Small studio build - please help

How thick should my walls be, should I float my floors (and if so, how), why is two leaf mass-air-mass design important, etc.

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BigRedButton
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Small studio build - please help

Post by BigRedButton »

Ok, I started out in the design forum, but now I've got some construction questions.

Here's my situation, and basic studio layout...

I'm beginning construction on garage conversion studio next month, and have begun the planning stage. I have a 10'X16' space to work with, with a 4' extension on one side. It's got 9' ceilings throughout most of the room, and the entire garage is insulated.

I've got a budget of about $5000 and I need this sucker to be as soundproof as possible. I'll be doing most of the work myself, along with a few friends that are skilled builders, as I highly doubt I could fit labor costs within my budget.

I'll be floating the floor, walls, and ceiling, and there is one door and no windows. I have NO idea what I'm going to do about ventilation and how to go about addressing the door.

Any advise and thoughts on construction and my budget would be very helpful!

Thanks!
knightfly
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Post by knightfly »

I need some more info before we get started -

First, when you say the garage is insulated, can you still see the insulation batts on one side, or are both sides of the studs paneled already?

If paneling is already on both sides, exactly what material is it, and what is the framing? (2x4 on 16" centers, etc.)

What is the outside siding, and is it airtight or does it have cracks and gaps?

Describe the ceiling - is there one, or can you currently see the rafters from the studio area?

Is the garage attached to a house, or free-standing - and, are you concerned about noise leaking into the house or just off the property (neighbors?)

Are you wanting to float the floor, walls and ceiling because it seems like a cool idea, or because you think it will be more soundproof?

Are there any outside noise sources you're worried about getting into the studio - barking dogs, trains, heavy rumbling trucks, rock crushers, Shooting Ranges, etc...

Do you have picky neighbors, old people with 'way-too-good hearing, etc? How far away are they, and are there any objects between you and them, such as hedges, concrete walls, wood fences, etc?

Is the front (bottom, in your pic) still a garage door, or has it been framed in, and if so, what is the exact EXISTING construction, from outside to inside?

Your room is small enough already without using double walls, and the modal distribution is about as good as it gets for that small a room. If you float a floor AND the ceiling you will lose over a foot of height, and separate walls will eat at least another foot in each direction. Do you really want to work in a closet, or do you want the most space you can get and still have it sound good AND be quiet outside? (Don't mean to sound combative here, it's just that there are brute force ways and proper design ways to do this, and design wins almost every time)

If both sides of the existing insulated walls are already paneled with something, what exactly is it and are you willing to tear it off and put up something else? (This will actually be CHEAPER to do, and leave you more usable space - it will take more time, but not a lot if you have skilled help.)

Is the portable baffle between drums and mix area also 6' tall? I'm assuming it's 1' thick by the drawing? And, have you designed it yet or do you want some ideas there too?

Do you plan to get permits for this, or just do it? (May affect some other design decisions)

Finally, make sure you read this thoroughly and answer ALL the points in your next post - I generally compose answers to some posts on the road (no online access, unfortunately) so I need all the info in order to keep things from dragging out too long.

Take a little time to think about your answers and be as accurate as possible, and we can get you going quicker, and possibly cheaper too... Steve
Soooo, when a Musician dies, do they hear the white noise at the end of the tunnel??!? Hmmmm...
knightfly
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Post by knightfly »

BRB, sorry I blew right past your first sentence and didn't read your posts in the Design forum before answering - I have a couple more things after doing that.

What is this post in your drawing, and is there any way to possibly remove it?

One reason I asked, is that your current proposed layout doesn't give you anywhere NEAR a symmetrical sound field at the mix position - I doubt you'll be very happy with mix translation under those conditions.

I think you need to keep re-arranging to see if you can come up with a plan that puts the monitors at equal distances from all horizontal boundaries without screwing up the other ergonomic factors in the room.

Otherwise, even if your entire $5k budget gets spent on equipment instead of construction, I doubt if you would be happy with the results from that room.

Without a symetrical listening area, you won't be able to judge accurately and will most likely put out un-balanced mixes.

Also, I'm glad you haven't built the partition between the studio and the rest of the garage yet. Don't, until we get the chance to talk more... Steve
Soooo, when a Musician dies, do they hear the white noise at the end of the tunnel??!? Hmmmm...
J.J.McLeod
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Post by J.J.McLeod »

I strongly agree with Steve about the symmetry. I was going to mention it before you spent your money, but Steve beat me to it and said it quite well, indeed.

Maybe you could turn 90 degrees towards the 16' wall?

Best of luck,

J.J.

J.J. McLeod
Different Drummer Studios
www.differentdrummerstudios.com
knightfly
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Post by knightfly »

Oh, yeah, one other thing - if you don't have the room for at least a 3' x 4' soundlock and double doors, all the floated, hermetically sealed, solid rock walls 4 feet thick, etc, in the world won't make much difference.

