Basement recording studio in Columbus Ohio Build Diary

Photos? That would help to understand what you have done, and maybe figure out how to fix it. - Stuart -

The Problem is that I don't have internet access at home and I can't upload photos at work.

Hey All. I figured out how to stablize my walls without touching the joists above. I got everything fixed. I have 2 questions: Does anyone have a good design for hvac sounproofing (box), and what is the typical size window to get for a recording studio to look from the control room to the booth?

for your room - a window - something around 2'6"h by 3'6"w up to 3'h x 4'w - set low enough so you can be seated (in either room) and see each other... on the baffle box - since you have very limited space - a simple box with some small baffles and a low speed vent fan (pulling) should do it.

Any advice on where to get a fan? And will the neoprene work inside the baffle box?

Panasonic sells a number of quiet fan units. here's one http://www.ventingdirect.com/panasonic- ... ct/p877543 another option - a multiple port unit and use flex duct through through the boxes. if the neoprene is thin enough to wrap the fan unit in to keep it decoupled from the box, that would be good. lining the box should be duct liner which is a type of fiberglass with a coating which prevents it from shedding. or fiber glass wrapped in plastic will work.

Ok a few quick questions It looks like the fan unit will be outside of the box? because the flex pipe comes outside of the picture and states that it is going to the fan unit. So where would it connect to the heating and cooling duct? From what I gathered a flex pipe comes from the hvac duct that I re routed to the baffle box. Then the fan blows the air from inside the bafllebox to the vent/ room. I guess I just need clarification on the mechanics of the baffle box and instructions on what the airflow will do. Thanks! :mrgreen:

so, if you're planning on ducted HVAC, then one of the boxes would be the supply and one would be the return and you could tap them into the ducts with the appropriate zone and / or flow dampers to allow the studio to be heated/cooled independently of the operation for the rest of the house, and balance them into the system. in this case, i was suggesting you simply do an air exchange with the basement. you could put the fan unit in the box terminating the duct, or use a (or two) multiple port unit mounted on the ceiling to handle it. another option is a concealed duct unit to control the AC for both rooms and the air exchange - it's a small air handler on the ceiling and an external compressor unit.

Ok I see what you mean.

using proper isolation mounts is the best approach

I have decided to purchase isolation mounts instead of using the bolts of the plywood free standing walls. The reason I decided this is because with the door swinging open and closed it needs to be supported by something. Do you have any suggestions on what size and where to get the isolation mounts? I see a ton on the internet with all different sizes but can't figure out what ones to get. I have the bottom wall, right wall and top wall supported by the concrete walls so I won't need the isolation mounts for those walls. I do need then for the left wall (with the door and window) and 3 walls for the vocal booth (because the top wall in the booth will be supported by the concrete walls also. So I only need enough for 4 walls total. We completed the left wall of the control room last night. We have the doorway and window framed. As I sat down and looked over the blueprints I came up with a few questions. Ok the top wall of the control room looks to have drywall over the inner frame then the speaker and slat area is built into the drywall? Am I seeing that right? Also, will I need to do the ceiling before building the speaker/slat area? Also between the Booth and CR will I drywall both outerwalls? I want to begin building the vocal booth tonight and I need to know if I have to drywall the outer walls. I can't tell by the picture. I made the window 2'6 wide by 2'8 tall according to your sketchup framing file. Does this seem a bit small? It seems like it may need to be about 8 inches taller. How would I do the rigid insulation at the top of the control room?

Esco wrote:

I have the bottom wall, right wall and top wall supported by the concrete walls so I won't need the isolation mounts for those walls. I do need then for the left wall (with the door and window) and 3 walls for the vocal booth (because the top wall in the booth will be supported by the concrete walls also. So I only need enough for 4 walls total. Ok the top wall of the control room looks to have drywall over the inner frame then the speaker and slat area is built into the drywall? Am I seeing that right? Also, will I need to do the ceiling before building the speaker/slat area? Also between the Booth and CR will I drywall both outerwalls? I want to begin building the vocal booth tonight and I need to know if I have to drywall the outer walls. I can't tell by the picture. I made the window 2'6 wide by 2'8 tall according to your sketchup framing file. Does this seem a bit small? It seems like it may need to be about 8 inches taller. How would I do the rigid insulation at the top of the control room?

you should use isolation brackets on the concrete side as well - mount angle brackets on the walls then attach. the isolator brackets also go between the CR and LR walls as well. you still need floor anchors unless your doing the top and bottom with the isolator brackets. the rectangular outer frames support the 2x drywall layers on the inside of the frames (leaving maximum air gaps between them), on the outside (facing the rest of the basement) of the CR and the LR you need another 2 layers of drywall. on the exterior drywall, you could use isolation clips and hat channel to increase the TL. NO (as in none) drywall in the space between the CR and booth. you build all the isolation first - ceiling with isolation clips and hat channel, interior walls, exterior walls (facing the open basement only - not between rooms and not between concrete and frame)) . then you'll build your soffits and treatments inside that. on the angled window - you have the option of wrapping the drywall in from the isolation wall to encase the window, or putting the isolation window flush to the straight wall and adding a thinner plexiglass or real glass window on an angle (acoustic reflections). size wise, if you think it needs to be taller you could do that but consider your ducting soffit in the LR which is about 12" down from the inner ceiling you are creating.

