Key posts: Kathy's Barn Conversion!

Substantial posts by Kathy, who started the thread, and by the forum’s most active contributors. 185 of 312 posts are listed.

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Kathy, 1 February 2006Well, hello! I have been reading for a few months and have posted just a couple of times so far (inquiring about making your own cables and wires). I respect many of you…
Kathy, 1 February 2006Okay, here we go. Phase 1: The Floor The original was a mess. It was warped, crooked, sagging, broken, and unstable. We decided to create a subfloor above it and support…
Kathy, 1 February 2006Phase 1a: Wiring Beneath the Floor. Laying Cable thru PVC Piping This has turned out to be more challenging and frustrating (and time consuming) than building the…
knightfly, 1 February 2006Kathy, welcome to the insanity - I'm also amazed... One thing that's bothering me though; the floor where there's apparently wood UNDER and OVER the joists, in one of…
Kathy, 1 February 2006Steve and Dan, Thanks so much for your compliments! I didn't expect any actually. :-) I don't understand what you mean. I don't see any wood over and under the joists.…
knightfly, 1 February 2006If the wood I saw in the pic is against the ground, it won't cause any acoustic problems but it WILL (almost guaranteed) cause dry rot, mold, termite, and probably OTHER…
Kathy, 1 February 2006The original barn floor is wooden slats sitting directly on the ground, yes. It's been there for over 100 years. When we cut any of the slats to dig the holes for cement…
knightfly, 1 February 2006(sorta) in order - If the barn wood floor is in that good a shape, I'd leave it too; some of these old constructs are amazing. I've read that Locust wood, for example,…
Kathy, 1 February 2006okay...you're gonna love this post. Its contents might be considered for the "Stupidest Mistake" award. But I'm getting ahead of myself... Yes, now you're understanding…
Kathy, 1 February 2006Re: Prior Post Regarding Barn Floor Condition Below are pictures of the barn floor closeup. You can see the old wood slats better here and even see where there is wood…
Kathy, 2 February 2006Hi guys, I know my last 2 posts were a mouthful and we've got stuff to go over. But I thought while I was waiting for answers on the insulation I would look to the…
Kathy, 3 February 2006Thank you so much. What a nice thing to say. Honestly, that made me feel great. Thanks. And as far as knowing me, if you've read my site then you probably do. I'm an…
Kathy, 3 February 2006Yep. See below.... Nope! :oops: That's why everything came to a screeching halt two weeks ago and I have not had my buddy here on Wednesdays (our workday) to work on the…
SonicClang, 4 February 2006When I saw the pictures of the PVC pipe I knew you were going to run into issues at the corners. Yeah, it's too bad I wasn't browsing these forums a little sooner. Like…
len-morgan, 4 February 2006Kathy, Nice work so far! Before it's too late, are you SURE you don't want to pull up the old flooring boards and sell them? From what I've heard, you could finance the…
Kathy, 4 February 2006Never heard of it. Thanks. I will check into it. I think I'm ok now though because most of the wiring I am doing now is with elbows off and into big pipes. Now that I've…
Kathy, 4 February 2006Thank you very much. I appreciate that. I'm sure I DO! I always would have but I have not known where to go with this. Scott mentioned they might be worth something and…
SonicClang, 4 February 2006The fish tape is very rigid. You push it through the conduit after it's all together and it'll go through it all because it's tough stuff. I've used a 500 foot fish tape…
Kathy, 5 February 2006Cool. That sounds like exactly what I'll need when I'm all done and there's an extra cable or two I'll want to add to the system after I'm up and running. I'm leaving…
Kathy, 5 February 2006Thank you very much. I appreciate you taking the time out to read thru it all and look at the files and pictures. Well, you just cracked open a whole new can of worms…

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SonicClang, 5 February 2006Just be VERY careful when or if you go to pull more wires at a later date. In my line of work, if you think you might pull more cables later on, you pull them now.…
Kathy, 7 February 2006Hi guys, Did I scare everyone away with the magnitude of my project? The notion of turning that barn into a fully functional recording studio with just two pairs of…
