the end I took in your advice and abandoned the idea of placing skyline diffusers each side of the air con in the control room (as proposed in the pics at the bottom of page 15 on this thread) ... but instead went with full absorption at the rear. Thank you very much John - OMG that IS a filthy window indeed :oops: I'll take care of that ugliness immediately :D

Wow. really enjoyed looking at this thread, It's helping me so much in terms of learning the techniques involved. Im in the process of planning the construction of my garage studio build and i wonder, if you get chance could you give me an idea of how you approached the floors? What layers are involved above the concrete floor? I noticed you damp proofed, and then I can obviously see your wood floor finish, are there other layers in between? Thanks again for a great thread. Marc

Thanks Marc, I'm glad you find the thread helpful ! First I used the self levelling compound as my concrete floor was a bit uneven. Then the liquid damp proof membrane (black). Above that I used the Fibreboard Underlay (green), and on top an additional thinner layer (3mm) of flooring underlay (white) which helps a bit to compensate for unevenness in the wood floor and also to add comfort when walking… all purchased from Wickes. You should be able to see all the layers in the pics in the previous page (half way down) ...As Ro fairly pointed out, another way is to just glue the floor directly to the concrete floor after the damp proof treatment… Good luck with your build ! Simo

Brilliant thanks for the info. Much appreciated :)

Hi guys I'd like the idea of placing silica crystals in the gap between the two windows (as seen in a few examples here), to help avoid - or at least minimize - moisture. The idea is to use a cloth stapled to the inner stops of the two frames to 'visually' bridge them (that shouldn't cause any flanking problems I guess). So, If I hide the silica crystals underneath that cloth, would they be still effective? ..or they need to be in the open space without anything covering them in order to do their thing (I'm not sure if I'd like them there…well, actually I wouldn't :) ) ? Any idea ? Thanks Simo

So, If I hide the silica crystals underneath that cloth, would they be still effective? ..or they need to be in the open space without anything covering them in order to do their thing

No problem, Simo. That's the normal way of doing it. Fit a piece of Homasote across the gap between the windows, cut a groove in it, put the silica gel in the groove, then wrap it in fabric. The silica gel will work just fine like that. You need to use the right amount of silica gel: You have to calculate how much you need from the volume of air enclosed between the glass. You need about 200 grams per cubic meter of air, which is roughly 6 grams per cubic foot. So for example, if your window is 10 feet long by 5 feet high, and the depth between the two panes is 6 inches, that would be 25 cubic feet or air, so you'd need about 150 grams of silica gel in there, which is about 1/3 of a pound, or a bit more than 5 ounces. It doesn't hurt to use a bit extra... For the other three edges of the window (the two sides and the top) do the same thing with pieces of Homasote wrapped in cloth, but without the silica gel. That only goes on the piece that goes across the bottom of the frames. - Stuart -

Thanks for you response Stuart, as clear and detailed as usual, like reading a step by step manual. :thu: Is there a limit to your knowledge?? :D :wink: Wow, homasote…I never thought of using it as I believed it's too rigid and when nailed to the two structure it would have bridged them… But, based on what you said, it seems it must be still negligible for that purpose and since I've got some leftover from the hangers that's what I'm going to use, as I certainly trust Your advice sir ! Grazie Simo

I never thought of using it as I believed it's too rigid and when nailed to the two structure it would have bridged them

Ooops! I forgot to mention that you DON'T nail it in place! Just "pressure fit" in place: cut the Homasote to just the right size, so that when it is wrapped in fabric it will fit into the gap between the two frames snugly. For the side pieces and the one across the top, you can use a few dabs of glue on just ONE frame, to keep it in place. Not on both frames, as that might cause some bridging, and no nails or screws! You could probably even use acoustic caulk instead of glue. Just a few dabs in some places on one side, only enough to keep the fabric-wrapped-homasote in place, and prevent it falling out later. Here's a SketchUp file with an animation to show how to do it. John made this many years ago, but I updated it to add more details, so this is the new version: I still need to do some more work on that to make it clearer and more details, but it gives you the basic idea. Just click on each "Scene" in order, from 1 to 5, to see the build sequence. - Stuart -

Fantastic !! :D Thanks for sharing Stuart ! :thu:

So funny, Simone--I just finished posting pictures of what I did in this regard, similar to what Stuart recommends. Although I must admit that no calculations were involved! Anyway, as always, I must say that you are doing beautiful work. I'm really in awe of what you've created! Mark

Thanks Mark, very kind :D yes, it seems we are more or less at similar stage, aren't we? … can't wait too to have this completely finished and concentrate 100% on music I noticed your progress too, VERY impressive indeed !! :thu:

Simo - Still learning lots from your build, thanks so much once again. I wondered if you get chance if you wouldnt mind helping me with a couple of questions, as a fellow uk guy: 1, I noticed you used a couple of different types of insulation. Could you explain which products they are and the reason they were chosen? Im looking at using Earthwool Building Slab RS45 as the insulation in my wall cavity, and behind the plasterboards on my inside-out design. Just trying to confirm thats a good move. 2, Im looking at aircon mini split systems and wondered if you have any advice given that you have got yourself one too. Products? Prices? I may have more questions as I get into mine, Hope thats cool! Thanks again Marc

