Key posts: Basement studio thread.. time to start this thing

Substantial posts by TomM, who started the thread, and by the forum’s most active contributors. 81 of 133 posts are listed.

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TomM, 31 December 2005I've been posting a couple of different questions and I think it's time to put my whole adventure into one post. The studio will be in my basement. It's a new house, and…
sharward, 1 January 2006Congratulations -- you now have your very own project thread! :mrgreen: The area along the ducting, towards the window and the electrical panel... Would you be willing…
TomM, 3 January 2006I'm not really willing to give up that space. It would make things easier.. but this is going to be a recording studio and i'm concerned about space already!! They are…
sharward, 3 January 2006Assume they will be pissy. Assume they will be totally unreasonable. Because even if they aren't -- even if they become your biggest fan! -- there's no guarantee they…
TomM, 3 January 2006Thanks Keith! I've been reading that most prefer the clips to the resilient channel... I think I'm gonna tackle that myself. Do you know where I could get a good one…
camistan, 3 January 2006Hey Tom I noticed in scrolling through your thread that your ceiling joist are just like mine. I had planned on "beefing up" my ceiling by adding 2 layers of 5/8"…
knightfly, 4 January 2006Does the flex duct shown in the pic Vent to Ceiling.jpg supply air from one of the metal ducts across your studio to the upstairs room as it appears? If so, does that…
camistan, 4 January 2006Hey Tom The span from wall to wall is 13ft at present. (See the rough draft diagram I sent) This is the measurement from one "outer" frame wall to the other "outer…
TomM, 5 January 2006Yeah, it vents to the ceiling. There are 2 on either side. Then one in the middle actually goes all the way to wall above the foundation wall. I'm not sure where that…
TomM, 5 January 2006I have an electrician coming to my house today to give me an estimate on relocating the electric breaker distribution panel. He said on the phone that he'd basically…
sharward, 5 January 2006According to "Choosing Electrical Junction Boxes" on the Better Homes & Gardens Web site : Electrical codes require that all wire connections or cable splices be inside…
TomM, 5 January 2006Well it's just a matter of making the space sacrifice. I do need space for racks of gear...monitors...desk with computer... drums, amps... (though they can be relocated…
sharward, 5 January 2006Yes, exactly -- those are some of the drawbacks of the "relocate breaker panel and replace it with a huge junction box" idea, and is one of the reasons I think it's a…
TomM, 9 January 2006Well I got the estimate for relocating the breaker panel and the entire thing will only cost me $380 . The electrician said that it's really not that bad because most of…
knightfly, 9 January 2006That sounds very reasonable for moving the panel. where would it get reolcated, to a different room? Window - is this the window next to the electrical panel, and is it…
TomM, 10 January 2006Damn?? that doesn't sound good.. Around the outside is dirt. There is a window well around the window so the window is only about 2 inches visible if you would look on…
knightfly, 10 January 2006NOT normal, YES problem... :cry: Sounds like they poured your basement floor on un-compacted earth and it settled afterward, or else there WAS water problems and part of…

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TomM, 10 January 2006OK, I'll work on getting those pictures. I was afraid of what you would say about the resonance :x Hopefully I don't have to drill and fill. I'll try to map out the…
TomM, 10 January 2006Another thought about the resonance... Maybe I shouldn't use RC on the walls? If my concrete walls are not resonating, then only my inner walls would.. and if my ceiling…
TomM, 13 January 2006Steve, I was wondering if you could comment on this idea to help improve the floor issue... I plan to have a glueless laminate floor (probably the last step of…
sharward, 13 January 2006From the Frequently Asked Questions page on the Audio Alloy site : What about my floors? Green Glue is highly effective at stopping vibration within the floor system. If…
TomM, 16 January 2006So the question is, how do I plug up this window (Something that I can remove shouldn't be impossible right?...even if it means cutting out the caulk and then recaulking…
TomM, 16 January 2006And also, the other issue... I've been thinking about ways to help the isolation problems that the flex ducts cause WITHOUT building new ducts (which i'm uncomfortable…
TomM, 16 January 2006Both of these will probably cause some 3 leaf effect... but it's just unavoidable in my situation. Thoughts on either of these? Any good? The first is if you were…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 16 January 2006here's an idea on the window ... take out the window and frame leaving only the wood. then close up the hole with a combination of wood and gypsum, but leave at least a…
camistan, 16 January 2006Tom, From my understanding having the flexduct is not a bad thing. It is certainly better than the plain ol' aluminum/metal ducts because of noise travel concerns. I…
knightfly, 17 January 2006If you convince the "BRA's" there's no sleeping quarters down there, you may not have to keep that window operable; if that's the case, then I'd cut some rigid EPS foam…
TomM, 17 January 2006Steve, any idea where I can get this EPS board? Anything else similar available at home depot or lowes? When you say caulk around it... do you mean the window as it is…
sharward, 17 January 2006Sounds like you ended up with a receptionist. I've had good luck actually going to the building department and speaking directly to a plan reviewer. Most of the "you…
knightfly, 17 January 2006In my suggestion, the GLASS is your outer mass; any "wetness" should be caused by condensation, which happens if there is too sudden a temperature shift while passing…
TomM, 18 January 2006Steve, if I am able to build a wall over this window (which would then become my inner leaf), how would you recommend doing the window in that case? Just skip the fluffy…