Kathy, 8 February 2006Hmmm....yeah, I could still do it. I have not gotten much further in the past week. Sidetracked a bit with pulling up a few floorboards.... By pulling a few loose I've…
SonicClang, 8 February 2006Once you see the elbows for electrical conduit you'll see what I'm saying with the being more of a sweep than a 90 and you'll probably want to switch all the old elbows…
Kathy, 10 February 2006Hi Michael, Thanks for reading my studio thread, I appreciate it. I wish you were closer too! I could use all the help I can get. So, since you've learned a thing or two…
Kathy, 10 February 2006Gotcha. Haven't gotten to the hardware store yet to continue on with the cabling and pipes. Got sidetracked with the floor situation and the ever looming question, "Do I…
Kathy, 10 February 2006Phase 1a.1: Pulling Up The Original Floor. (or as I like to call it, "stopping forward progress to go back and do something that should have been done first".) •Pulling…
Kathy, 11 February 2006Hi Steve, Thanks for checking in. I can't even begin to imagine how thin you are spread with your own life and then being the Sound and Construction God here on this…
Kathy, 11 February 2006INSULATION UPDATE Regarding Question #1 above: I moved forward on decisions regarding insulation just because I had the opportunity to go to Home Depot and so I did.…
knightfly, 11 February 2006Your question 3 makes me a bit nervous; I don't remember seeing whether you have an actual concrete perimeter foundation in this building? Typical construction puts…
Kathy, 12 February 2006Well...... I honestly feel like I am going to cry. (how often do you hear THAT here? Seeing as this is a forum full of guys, my guess is this would be the first.) You…
Kathy, 12 February 2006Good! I hope so. Don't wanna be the only one. Thanks. I haven't done my homework in ALL areas of the forum yet. I should have known that one but now I do. But wait a…
knightfly, 12 February 2006Kathy, sorry for the confusion; and you're NOT alone, there are so many factors involved in ORDINARY building that it's confusing, much less when you add in the changes…
Kathy, 13 February 2006Okay. It seems to me that by removing the old existing floorboards, I have created more steps and more work for myself. More problems, really. Can I assume that if I…
len-morgan, 13 February 2006Kathy, Please go back and carefully read Knighfly's last (long) post about the insulation. You are mixing different circumstances and conditions and coming up with a…
Kathy, 13 February 2006You mean by asking about placing wood down again? I have re-read Knight's post several times already to absorb it because I truly do not want to be confused and appear…

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len-morgan, 13 February 2006Since the "major" problem seems to have been solved, I want to take a stab at explaining the "cleat" thing. Perhaps there should be a prize for the one that provides the…
guitardad72, 14 February 2006Hey Kathy, I've been following your thread too. Nice job. I am also impressed with everyone else's wealth of input... Steve is the man :!: 8) I'm not going to try and…
knightfly, 14 February 2006Insulation, vapor barriers, etc - Removing the old wood made NO difference as to whether you needed a vapor barrier, or where it should be placed; it's just that when I…
Kathy, 14 February 2006Thanks Marc for visiting the thread and following along. Thanks too for being caring enough to think about my layout and bring it into the jpg form that you did. Yeah,…
Kathy, 14 February 2006First of all, let me say that this most recent post cleared MUCH of the cobwebs for me, Steve. I can just about say I'm on board with it now. I'm starting to feel…
Kathy, 14 February 2006I'm heading out to the barn today to put in a day's work. I'll be preparing the floor for the plastic (it needs sweeping of all the dirt that is loose from the old…
len-morgan, 14 February 2006Well, it looks like Knightfly gets the prize for coming up with the explaination that finally "turned on the light." Do I at least get an honorable mention? :-) As to…
Kathy, 14 February 2006Of course you do. :wink: Anyone that takes the time to try and reach inside of this hard head of mine gets honorable mention. I'm sorry that I didn't understand your…
Kathy, 14 February 2006Agreed. I enjoy learning, too. I just wish I had some more physical hands to move things along faster. I'm still contemplating hiring a couple of laborers for a day here…
