Need plans for iso booth

Want to do something nice but not spending $2000+ I have approx 4ft by 4 ft to work with. want a window in the door and some ventilation. keeping noise out is a main priority having decent sound inside is another the uses will be vocals/voice overs percussion acoustic gtrs amp room I've been searching the net but can't find any plans.....is there a way to do it without 2x4's? maybe smaller lumber? or alternative ways/materials to seal in the sound? thanks in advance Harley supafuzz!

We don't even know where you live to judge material costs! USA? Canada? Australia? All use dollars. Prices for building materials also vary wildly with the activity of the construction industry in a region. Add up the costs of material. Use 2x2's instead of 2x4's for framing. Gig itens will be the door and seals, and the window. That depends on your scrounging skills. Dig up a used solid core door with a window in it and you costs have just dropped. Esthetics may end up being your biggest expense. Will you accept uncovered insulation? More detail and we can help alot Good Luck! Andre

zeroville [my studio] is located in my NYC manhattan apartment 2x2's for framing ok solid core door with [double pane window] ok what kind of gasket is needed for the door how do I build the base? what do I put in the walls the ceiling? what do i put on the floor under the base? it does have to look good..[I don't need to go super cheap] thanks

what kind of gasket is needed for the door how do I build the base? what do I put in the walls the ceiling? what do i put on the floor under the base?

Anything from commercially made by Zero Inernational to "customized" automotive door seals. Just like a strong riser. Fiberglass, mineral wool, whatever is cheper in your area at the moment. Don't forget material on the walls and ceiling! How mobile do you want it? Casters to solid EPDM pads depending on your requirements. More specifics will make answers more valuable. Andre.

now that I've been thinking about it.. this room doesn't have to stop 100% of the sound going out or coming in as long as it can cut it 50-75% i'll be happy [and so will my neighbors!] i does have to sound good inside.. so 3.5 by 4 ft inside dimensions will work for the space some kind of ventilation window in door xlr & 1/4" panel small light that's all I can think of right now i would like to be able to move it or sell it If I upgrade to a commercial booth. thanks

this room doesn't have to stop 100% of the sound going out or coming in as long as it can cut it 50-75% i'll be happy [and so will my neighbors!]

Sorry, nothing is 200% sound proof. Ever. Read in the recording manual section of the main page about isolation.

i would like to be able to move it or sell it If I upgrade to a commercial booth.

Your getting into expensive stuff then. Seals on ALL surface meeting corners. Think over your budget. The most realistic I can think of is making easily tearable and reassemblable. Those last two are now words if they weren't. What is your construction skill level?

i does have to sound good inside..

With a booth, the best you will get is dead. No added character whatsover. As you scrimp on inside treatment, the more and more the booth sound will become apparent, and eventually obvious. Andre

Those last two are now words if they weren't.

Sounds like they fill the bill. Otherwise, how would you get it out the door? :lol: fitZ[/quote]

Here's my advice, having just built a small iso booth in the basement of tenament apt building in Manhattan: Don't build. Buy a pre-made iso-booth. 4'x4' is a really common size and if you have $2000 to work with you will definitely be able to get one. The best part is when you are done with it you will be able to sell it and make back part of your cost. If you build it you will likely have to demolish it when you are done, and be able to recoup none of your initial costs. These things pop up on Craigs List and Ebay pretty frequently. Just two months ago there was one available on Craigs List in NYC for $1600. I built a 5'x6'x7' iso booth. It cost >$2000 and took me almost 6 month of my spare time. If I had bought I could have been recording 5 months ago instead of doing a construction project.

Yeah..i see what you mean I may have a line on a pre built one [custom built] that I can purchase pretty cheaply..I'll post the results here once i check it out if I had $2000 to work with I would buy a prefab!!

Even for a small booth, the cost of drywall, lumber, plywood, window, door, Fiberglass, and your time will be expensive. Unless it's going to be a permanant installation that will remain there for years and years to come, buying one you can dissassemble and take with you later is more cost effective.

this one is alreay disassembled and in a warehouse.. I would be paying to have some guys truck it here [10 miles] and reconfigure it to fit in my small space.. so I would be paying only a fraction of the cost of the materials

As long as they reassemble it properly, maintaining all of the airtight seals between the panels, it should work out well for you. Basicly, the theory behind soundproofing is that you must have two things: Air tight and MASSIVE