One report I read a short time ago on an experimental wall, stated that even two standard exterior solid core doors 4 inches apart that have been CAULKED SHUT only come up to about STC 44, so it would be a waste of time and money to build walls that exceed maybe STC 55 or so... Steve
Soooo, when a Musician dies, do they hear the white noise at the end of the tunnel??!? Hmmmm...
BigRedButton
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Post by BigRedButton »

>>I need some more info before we get started –

No problem, I’ll do my best

>>First, when you say the garage is insulated, can you still see the insulation batts on one side, or are both sides of the studs paneled already?

The inside of the (2x4) studs are paneled with sheet rock.

>>What is the outside siding, and is it airtight or does it have cracks and gaps?

Vinyl siding on the outter-most wall, don’t know what kind of material is under that and if it’s airtight or not. It’s a brand new upscale house built in the pacific northwest, and they tend to build houses pretty beefy, because of our weather conditions.

>>Describe the ceiling - is there one, or can you currently see the rafters from the studio area?

It’s flat and sheet rocked.

>>Is the garage attached to a house, or free-standing - and, are you concerned about noise leaking into the house or just off the property (neighbors?) Do you have picky neighbors, old people with 'way-too-good hearing, etc? How far away are they, and are there any objects between you and them, such as hedges, concrete walls, wood fences, etc?

It’s attached to a house. I’m mostly concerned about my neighbors, who are very nice, but one is very close to my property line, on the side of the garage that the studio will be located. No fences or anything between our houses.

>>Are you wanting to float the floor, walls and ceiling because it seems like a cool idea, or because you think it will be more soundproof?

Because the chicks will dig it! Actually, I only want to do what I have to in order to make the space as soundproof as possible. If that means floating the whole room, then so be it, but if that’s not going to be very beneficial, than I’ll do whatever I need to.

>>Are there any outside noise sources you're worried about getting into the studio - barking dogs, trains, heavy rumbling trucks, rock crushers, Shooting Ranges, etc...

No, it’s a very quiet and contained neighborhood.

>>Is the front (bottom, in your pic) still a garage door, or has it been framed in, and if so, what is the exact EXISTING construction, from outside to inside?

Imagine the front view of a typical two car garage. Now tack a four foot extension on the left side. There is a rolling garage door (off center, more twoards the right) on a track (which cuts into my studio space by about 5 feet). This is another issue that need to be addressed, as part of the room (sorry, I don’t have the exact measurements in front of me).

>>Your room is small enough already without using double walls, and the modal distribution is about as good as it gets for that small a room. If you float a floor AND the ceiling you will lose over a foot of height, and separate walls will eat at least another foot in each direction. Do you really want to work in a closet, or do you want the most space you can get and still have it sound good AND be quiet outside?

I hear ya, and believe me, I don’t want to loose ANY space that I don’t have to. Agai, if there is a better solution to soundproofing this space, other than floating the room, then I'm ALL ears!

>>If both sides of the existing insulated walls are already paneled with something, what exactly is it and are you willing to tear it off and put up something else? (This will actually be CHEAPER to do, and leave you more usable space - it will take more time, but not a lot if you have skilled help.)

Like I said, It’s paneled with Sheet rock, and I’m pretty much willing to do whatever.

>>Is the portable baffle between drums and mix area also 6' tall? I'm assuming it's 1' thick by the drawing? And, have you designed it yet or do you want some ideas there too?

It’s not built, and I’d love some design ideas when the time comes!

>>Do you plan to get permits for this, or just do it? (May affect some other design decisions)

I’m not sure. I’m probably leaning towards getting permits, but I’m open to suggestions

>>What is this post in your drawing, and is there any way to possibly remove it?

It’s a small support pole, I’m PISSED it’s there because the builder didn’t tell me it would be, and as far as I know it can’t be removed.

>>I think you need to keep re-arranging to see if you can come up with a plan that puts the monitors at equal distances from all horizontal boundaries without screwing up the other ergonomic factors in the room.

The current layout in the drawing is just one of MANY ideas. I’m totally open to doing whatever (design & construction) that yields the best results.

>>Otherwise, even if your entire $5k budget gets spent on equipment instead of construction, I doubt if you would be happy with the results from that room.

My gear is already paid for. My construction budget alone is $5 – 6 K

>>Also, I'm glad you haven't built the partition between the studio and the rest of the garage yet. Don't, until we get the chance to talk more... Steve

I just need to leave enough room to park, and enter & exit a sedan. The space is tight.

>>Oh, yeah, one other thing - if you don't have the room for at least a 3' x 4' soundlock and double doors, all the floated, hermetically sealed, solid rock walls 4 feet thick, etc, in the world won't make much difference.

By soundlock do you mean something like a vestibule around the door? If so, I could probably build one on the outside of the house, but I’m not certain.


I hope I answered all your questions. Thanks SO much for your help and insight, and I look forward to hearing more of your thoughts!