len-morgan, 14 February 2006Having gone through this myself, I don't think there is any "shame" in having help. I tried to move/cut/mount 5/8" drywall myself when the guy helping me couldn't come…
knightfly, 14 February 2006Kathy, I hope I'm not too late on this - do NOT use garbage bags to "patch" around your concrete footings - these days, several brands of these are now "bio-degradable"…
knightfly, 14 February 2006Dunno, len, I haven't had pampers tested at Riverbank labs; we might ALL be missing something here :wink: - no need for apology, we're ALL learning here and what escapes…
Kathy, 14 February 2006You're not too late. Haven't gotten that far yet. BUT..... I hate to sound like a broken record.....you have no idea how much this pains me to write this. But I can't…
knightfly, 14 February 2006Looks good; basically, you would just cut several strips of plastic that are each wide enough to cover the ground between two rows of the footers, PLUS enough to reach…
Kathy, 14 February 2006Somehow, the wording here made a connection that your last explanation didn't. I understand it better now (again). For some reason, the first time you attempt to…
Kathy, 15 February 2006Steve, saw this post of yours on the Design Forum: I started my project not knowing this info. The new subfloor is 16 OC. Does your statement apply to floors or are you…
len-morgan, 15 February 2006Kathy, The operative word/phrase from Knightfly's quote is "better for isolation" (paraphrased). I reread the first couple of posts you put up here and while you did…
Kathy, 15 February 2006Hi Len, Yeah, you're right. The point about 16 vs 24 on the floor is a tiny one. In fact, the only real benefit I would have liked is that it would have allowed me to…
Kathy, 15 February 2006We must be on the same wave length. I have been thinking about this over the last 12 hours or so. I confess, I stayed up most of the night last night and have not gone…

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len-morgan, 16 February 2006Kathy, I'm not trying to beg off on answering your questions but I think you are going to have to do a little of your own research on this subject. As far as I know,…
Kathy, 16 February 2006Hi Len, Thanks for your reply. In no way am I trying to get around doing my own research, just so you know that right off the bat. I'm usually pretty thorough and will…
rod gervais, 16 February 2006Kathy, 1st let's talk duct - I don't really care for flext duct runs - they tend to compress in areas that we don't want compression - which means an increase in…
Kathy, 16 February 2006Hi Rod, Thanks so much for stepping in with your expertise. Ok, so this John Mansville Super Duct is available where? I did a search on Yahoo and your name and posts…
rod gervais, 16 February 2006Kathy, the multiples I am refering to are returns - as to how many supply registers you need - distribution is a function of room size - and I do not really kow how…
Kathy, 16 February 2006Yes, this is the term I had heard and that was what I was just asking about in a previous post. I mistakenly called it just a split, but mini-split was the term I…
rod gervais, 16 February 2006Kathy, I would describe it as much softer - but the degree of quiet is a function of the amount you wish to invest in the system - I would seriously suggest you listen…
Kathy, 16 February 2006Here's a link to a blowout on minisplit systems http://www.ductlesshvacsupply.com/ambiance.html and their regular site which has more info is…
Kathy, 17 February 2006PHEW! Thank goodness. I had also heard or been led to believe before that mini splits did not solve the fresh air problem. That's why I was so happy today to hear from…
sharward, 17 February 2006OK, I see that... Interesting indeed. I found that on this page on Friedrich's Web site . However, I'm unable to find anything about that on the specifications -- how…
rod gervais, 17 February 2006Kieth, Unit size is based on room area - fresh air is always balanced to typical code requirements. Nope - but I have a few friends who love them - and a few contacts…
andy_eade, 17 February 2006This is fascinating discussion... I am in a similar phase right now, but am looking at modifying my existing home system to allow supply and return ducts in each of the…
Kathy, 17 February 2006Just doing some preliminary research on the web tonight. Based on my room dimensions I will only need one of the smallest units - I can easily get by with 9,000 btu -…
sharward, 17 February 2006It's buried in my thread -- on page 20 to be exact: There's also this great little handout from the City of Boise (Idaho) that calls for three changes per hour (i.e., a…