Hi Marc no problem at all ! When I bought the first load of material I went for the Knauf earthwool RS45 insulation as it had similar characteristics as the Rockwool RWA45 but was cheaper. I later found out that it's a bit of a pain to work with, as its consistency makes it crumble when you cut it or move it around. I then went for the Rockwool RWA45 which was much easier to handle being a bit more rigid… if you cut it precisely so it goes snug between studs (or wherever you need it) it will stay there without the need of wires or netting to holding it in place, even between joist in the ceiling…. you can add those for peace of mind if you feel like of course :-) For the aircon, I went for the Panasonic CS-E7NKEW (£530) on the control room and and a slight more modern variation on the live room (Panasonic CS-RE9PKE @ £500). Hope that helps Good luck Simo

Top man! thanks for such a quick response! Much appreciated. Regards Marc

Hey guys, Just ordered the laminated glasses…so, I'm preparing the hardwood Stops and have a question: Q) Is there a procedure you would recommend to secure the inner stops to the frame when the outer stop + glass pane is up? I was thinking to screw them to the frame, pre-drill the holes for the screws to minimize the risk of splitting the wood… but won't I still risk to crack the glass while drilling? or would it be safer to nail them down, perhaps not using the hammer (again to avoid damaging the glass) but hiring a nail-gun instead? Have you got any tip to share? :-) Many Thanks Simo

This is how I am mounting glass windows in the Dubai studio. cheers john

Neat ! :) Thanks for sharing John :thu:

April '14 Update part-1 Hello everyone, Hope you are well and had a nice Easter ! It's time for an update, as I've been quite for a while, but still followed the forum with interest. To visually close the gap between glass panes, first I tried to used the cloth-covered soft fibreboard cut to size, but I couldn't achieve a satisfying result. Or they were too tight risking to bridge the two rooms, or they were too slack making me uncomfortable with the idea of them collapsing over time whilst still be trapped between the glass… uhmmm, I don't feel I want to risk that or to describe better the situation I don't feel after all this time I've got enough strength left to survive such a view :lol: Thus, I decided to close the gap with just a black cloth stapled to the frame. So the order was: - soft insulation to fill the gap - thin layer of batten to help keeping the insulation particles and dust at bay - cheep thin black cloth with the only function to prevent the insulation to show through the finishing (nicer) black cloth - silica crystals to help minimise (and hopefully avoid) condensation - finishing black cloth (obtained from left overs of the same cloth used on the walls) - small strip of timber painted in black to hide the staples all around. As I made the window frames not wide enough to have the inner stops of a decent size (inexperience showing again :oops: ), I decided to use a piece of timber to extend the frame. This won't be visible as the inner stops and the wood trims will cover it completely. So, it's time to install the glass !! …couldn't find any other excuse to postpone it any longer :-) I started by placing the neoprene setting blocks at the bottom of the frame (below the glass), used to shim the glass and settle it centred in the frame. After temporarily trying it with the glass pane in position it's a good idea to mark their locations. Then I installed the butyl tape on the four inside hardwood stops, and reset the setting blocks in their marked locations. (I know, I know…I WILL eventually put a less shitty looking fence outside :oops: :twisted: …I'm working on it !! ) I placed the glass in position, pressed hard against the butyl tape and as I'm working on my own I used a temporary stop each side towards the top to help support it while working. I then caulked fully the 2-3mm gap between glass and frame with the glazing silicone at the top and bottom, with the butyl tape squashed between the glass and the inner stop acting as a backer rod giving a good seal. I installed the butyl tape on the top and bottom outside stops (on the sides facing the glass), and pressed them hard against the glass and screwed them to the frame. I removed the temporary stops and repeated the exact process for the left and right outside stops And here are the windows finished (finally…another big weight gone !) : Between rooms (control room - side) Control room front (window finally cleaned John :lol: ) : Live room:

April '14 Update part-2 I made the cover for the mic lines panel using the veneered MDF leftovers from the speaker soffit finish layer, and 5mm oak trims at the edges: Then I made a box for the speakers' amps. These can either stand on the floor, or be racked up behind/below the desk (still deciding, as I haven't made up my mind how to go with the desk yet :roll: ): Finally I finished the last wall of the live room (and so of the studio)… Here's the starting point, the second plasterboard layer of the only NOT inside-out wall in the whole studio. First I primed it and then I stapled a galvanised metal mesh lath to the plasterboard: to give more grip to the concrete layer and this is the wall with the rock cladding in place: I finally added a heavy drape to damp down a bit the reflectiveness of the rock when desired, and also to visually separate the room if needed (for instance if the artist/band rehearses or just chill there while editing/mixing in the control room…just an option that doesn't cost much to add I thought…) That's all for now. Ciao Simo

That looks AWESOME, Simo! Wow. GREAT workmanship. (As always)... - Stuart -

Stunning, Simo--just stunning. Your entire build has been an inspiration to myself and I'm sure many, many others on this forum!!

Thanks a lot for the nice words Stuart and Mark, much appreciated !

Wow! Beautiful work!