Fianlly Have Started My Studio Build!! (after 5 years)

Brad – Only a suggestion dude, but why not keep all your posts on one thread ie, the ‘Finally started my………………’ it’ll make it much easier for everyone to keep track of what you’re up to, plus, all your questions could be answered at the same time without people needing to switch threads! Face it buddy, everything you’ve asked so far, is build related to the same project right? :wink: By way of an example, I’m currently looking at said thread, but trying to offer some advice re your wall studs on a different thread – get my point dude? :? DH wrote:

It is your old eyes my friend! They are from two different posters! The ones on page 2 are from another forum member showing the original poster how he did it! check the names again!

Steady my friend – less of the old! :lol: :lol: Brad – I have another concern about your doors. In the Uk, these are known as colonial six panel pine interior doors. They are readily available from B&Q etc for around £25.00 a pop ‘knotted’, or £80.00 each ‘knot free’. They look very attractive, especially when covered in a satin varnish, (and someone, probably you, has hung them beautifully), but I can assure you they’ll do absolutely nothing to stop sound passing between rooms! Don’t panic however as my ‘overworked’ eyes (and limbs) have probably missed something again! :roll: As for isomax clips, – in the UK at least, around £4.30 each! I would have needed 216 of them to cover a 40 square meter area! :shock: :shock: Re your vertical studs – (I’m now trying to remember what you’ve posted on your other thread, so if my understanding is wrong, it’s your fault! (Just kidding Bro!) :twisted: :twisted: :wink: Once my guys are in tomorrow, to start a 20mm concrete render on all walls, I’ll be doing exactly the same thing – I think. That is, attaching vertical timber studs to the new render housing layers of plasterboard/MDF and insulation to make up my outer-leaf walls. So, keep an eye on what’s going on and you’ll see how I did it. Most likely, I’ll use what we call over here ‘Rawl bolts’ mounted side on, into pre-drilled recessed holes, in the timber. Hope this helps. Warm regards, Lou. 8)

Lou wrote:

They look very attractive, especially when covered in a satin varnish, (and someone, probably you, has hung them beautifully), but I can assure you they’ll do absolutely nothing to stop sound passing between rooms! Don’t panic however as my ‘overworked’ eyes (and limbs) have probably missed something again! :roll:

Lou - Yes I was the one who hung the door, thanks! I think the door is going to be some what ok, because the design of my room is like this: If you're looking at the sliding doors into the live room, then to your left of these rooms, is a woodshop that's about 20 feet long. The stairs come down into the shop and are enclosed with a closet. So any sounds that escape the drum room, will need to come around the shop and penetrate the door into the control room. THEN, if they do, then I will refer to the reality that I don't have a big budget, and anything better than what I had is all gravy! Again, I know the really pro techniques to building a studio. If I had the cash, I'd be doing all the hanging clips, 3 layers of rock, the works. But I have a small budget and not a lot of time. I held out - to "do it right", but my "cash" ship still has not come in :cry: Anyhow, what do you suggest I do for the doors? I bought some nice rubber stripping that I'll be mounting - and even might attach plywood to the front and back to add more mass.