sharward, 17 February 2006You know, I just reread my post, and then I looked at that City of Boise handout (which I've looked at so many times), and it dawned on me that I might have done the…
rod gervais, 17 February 2006Shar buddy, What it says is : That is .35 air changes per hour - or one complete air exchange every 2 hours 51.6 minutes - let's call it one complete change every 3…
Kathy, 21 February 2006As promised, I have some new photos. The first batch are shots of all the floorboards I was able to pull up and collect into one pile. As I said before, it turns out…
Kathy, 21 February 2006This photo shows the longest board I was able to pull up without breaking (was hard working with the new elevated floor joists in the way - couldn't pull up or slide out…
Kathy, 21 February 2006Here's two final pictures showing the inside barn floor and how it looks now that the floorboards are all pulled and dirt is showing. You'll see all 3 layers of flooring…
Kathy, 24 February 2006Hi guys, Since the layout I previously provided was so bad in terms of judging the true size of the studio, I've worked at it a bit and have revamped it. Remember, I am…

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Kathy, 24 February 2006Are you pokin' some fun at me? :-) I knew I was gonna get razzled for some of the pics....but you gotta admit, it gave a good visual this time, right? :lol: You're…
Kathy, 25 February 2006Too tired to post replies - it's 2 am and I'm off to bed. Just wanted to check in and let everyone know that I received my DVD today of the Hometime "Construction…
rod gervais, 25 February 2006Kathy, everyone you know must do the taping the old fashioned way...... here's how we do it in larger projects: http://www.all-wall.com/acatalog/Columb ... Taper2.php…
sharward, 25 February 2006:lol: I was going to say the same thing!! :lol: Check out this Wikipedia entry on "drywall" . Excerpt: The name drywall derives from drywall's replacement of the lath…
rod gervais, 27 February 2006Shar, Interestingly - before drywall ever came into existence as we know it today - it was produced in 16" wide sheets as plaster lath. The sheets were 4' in length. It…
andy_eade, 27 February 2006Hi Kathy, I promised you an update on the quotes that came back from the HVAC guys I had come in. They both have been really slow (due in part to one guys partner…
Kathy, 10 March 2006Hi everyone! It’s been a while and I’ve gotten SO much done on the barn. I have pictures to share which show a real visual progress that’s unmistakeable. I also have a…
Kathy, 10 March 2006Hi Andy! Thank you so much for that quick reply. I am crossing my fingers that it really is that simple and will work. I feel kinda dumb now. I DID mark my bottom plate…
Kathy, 13 March 2006Quick note to Andy, Rod, and anyone else interested in the outcome of my framing problem: Thanks guys! It worked. It's not perfection but you must remember that the…
Kathy, 13 March 2006I guess my ignorance shows when I say how unimpressed I am with drywall as a solution to creating walls. But that just goes to show that I know very little about the art…
knightfly, 13 March 2006You're coming along well, Kathy; are your pix of framing showing the final, or do you intend to add firestops? I noticed that apparently Scott taught you the framing…
rod gervais, 14 March 2006Steve, Let's think through this one carefully - she's building a room within a room..... obviously without drywall on the faces inside of the cavity - thus the issue…
knightfly, 14 March 2006Rod, good point; plus I was mainly concerned with those really long studs on the high side not having any blocking, more for structural than fire - then I completely…
Kathy, 14 March 2006Hi Steve, Thanks for checking in on the progress. I hope to get some pictures up soon of my current progress on the floor so you can see how I handled the cleat…
Kathy, 14 March 2006They are as close to each other as possible without actually touching. Only a couple of inches gap between them. Also, let me ask my other question here: Obviously, that…

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knightfly, 14 March 2006Actually no; the paper on insulation (or foil, if that's what it has) is the vapor barrier, and should be toward the side that is warmest most of the time; so in…
Kathy, 14 March 2006Yes, that's what I am doing on the newly built inner wall. The paper backing will butt up against the first layer of drywall. But I'm asking about the old outer wall in…