Jackson
knightfly
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Post by knightfly »

Okay, now just a couple more questions (or 6), some of which I forgot to ask and some of which your answers prompted -

I forgot to ask how loud you intend to play in the studio - with live drums I'd assume at least 105, maybe 120 dB?

How far away (in feet) is your nice neighbor from the side of the garage that's closest to them? Do they have heavy storm windows on your side of their house? (Might be worth buying them for him...)

I'm not really clear on the garage door intrusion - is this an overhead door, or does it roll to the side?

Maybe if you could add the rest of the garage and a note as to which side the close neighbor is, and re-post the drawing?

Speaking of post, I don't understand what the need for a post in that location would be - have you looked in the attic to see what it's holding up? Is the roof flat, gable, mansard, ??? Is it built with trusses?

Also, which way does the roof ridge run in the drawing? please include that with the changes -

I also forgot to ask what distance the studs are apart in the wall framing - 16" or 24" - if the wall hasn't been painted, you can tell either by the screws into the drywall or the mud spots in a specific pattern - otherwise, you'd need an electronic stud-finder.

By the comment on budget, I didn't mean you had no gear - what I meant was, ANOTHER $5k worth of gear wouldn't fix the symmetry problem.

A vestibule was exactly what I meant by "sound lock" - it could be built on outside; it would need to be tightly built, hermetically sealed, and treated with absorption just like the rest of the studio - both doors need to be solid core, possibly with additional mass added such as a layer of sheet rock, and both threshholds, if extruded aluminum, would need to be caulked SOLID and replaced, along with very tight weatherstripping all around. The two doors can be in line with each other to make load-in/out easier, but total absorption in the form of at least 3" rigid fiberglas insulation board would be necessary.

Acoustic caulk, such as that made by Owens Corning or US Gypsum, is necessary everywhere there is a joint, including bedding the sole plates of the dividing wall in two beads, one near each edge, then more caulk before the first layer of drywall, etc - This particular stuff is designed to block sound better than the generic silicone or butyl caulks that claim to be permanently flexible and non-hardening - in your case, I'd spend the extra for the real stuff.

Your outer siding being vinyl - probably means that there is a sheathing layer under the vinyl, typically of 5/8" WaferWood, and probably a Tyvek housewrap in there somewhere. The good news is that WaferWood is better sound-deterrent than plywood, not quite as good as particle board - the bad news might be rattles from the siding if it's windy. Not sure of this currently, but vinyl siding used to be attached somewhat loosely thru slotted holes, so that the vinyl could expand and contract. If it wasn't done just right, the whole wall would rattle in the wind. Hopefully this isn't the case in your situation.

Sorry for the new wave of questions, but I don't want to give you bum advice. I really need to know almost as much about your house as if I'd built it myself, otherwise we might miss something vital.

See if you can ferret out the extra questions above and answer them for me - I'm not real thrilled about a metal garage door track intruding into the studio space, if that's what you meant - An expanded drawing would help a lot.

As you can see, this may take a few more posts to get figured out - but what's life without a challenge, hmmm? :=) Steve
Soooo, when a Musician dies, do they hear the white noise at the end of the tunnel??!? Hmmmm...
BigRedButton
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Post by BigRedButton »

Thanks for the help guys!

I've actually decided to forgo the garage conversion plan at this time.

The space has a few nice things going for it, but I feel it presents too many problems, and not enough space.

At this time I'm re-working my current bonus room setup, and will most likely build a free standing space in my backyard next year, when I've got a bigger budget to work with.

I'm sure I'll be back with more questions at that time, but I'll be sure to have a poke around once in a while!

Thanks again!
knightfly
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Post by knightfly »

You've come to the same conclusion I did, for some of the same reasons - I started out building a studio into 1/4 of a 36 x 48 barn, knowing absolutely zip about acoustics and soundproofing (at that time, I still thought egg cartons were the answer to everything :=)

Then I moved most of the stuff into a spare bedroom with some wall treatment - closer access for when the muse struck, but too small and nowhere NEAR soundproof -

Now I'm back to the barn, but planning a free-standing concrete-walled 40 x 60 foot structure with 16 foot high walls, etc, off one end of the house. Hope to start that project in the next couple years.

As you've evidently figured out, sometimes the adaptation route is just too much for too little... Steve
Soooo, when a Musician dies, do they hear the white noise at the end of the tunnel??!? Hmmmm...
BigRedButton
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Post by BigRedButton »

I hear ya!

Fortunately, my current setup provides me with plenty of space, and the room has a great feel. I'm quite pleased with the drum sounds I've tracked in there, so that's a BIG plus. There's really only three drawbacks; no soundproofing, it's upstairs, so hauling gear is a bit of a pain, and it's in my house.

I've got very nice neighbors, who have said the noise isn't bad, and they don't really mind, so I've got that going for me! And, my wife understands that this is how it's gonna have to be for a while, so I can't really complain.

I'll post some pictures of the newly configured room soon.
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