Hi Brad – I’ll do my best, mate! :oops: I know you’re on a tight budget but, as you know, the timberwork around the edges of all six of those lovely pine panels is barely ¼” thick! Hanging ply – rubber stripping etc are, of course, all great ideas, however, I would have to question the structural integrity of what you’ve built to constitute a door frame. Rather than get into the ins and outs of proper door assembly, ( ‘cos I know you know that already), would you have enough budget to lose the pine paneled door and surrounding framework, and replace with what is known in the UK as a 1 ½ hour rated solid fire door with solid hardwood frame? More importantly, if you carry on and add the extra mass to either side of what you now have, personally, I don’t think that the current surrounding woodwork would hold up to the constant opening and closing that somehow seems to go with ‘door territory’ :wink: :wink: If you can find this additional budget, bearing in mind it probably won’t be much more time/expense/effort than cutting ply and fixing etc, you could also (while you’re at it) make certain your door header is structurally sound. I visited my local IAC last week to pick up stuff, talk air-con and doors. My mate, there, showed me an example of their class ‘C’ acoustic doors – if you like, the ones they use where noise isn’t really that much of an issue, but where the client just wants to make sure he’s getting the ‘best bang for his buck’ (Americanism I've learned from the forum!) :wink: Brad – if those were their class ‘C’s’ – you and I wouldn’t even lift their ‘A’s and that’s why your frame has to be up to the job as well, including hinges, and, as you clearly know, air-tight seals top and bottom. Your steel work BTW (though I haven’t seen too much anywhere else up here), is amazing! A truly great job my friend. :wink: Hope some of this helps a bit, and good luck with your project Dude, Warm regards, Lou. 8)

Lou wrote:

Hi Brad – I’ll do my best, mate! :oops: I know you’re on a tight budget but, as you know, the timberwork around the edges of all six of those lovely pine panels is barely ¼” thick! Hanging ply – rubber stripping etc are, of course, all great ideas, however, I would have to question the structural integrity of what you’ve built to constitute a door frame. Rather than get into the ins and outs of proper door assembly, ( ‘cos I know you know that already), would you have enough budget to lose the pine paneled door and surrounding framework, and replace with what is known in the UK as a 1 ½ hour rated solid fire door with solid hardwood frame? More importantly, if you carry on and add the extra mass to either side of what you now have, personally, I don’t think that the current surrounding woodwork would hold up to the constant opening and closing that somehow seems to go with ‘door territory’ :wink: :wink: If you can find this additional budget, bearing in mind it probably won’t be much more time/expense/effort than cutting ply and fixing etc, you could also (while you’re at it) make certain your door header is structurally sound. I visited my local IAC last week to pick up stuff, talk air-con and doors. My mate, there, showed me an example of their class ‘C’ acoustic doors – if you like, the ones they use where noise isn’t really that much of an issue, but where the client just wants to make sure he’s getting the ‘best bang for his buck’ (Americanism I've learned from the forum!) :wink: Brad – if those were their class ‘C’s’ – you and I wouldn’t even lift their ‘A’s and that’s why your frame has to be up to the job as well, including hinges, and, as you clearly know, air-tight seals top and bottom. Your steel work BTW (though I haven’t seen too much anywhere else up here), is amazing! A truly great job my friend. :wink: Hope some of this helps a bit, and good luck with your project Dude, Warm regards, Lou. 8)

Yes Lou - I did know all this already. But the heavier fire-rated doors are out of the budget. When money is a factor, something has to suffer or give. Lots of folks think that if you don't have the money or time to do things completely professional, then it's not worth doing. I've got along pretty good sitting downstairs with carpet on my concrete walls and running extension cords. I finally have electricity and nice sheetrocked walls, sliding glass, etc... If sound is going to bleed through somewhere, then so be it. I'm a carpenter by trade so I know how to build the right way. I've read Rod's book and been a member of the forum for years. I've learned a lot about the specialized techniques for studios. But again, money money money. I even read through your thread and was very impressed! Sorry for the rant (vent) - I guess I'm a little frustrated that I don't have a bigger budget (only around $2K). So with rock, paying an electrician, metal, insulation, door, it all adds up pretty quick. Everyone's just trying to help, I understand. And all the suggestions here are very well appreciated! (sigh) Oh well, maybe the next house will allow me a little more :roll:

Brad: Yeah, I am starting to feel as you do, and want this whole nightmare to be over with! I am way over budget (see my thread for a breakdown), and unfortunately, money is a finite resource at the moment! I keep telling myself that this is a "home studio" and it is going to be *so* much better than what I had before (everything used to be in one room), but it is not going to be perfect and up to pro standards. I have neither the talent, the money, nor the inclination to take it to that level. That being said, I do not want to waste money either! They say that the isolation ability of the room is only as good as it weakest link, so if I cut corners in one area, the rest of the work (and time/money) is wasted. I might as well have just built a "standard room" rather than a purpose-built studio using the techniques I have learned from Rod's book and this forum. So it is one of those Catch 22 situations. I am tired, frustrated and broke, yet I hate to waste all that I have done up until now. So, I keep plodding along, investing more and more money, and more and more time. (Sorry, but it is a dark and rainy day today, and I guess my mood is following the weather!). The ultimate destination will be worth it however, and I need to keep that in my sights as I push on towards completion. Best of luck with your rooms, you are doing a great job, and even with some compromises, you will have an awesome place in which to work!

Ok - I slept on it and found some more money (as my equipment inventory dwindles...). I'm going to get those Isomax clips and mount my hat channel the right way. I'm also going to go with two layers of rock on the ceiling as well. Couple questions: 1. Does anyone know the CHEAPEST place to get those clips? Cheapest I've seen is $4.75 each. 2. As you can see by the picture below, I had to build around some duct work (which is not yet completed). I framed right to the joists. How do I correct this - or do I just install the clips to the new framing? 3. Any tips for sealing up a through-wall snake? 4. Will Engineered I-Beams (like in the pix) have any problems holding up two layers of sheetrock? (I don't want any strucural failures) 5. Will ANY "non-hardening" caulk or silicone do the job, or do I NEED to use "acoustic" caulk? 6. Backer-rod: Is this stuff required EVERYWHERE two pieces of sheet rock meet? Or is this only meany for inside corners and where the rock meets the floor? 7. Green Glue - I just read a post that was quite entertaining. This may sound really newbie, but Green Glue is only for dampening in between layers or rock, and not for "glueing" anything? :roll: Thanks!

Bump - Anyone on the sofit situation?

Who the hell are "Fianlly" anyway?

Can't answer all but sure I'll try some..

2. As you can see by the picture below, I had to build around some duct work (which is not yet completed). I framed right to the joists. How do I correct this - or do I just install the clips to the new framing?

Why not add some RC on that particular piece of framing to hang yer GB on?

3. Any tips for sealing up a through-wall snake?

I'd put'm through a PVC tube with 2x 90degr. Seal of using caulk

4. Will Engineered I-Beams (like in the pix) have any problems holding up two layers of sheetrock? (I don't want any strucural failures)

Why not ask a structural engineer to come over and answer such questions for you?

5. Will ANY "non-hardening" caulk or silicone do the job, or do I NEED to use "acoustic" caulk?

There's plenty 'o caulk out there. Look for caulk that: doesn't harden (stays flexible), doens't shrink (<3% is fine) and, if possible, has more mass than average caulk. IIRC most acrylic caulk will harden. Sanitary-caulk (or what's it called..."bathroom"caulk?) won't.

6. Backer-rod: Is this stuff required EVERYWHERE two pieces of sheet rock meet? Or is this only meany for inside corners and where the rock meets the floor?

Only on the perimeters; round the walls,ceiling,floor

7. Green Glue - I just read a post that was quite entertaining. This may sound really newbie, but Green Glue is only for dampening in between layers or rock, and not for "glueing" anything? Rolling Eyes

You got that right. I know, the name is kinda confusing. You can prolly paste 2 pieces of paper with'm but I wouldn't trust 2 pieces of GB "pasted" together with GG ;)

4. Will Engineered I-Beams (like in the pix) have any problems holding up two layers of sheetrock? (I don't want any strucural failures)

I got the short answer!(all I know is the short answer) The stability of an engineered joist floor system will actually improve with the addition of 1 layer of sheetrock on the bottom side, or in your case, the ceiling:) I don't have the answer about two layers. Structural failure with this type of floor/roof will happen if blocking is not installed at compression points, e.g, where a load bearing wall from above sits on the joist that sits on a wall. And at the ends, but this is most always solved with a perimeter band. Overloading can cause failure as well.