Kathy, 14 March 2006Ok, that's what I wasn't sure about. But without a vapor barrier on the outside wall won't there be a lot of moisture that gets the insulation wet on the inside wall?…
rod gervais, 14 March 2006No - without a vapor barrier on the outside wall the wall cavity will have exactly the same relative humidity as the outside air - which is exactly what you want to…
knightfly, 14 March 2006Kathy, another thing - just how soundproof do you need your place? From the pix, it seems to me like your outer "leaf" is not too airtight to begin with, nor does it…
Kathy, 15 March 2006Quick question: Today is my Wenesday with Scott and we are framing more of the wall. The section we are working on has a doorway. We will be adding a second door for a…
knightfly, 15 March 2006This depends on the door you get - most typically run 2-1/2" larger in each dimension than the stated size of the door, but the best advice I can give you is BUY THE…
Kathy, 15 March 2006Ok, just came in from the barn and saw your advice. We are stpping for the day at this point. We finished framing the back slanted wall and a few other odds and ends.…
Kathy, 16 March 2006You're correct. The bare interior of the barn you are seeing in the pictures is indeed some old wide planks and nothing more. Attached to the other side of them is the…
knightfly, 16 March 2006These woman's hands are gettin' awful tired these days Yeah, but remember - anything that doesn't KILL ya makes ya STRONGER... :? (It just takes longer for that to…
knightfly, 16 March 2006Forgot to make this clear; there are two basic types of hardware and frames and doors - referred to as "interior" and "exterior". Interior doors, frames, hinges, and…
Kathy, 16 March 2006Just got off the phone with him. That would be a clear "NO". He has no clue how to do that and doesn't want to try and I don't blame him. Without hardware and frames he…
Kathy, 16 March 2006Thanks to both of you for bringing this to my attention. Just in time, I might add. I'm up and showered and waiting for Scott who is coming again today to do some more…
Kathy, 16 March 2006By the way, here's a couple of pics to show the area that we are framing today. This is the next section just to the left of that long tall straight wall we built…
knightfly, 16 March 2006Those sizes I got from one manufacturer; here's a more generic view http://doityourself.com/info/framing.htm Specifically the 4th paragraph, and the LAST; but as Tom…
knightfly, 16 March 2006Oh, sorry; missed one of your questions - door size. The main problem with doors, assuming they're heavy slabs, isn't the size of the door; it's the seal. A solid core…
Kathy, 17 March 2006That's good to hear. I'm sure I'll have the energy to deal with it all when the time arrives to actually put the door in. Right now I'm just beat and can't deal with…

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knightfly, 17 March 2006Nail guns'r fun alright; just looked at your door framing, and you'll wanna add a couple blocks on the right side same as the ones on the left - especially if your…
Kathy, 21 March 2006I'm looking for some opinions on my new layout idea. I'm seriously thinking about NOT dividing my barn into two rooms now. Instead of a live room and tracking room, just…
knightfly, 21 March 2006For your described modus operandi, there's nothing wrong with a single room approach - in fact, for the most part it's more efficient and less claustrophobic. Things you…
rod gervais, 21 March 2006Kathy, My room is 16' x 22' - so roughly the same area as your room - and it's a combo. One open room - my desk is tight against one exterior wall - and I live with…
Kathy, 30 March 2006Hi guys! It's been a bit since I posted. This is just an update for now with details and photos to follow later. I do have a question at the end of this post, too. I…
Kathy, 30 March 2006I don't know which picture you are looking at. My insulation on the walls in some of those pictures is old and incorrect. I noted that in my posts. If you are looking at…
Kathy, 31 March 2006I have another question: Three of the four walls of the barn are being enhanced by building an additional interior wall next to it. Basically, we are building a room…
len-morgan, 31 March 2006Kathy, By NOT building a 4th wall isolated from the rest, you are giving up a little on isolation (because the air gap between the inner and outer wall is smaller) but…