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TomM, 23 January 2006Does anyone have any suggestions how to frame out the ducts? My problem with them will be that there isn't much room between the ducts and the concrete walls. I'm…
knightfly, 24 January 2006Glass - what about using some of that tinting film you can buy for cars? Just get the darkest you can find, and it's DESIGNED to laminate to the glass. Once that's on,…
TomM, 24 January 2006AWESOME IDEA! Thanks!!!! That's what I'm gonna do! I should have been more clear. I'm talking about RSIC clips (from here: http://www.acousticalsolutions.com/prod ...…
knightfly, 24 January 2006Putty packs are high density and will seal cracks, plus they're intumescent (swell up in a fire rather than just going away) - so it's all good. Are you planning on…
TomM, 24 January 2006I think i'm gonna have to use RSIC's on the walls too. Because i'm gonna build the walls angled, I will have to use RSIC on the walls if i'm gonna bother with it on the…
knightfly, 27 January 2006With a separate frame for wall, you shouldn't need RSIC's on the wall. I've started a sketch of your solution, but need to know what power tools you have access to and…
TomM, 27 January 2006I don't have any experience :oops: I have access to a good amount of tools, but I don't know what you mean by rabbeted, glued and screwed joints in 2x lumber... Can you…
TomM, 30 January 2006I have a circular saw and a drill. I have access to a couple different miter saws.. a framing one, and a regular one, as well as a table saw, a reciprocating saw, and a…
TomM, 30 January 2006Steve, I drew up a quick lay out in paint (not to scale). It doesn't have the dimensions (i have an hand drawing that is to scale with dimensions). You can see how the…
knightfly, 30 January 2006I have a question about using that type of RSIC (04) for the rest of the ceiling. Will I be able to use that with my engineered joists? They are shaped like a capital I…
TomM, 1 February 2006The design is excellent. The RSIC, plus green glue should really get me some good isolation from the rest of the house above. I'm just hoping that I can implement it…
TomM, 1 February 2006Hey Steve... remember the issue I was talking about before regarding the low frequency sounds I get when I hit the outer perimeter of the basement's concrete floor? It's…
TomM, 9 February 2006Also, I was trying to think of ways to help my ceiling situation. I think I could actually put in several new joists... but not between every joist. There are three…
knightfly, 13 February 2006On your angled walls, will there be a point at the front of the room where the wall is actually further from the concrete wall than your duct? Fastening RSIC's to…
TomM, 13 February 2006Regarding It depends how I box out the duct. On one side the duct is wide, coming into the room 2 feet 9 inches. In about four foot intervals, it gets smaller and…
TomM, 13 February 2006What is the minimum amount of vertical space I need for the door? I'm wondering if I'll be able to put them under the ducts for the entrance... I'm having some second…

