First post - first question

All, First off, I'd like to say that I hope to use the information I am gathering from this forum as the basis of a basement studio in the not too distant future. And that I have already read plenty and appreciate all the hard work that has been done, and is being done. Very, very impressive. I realise I have a long way to go, but everone starts somewhere - right? So, to my questions: I have a basement in my house. The house was built around 1860, all the walls are substantial stone. The basement gets damp, but doesn't flood. I plan to relay a damproofed concrete floor that covers the entire surface area of the basement. So assume a concrete floor with stone walls all around, and a dry place. Assuming that I use the existing stone wall as 1 leaf, what do you recommend as a way to proceed as far as an inner wall goes. I am only considering isolation here - my first step. I have studied the "inside-out wall" on the SAE site and think this would be suitable. But I can't seem to find too much about the *best* way to utilize an existing solid external wall. Specifically I want to ask if anyone thinks it would it be beneficial to build a secondary inner wall from Breezeblok, or brick, rather than stud and then add drywall to the inside of the secondary wall ? I hope I have provided enough info. I don't want to get into detailed discussion on layout yet - I want to take it step by step. If more info. is needed, please let me know. Many thanks, Peter

You ae builign in a baemtn so I guess that the other side of the stone walls is ground. Nothing more is neede for sound islaotion in that direction. How well the sound goes intot he stone and moves the floer and walls above... Andre

Andre, Thanks. The basement is semi-underground on one side, the remaining walls are either to an adjoining house(one side only) or to other rooms in the basement. I intend to build a 'drywall-based' inner wall, and assume the existing stone wall is one leaf of my mass. My very basic question is whether this is a good idea. From what I have read and understood it seems sensible. I have looked carefully at John's 'Skethup' 3D studio layout from his sticky thread and that is proving, really really useful. It seems to be a stone outer wall, air gap and inner wall - very similar to my requirements. Dimensions are about the same too! So, I will produce a drawing (once I have learned how) and post here for further comment. Once again, thanks everyone for a great site and I hope that my questions will gradually become more meaningful! Cheers, Peter

So, I will produce a drawing (once I have learned how) and post here for further comment.

that will help immensely. Looking forawrd to it and future posts. Andre