Kathy, 31 March 2006Ok, I have a sick feeling in my stomach now. The realization that this has been done wrong from the start. Remember, Scott doesn't know these techniques and I am still…
guitardad72, 31 March 2006Kathy, 1st I agree mostly with Len. If you’re going to build one room instead of two you do have an over all real estate gain, besides just making one big room… that is…
Kathy, 31 March 2006The barn is very well isolated from the house, really. When I'm in it no one will be able to hear me nor I them. If I were to shut all the adjoining doors to the barn,…
Kathy, 31 March 2006In response to Keith's earlier inquiry about the insulation being incorrect, here is a more recent photo showing the wall after I tore down the paper backed kind and put…
len-morgan, 31 March 2006Sorry to stir up the pot so much with my comments. However, all is not lost (or that expensive or difficult to make right). First, as to "building a wall a week..." and…
Kathy, 31 March 2006Don't apologize. Thank you for caring enough about my project (you and others) to take the time to post and explain. That means a lot to me. Well, yeah ok. It's true we…
len-morgan, 31 March 2006Actually, I don't know if that's what it is called. I just ripped the term off from old sailing ships because that's what they used them for: getting a good look out…
rod gervais, 31 March 2006Kahy, Isn't it pssible (now that all these walls are tied together) for you to remove the cross member they are connected to - it seems as simple to me as a sawzall and…
Dan Fitzpatrick, 31 March 2006On the RS sound meter, i have one and that IS a frustrating thing about it, that it doesn't go below 50. but one way to use it i've seen mentioned recently that would…
Kathy, 2 April 2006Well, I'm pushing forward and moving on. I've studied the walls in the barn and to my pleasant surprise they were NOT attached on one of the areas I thought. In fact,…

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Kathy, 2 April 2006I know that I must put putty packs around the outlet and switch boxes in my walls. But people also talk about flush mounting the outlet boxes. Now, I DO know what flush…
Kathy, 2 April 2006So then, if the electrical outlet boxes are mounted flush on the surface of the wall, these blue plastic boxes that I am nailing to the studs should not be? They will be…
jwl, 2 April 2006Kathy, it seems to me that you have precisely the right attitude in this situation. When you choose to do something DIY without experience, it probably means that your…
Kathy, 2 April 2006Ok, that's a term I hadn't heard before. I assume this is the stuff I just looked at over at wiremold.com? A whole system would have to be designed and mapped out for my…
len-morgan, 2 April 2006You can stick with the "traditional" system and as far as where the boxes mount to the studs, just calculate how thick your drywall is going to be and make sure that…
Kathy, 2 April 2006Yeah, that's what I thought. For my purposes, I am already working with an old drafty barn and a ceiling/roof that I am unsure if I will be able to put more than one…
Kathy, 3 April 2006That's WORTH a mint. Thanks for speaking up. From your prior post I got the impression that wiremold was what you were suggesting. I'm glad to hear you say otherwise.…
andy_eade, 4 April 2006Kathy, I will get down in the basement with the Camera for some pictures later on my beefing up phase. But in essence here was the 13 step process I followed: 1. Mudded…
len-morgan, 4 April 2006Kathy, To clarify Andy's response in YOUR situation - YOUR floor is fine. You can use the same technique though on your outer walls to beef them up. Just do it…
Kathy, 30 April 2006It is the eve of May 1st and I have 2 months worth of updated photos to post. For the last few weeks, and for reasons of necessity, you've all noticed I have gone off on…
Kathy, 30 April 2006I’m not sure how I survived the madness but.... what seemed like miles of PVC piping and with cables as far as the eye could see, I finally finished and secured the…
Kathy, 30 April 2006Last but not least - the final layer! It may not be perfect but I can say I did it ALL by myself. I had no help on any part of the floor after the joists were built -…

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Kathy, 2 May 2006More like stare............ :P for up to 45 minutes one night......my grandmother was spying on me. She said she watched me stand there and look around deep in thought.…