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guitardad72, 15 February 2006Hey Tom, Congrats on getting the panel moved. I’ve reading along this thread for a while and been paying attention to the topic of moving that panel. I am going to be…
guitardad72, 15 February 2006AND.... Thanks Tom (& Sharward), for your discusion on requirements for junction boxes to be over wire connections. Just made me realize I got correction work to do on…
TomM, 15 February 2006The main line from the meter was NOT in the same direction. The electrician had to put in a new line... which is like $3 a foot. But the reason my panel was so easy to…
guitardad72, 15 February 2006Was that a completely new 220 wire from meter to panel, or did he splice old and new line and cover connection with a junction box? You defiantly have a disconnect…
TomM, 15 February 2006It was a completely new 220 wire. It sounds like you got a tough situation... I hope it works out for you! I thought that certain things could remain not up to code…
TomM, 16 February 2006I've been thinking about the possibility of adding new joists instead of using the existing ones. If this would make it possible to avoid the RSIC clips, then this might…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 16 February 2006Tom, If you are going to add new joists i think they need to be SOLID members, i'm pretty sure you can't use 2 and then splice them together. from the pix it looks like…
TomM, 23 February 2006Bump.... Steve, I was hoping you could give some advice about how I could possibly avoid the 3-leaf affect with my design... The only thing I can think of is the wall…
TomM, 24 February 2006I just used some puddy pads from quiet solution for the vents that go into the ceiling and to the first floor. I did this because if I stood in my basement while dark, i…
TomM, 25 February 2006I finished putting puddy over the other vent and I doubled up around the edges where there were cracks previously to the upstairs. To me, from what I remember hearing…
knightfly, 9 March 2006Tom, if you need good iso between booth and CR you'll have to use m-a-m there. On the other side (toward the rest of the bsement) it would be better NOT to use double…
knightfly, 9 March 2006Here's an excercise in futility that may help some people figure out how to do a couple things with just a skil saw and drill and Workmate and a few clamps - mainly for…
TomM, 9 March 2006WOW! Thanks so much! That explains it VERY clearly! I hope it helps others too...I would imagine this is a common issue for basement studios.. It's all starting to make…
TomM, 10 March 2006Steve - My ceiling joists are spaced 19 inches on center (seems odd), so I guess the frame around my ducts will be every 19" instead of 24"?? The widest part of the duct…
guitardad72, 10 March 2006Tom, There is no way that drainage pipe runs under your house, unless some one really took there time to install it incorrectly. :roll: I’m in the middle of building a…

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knightfly, 14 March 2006Keith - ever watch Home Improvement? My last name's really WILSON... :wink: Tom - here's what you need for hanging your duct frame "L's" -…
TomM, 14 March 2006Awesome!! Things keep making more sense! For that spacer board (for the I joists), Would I be able to use something like a 2X4 cut down to maybe 3/4 X 4? (or whatever it…
knightfly, 14 March 2006The spacer board has to stick out AT LEAST as far as your lower part of joist; a bit further won't hurt, you'll just need longer screws. Or, you could use the setup I…
TomM, 15 March 2006I have two ideas to handle this.... I would lose some heigth, but I could lower the clip and turn it around so that it goes under the bottom of the I joist... OR I could…
knightfly, 15 March 2006Those clips will be fine for mounting the actual drywall, but they're designed to attach hat channel; for the "L" frames around the HVAC I don't see how they could work.…
TomM, 15 March 2006OK... so use the regular clips for most of the ceiling... For the L frame around the ducts... What about using 2 clips instead of 1 for the L frame? Keep the CWB sides…
knightfly, 16 March 2006Problem with that is that it doubles the spring rate, lessening isolation. If you mount 2x6's as blocks perpendicular to your joists and fasten the CWB's to those, it…
TomM, 16 March 2006OK... can you confirm that I am understanding correctly?? The 2X6 will run so that the 6 inches runs vertically in between the joists and the 2 inches is parallel to the…
knightfly, 16 March 2006Right; and the other answer is - very accurate cutting, and a fair-sized hammer :wink: Seriously, you would mark the exact locations of your 2x6's on the web of each…
TomM, 16 March 2006I've read through it a bunch of times and I'm a bit confused around the part where i'm supposed to be using a framing square to line up the 2X6 blocks...in-between the…
TomM, 21 March 2006Thanks for the drawing Steve!! I need opinions on my concrete floor for what to put under there... The ringing sound problem. If I drill a couple holes in the…
TomM, 22 March 2006Besides the concrete issue, I think I have enough information to start getting some work done. Another thing I want to plan, since i'm angling my walls, is a closet at…
TomM, 27 March 2006Question for Steve... In the picture you drew me, you show channel on the concrete wall and then clips connected to the channel and the frame... What about NOT using…
knightfly, 28 March 2006Those clips will work fine, you'll need to drill the concrete for small lag sheilds to fasten them. One every 4 feet is plenty, you're just keeping the wall from trying…

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TomM, 28 March 2006I'll have to get to work on that drawing... I'm not as concerned about flanking through TO the isolation booth, but I am concerned with flanking to the other side (in…
TomM, 28 March 2006OK Steve... I tried my best at a drawing... spent all morning on it :oops: All in paint. Not real great at this, but maybe it will give you the idea. Keep in mind there…
TomM, 28 March 2006OK...here is another view of the basement from above... concerning the ducts... I guess the main concern here is that (unless I put a lot of space inbetween the double…
TomM, 5 April 2006Can anyone recommend how to handle the HVAC in my studio? I'm gonna contact a professional, but I need some information about keeping my isolation before I talk with…
TomM, 6 April 2006What about the possibility of having the HVAC supply and returns outside of the studio in the remaining part of the basement?? I could leave the door open except when in…