Any suggestions on where I can get the isolation brackets? I'd like to get the real deal as opposed to wrapping a bolt with neoprene.

call up Mason Industries http://www.mason-industries.com/masonind/home/index.cfm or Kinetics Noise http://www.kineticsnoise.com/ for quotes.

I'm Back! Yeah I know, it's been a long time away. I have been taking care of some financial issues but I an back and ready to continue building. Glenn, I apologize for being so quiet lately but I an stoaked to build your design! I still have to fram the vocal booth and was wondering If I can just frame that specific room as not connecting it to the ceiling and using plywoord to help stabalize the walls? I am trying to cut my costs and would love to have the vocal booth up even before I complete the control room just so I can get business then use those funds to complete the studio. What are your thoughts?

good to see you back. "using plywoord to help stabalize the walls? " OSB would be the better bet, that is what I have used, since it is has a higher shearing ability read: load versus lateral movement versus decoupling.

Hey All! I will be finishing framing this week! I have Glenn's sketchup file and Finally have the finaces to build. I will have to build under my air duct. I'm guessing a soffit? I was wondering what the best route would be? Should I dry wall both sides in that area "Top and Bottom"? I just dont want sound to excape into the vent and be amplified throughout the house because I didn't frame it correctly.I know that I will have to move the pipe up a bit. The Unfortunate thing is that I can't get a smaller air duct because it's the size that my furnace needs to circulate through the house so I need to frame underneath it. I just want to make sure its secure and won't fall.

We put 2 walls in the vocal booth up last night! Now I only have two more walls to go. We are going to build around the duct as best we can because I can't cut the duct down. It will make for a low door frame. I will continue to keep you all posted.

I will have to build under my air duct. I'm guessing a soffit?

Yup. If you can't move or re-size the duct, then a soffit is the best solution. Wrap the duct with insulation, and build the soffit such that the new framing and drywall does not touch the duct at all. - Stuart -

Thanks Stuart! Do you any recommendation for the insulation. Would I just use normal grade insulation? Or is there a dust insulation out there?

Thanks Stuart! Do you any recommendation for the insulation. Would I just use normal grade insulation? Or is there a dust insulation out there?

I've seen suggestions to use proper duct liner for this type of application, but plain old ordinary fiberglass or mineral wool should work just fine too, if you can't get duct liner. All it really does is damp resonance in the cavity. - Stuart -

Ok thanks a ton! I will make sure to get duct liner.

Duct liner isn't very thick: you might want to do both. Duct liner directly on the duct, and ordinary pink fluffy fiberglass filling the rest of the cavity. - Stuart -

Ok will do. I appreciate the help!

Ok while building my walls I realized a huge mistake... detail. I have skipped out on detail just to get the job finished. I forgot to neoprene under some of my walls!... So Now I have to lift the walls and neoprene under them. I also have to neoprene where I have anchored the walls to my concrete basement walls. Currently they are direct contact and I know that this will cause sound issues in the future... I also did not anchor the walls to the floor using screws.... I used nails. I will take the nails out and replace with screwes so that the walls can be secure. I will fix all of these mistakes and take pictures. I want to be as detail oriented as possible so this means me asking a ton of newbie annoying questions! Thanks guys!!!!

I forgot to neoprene under some of my walls!...

Not a big deal, depending on what your intention was: If the rubber was just meant as a seal, due to an uneven floor, then you can pump in caulking compound in several steps, a little at a time, to build up the seal. If the rubber was meant as decoupling, to "float" your walls, then it wouldn't have been very effective anyway, since the anchor bolts will flank right through the rubber, creating hard mechanical bridges and bypassing the rubber. It would only work to decouple and float if you also used isolation collars for the anchor bolts, and in addition did the necessary calculations to ensure that the final loading on the rubber (total mass resting on the rubber, divided by the area supporting it, kg/m2) will cause the correct amount of deflection in the rubber. If you didn't do the math, or don't get the loading correct, then it wouldn't have floated anyway.

So Now I have to lift the walls and neoprene under them.

Not necessarily: You'd only need to do that for one of the above two reasons: improving the seal on an uneven floor, or floating your walls. Which one are you aiming for?

Currently they are direct contact and I know that this will cause sound issues in the future...

Not necessarily: How much isolation do you need, in decibels? What is your design goal?

I also did not anchor the walls to the floor using screws.... I used nails. I will take the nails out and replace with screwes so that the walls can be secure.

Bolts. Personally, I'd use proper wall anchor bolts, not nails or screws. But maybe I'm a bit over-board with that, since I live in a major earthquake zone. However, the defining factor here is your local building code: What does it say? Does it allow nails or screws, and if so what type / length? If you don't use the correct type of anchor, it will not pass inspection, so it's best to make sure you do it right! It would be sad to redo it now, then have to redo it again when the inspector comes to visit!

I want to be as detail oriented as possible so this means me asking a ton of newbie annoying questions! Thanks guys!!!!

That's cool! As they say: the only stupid question is the one you DIDN'T ask. :) - Stuart -