Kathy, 6 May 2006Moving on.... After taking weeks to finish each phase of a project like building floors, then learning to frame tall slanted walls, then learning how to run Romex around…
Kathy, 6 May 2006Well, I'd be more concerned if it was a drumriser that would house a true acoustic kit with a problematic acoustic bass drum. Since all the drumheads on my kit are…
Kathy, 8 May 2006Here's photos of the finished drum riser floor. I boxed in the section that houses the snakes and cables that will run from the drum brain and a Pro Tools 002 console…
Kathy, 10 May 2006Hi Jeff, Yeah, I thought I would just sheetrock with it ending at the top of the riser. I'm not exactly sure the pros and cons of doing it one way or the other but Scott…
knightfly, 10 May 2006So Steve, are you going to point out my flaws? Main one I see is that you're too far away to come help me with MY projects :cry: but that's a 2-way street, I guess...…
sharward, 10 May 2006Using unlicensed contractors is extremely perilous. They're not protected by workers' compensation insurance, so if they get hurt on the job, you are responsible. It is…
sharward, 10 May 2006Yes, that is unfortunately quite common here, and it punishes hard-working legitimate contractors trying to make a living. Drywall contractors especially have been hit…
guitardad72, 10 May 2006Sharward & I previously had a breif discussion on this topic & there is one more option... I recently signed my “OWNER/BUILDER” APPLICATION FOR CONTRACTOR EXEMPTION for…
Kathy, 22 August 2006Hey fellas! Bet you thought I fell off the face of the earth or gave up and threw in the towel, 'eh? Nope. I've been absent since late May because I fell ill and was out…

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Kathy, 24 August 2006Thanks so much, Steve.......and everyone else who responded. You've all made me feel great and all your support as well as your wisdom and teachings have been the real…
Kathy, 30 August 2006Ok, here’s the latest drama: So, as most of you know I bought this house a year ago. We’ve already been thru one snowy winter and New Hampshire has also been hit with…
Kathy, 30 August 2006P.S. By the way.......Here's a shot from the roof that shows where I dug the trench to put in the electrical conduit. It runs just to the left of the picnic table from…
Kathy, 29 November 2006Hello everyone! I haven't been reading or posting because I've been still too busy BUILDING!!! Since I redid the roof I've gone right on to building the vocal booth,…
knightfly, 1 December 2006Kathy, 1/4" glass is roughly the same density as 7/8" gypsum, so putting two separated panes of this would be just a bit less than having a narrow gap wall with 2 layers…
Kathy, 4 December 2006Keith and Steve, Thanks for the replies. I kinda figured that doubling up the glass would be a no go but I wanted to ask anyways. Steve, the glass window I'm talking…
Kathy, 5 December 2006Thanks for your post Michael. I appreciate your support. Your studio sounds like it is going to be nice and big. Three roms - wow! I'm looking forward to your pictures.…
Kathy, 24 February 2007Hi guys! Guess where I'm writing you from??? My newly built studio, of course. I KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW......I have been a real a** about updating pictures. It's just been…

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Kathy, 5 April 2007So, whaddya say?? Are ya ready for some pics? Finally??? Alright, I'm going to try and fill in all the blanks for you. Some may be slightly out of order but we'll get to…
Kathy, 5 April 2007Next Phase: The Ceiling Strapping the Ceiling So, now that we are all framed in and the insulation has been installed in the ceiling it's time to put the strapping on…
Kathy, 5 April 2007Closing up the Ceiling Yes, these pictures truly are the start of the beginning of the end. FINALLY.........the first drywall is put up. No, the vocal booth is not put…
Kathy, 5 April 2007Next Phase: Sheetrocking Walls Kathy The Drywaller Ok, so now the ceiling is up. Yay! I watched and learned and then went out and bought a dimpler for my screwgun. It…
Kathy, 5 April 2007Next Phase: The Vocal Booth Framing The Booth By now, I figured Scott would be freed up to design and build the vocal booth with me. But time was marching on and I was…
Kathy, 5 April 2007Insulating the Booth Here's a couple of more pics showing the insulation going in. You'll notice there is no ceiling/roof on the booth yet in these photos. That I did…
Kathy, 5 April 2007Sidebar! A Little Teaser Before and After Ok, you know that the good stuff is coming. The priming, painting, carpet and floors. But before you see all that I'll just…
Kathy, 5 April 2007Power: Providing a Subpanel Digging The Trench I'm going to step out of sequence here for a moment. Before I get to the finishing of the room I want to backtrack to a…
Kathy, 5 April 2007Trench Part 2 These pics show the pipe coming up into the barn between the original old wall and the new interior wall we built. Then there's Nana filling in the trench!…
Kathy, 5 April 2007Thanks, Keith. She IS awesome. Can you believe she's 80 this year? She's been in my life from the start and I can't imagine life without her. She's the most unique…
Kathy, 9 April 2007The Whitewash: Priming The Room First Coat of Paint Ok, we're all built. Brand new raised floor, walls all framed in, fully insulated, drywalled, electrical and cabling…
Kathy, 10 April 2007Ok......so you all know by now that the "Nana" has always been chipping in during this studio build. Elderly or not, she hauls 2x4s, transports strapping, digs trenches…
Kathy, 10 April 2007SNEAK PEEK! Another Little Teaser A Glimpse of The Final Product A Little Before And After Shot Ok, so you saw the raw primed room with the handicapped joke stencil in…
Kathy, 10 April 2007The Original Barn Floor Planks: Utilizing Them OK, So let's talk about the wood floor. These planks you are about to see are close to 100 years old. Further back in this…
Kathy, 10 April 2007Century Old Wood Planks - Not Just for Floors! Since I only used some of them on the floor in the "live" area of the room I really wanted to utilize them on the walls to…
Kathy, 10 April 2007THE BIG FINISH: The Entire Studio Part One First - The Vocal Booth From the few sneak peek pictures I've shown you my color choices have been revealed. I went with a…
Kathy, 10 April 2007Yeah, but I need to do some touchup paint on all colors: red, white, blue, and yellow. Areas that have a bit of overspray or nicked from moving equipment in. I also have…

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Kathy, 10 April 2007Thank you. I have to thank those here that recommended pulling up those boards. We were just building the new raised subfloor right over them and I was in the middle of…
rod gervais, 10 April 2007Kathy, This is absolutely beautiful - My hat is off to you - when I think of what you had in the beginning to work with - and see what you've produced from it in the end…
Kathy, 10 April 2007Rod, I have your book and I think you are amazingly intelligent and knowledgeable and a compliment from you means an awful lot. In no way was I able to get as technical…
Kathy, 10 April 2007THE BIG FINISH: The Entire Studio - Part TWO Second - The Live Area & Drums Ok, so before we get to the control area here's the rest of the live section of the room. The…
Kathy, 10 April 2007THE BIG FINISH: The Entire Studio - Part THREE Last But Not Least - The Control Room Here we go. A couple of notes: • The carpet I chose for the control room is a…
Kathy, 15 April 2007Now, I was WONDERING when someone was going to take the plunge and make a comment on my "decor". I'm a 70s gal, ya know (hence, the mirrorball on the ceiling!). Big…
Kathy, 17 April 2007That "man" (or thing) traumatizes me to no end. Honestly. I know it's a gimmick and all and everyone says he is the Alice Cooper or KISS of my day but I think…
Kathy, 24 May 2007Ummm......thanks, but no thanks! I've hung up my toolbelt for a long while. Seriously, thank you for the compliments on how it turned out. Really? Well, the cords used…

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Kathy, 25 May 2007By the way, my Ambience minisplit unit is on the Fed Ex truck and will be here by next week. I will take pictures of the process of Scott and my uncle installing it. It…
Kathy, 25 May 2007Well.......I dunno. What the heck is flanking? All I'm thinkin' of is a steak. :) Perhaps you mean will it cause the surrounding drywall to break??? Our approach is to…
rod gervais, 25 May 2007Kathy, It isn't heating up because of the outside - it's heating up because of the inside. It's heating up because you have gear running - and your human body going…
sharward, 25 May 2007A few things are coming into play here. Technically, insulation retards the migration of warmth. A well insulated house in the winter retains the heat generated inside.…
Kathy, 25 May 2007Ok guys......just a quickie note here because not only am I overwhelmed with information and also have things to ask and discuss......but Nana just arrived for the…