Windows vs Sliders. The cost difference...

lunatic · Post by **lunatic** » Thu Mar 13, 2003 3:26 am

Just a quick update on the sliding glass doors. I thought this might be helpful to others.

I got a quote from a guy to replace the glass in two sets of sliding glass doors. The price would have been about $1000 USD for the glass and that doesn't include labor. So, I spend $1600 USD for 4 sliding glass doors and then another $1000 USD to replace glass in two sets of doors. That puts my door total at $2600 USD and I'd still have a few more solid core doors to buy.

On the flip side, I asked him how much two 4' tall by 5' wide panes of 3/8" tempered glass would be and the same for 1/4" tempered glass. The total cost was only $900 USD and he will deliver and install them for only $160 USD more. To make this even more attractive, he knows how to install studio windows! He carries the neoprene strips, non-hardening caulk, etc in his install kit. Very cool.

So, it looks like I'll be installing actual studio windows. The solid core doors will come from our home. I told the wife the situation on the glass and made her a deal. She can have new external doors for the house and I'll take the old solid core doors

Guess I'll have to forget the sliders for now. But I save myself roughly $1600 dollars that can be put into the HVAC system or even a new desk or a new pre amp or... or...

jazzman · Post by **jazzman** » Mon Mar 17, 2003 12:23 am

Lunatic,

If you want to save yourself the cost of replacing the external doors for your wife, you can buy brand new solid-core doors that are 1 3/8" thick for about $50 at Lowes or Home Depot, cut openings in them to whatever size you want, and install the glass yourself. And to spread the costs out over time, you can just install the doors for now, and when you're ready to add glass you can just pop them off the hinges, cut the openings in them and install the glass later.

Lee

lunatic · Post by **lunatic** » Mon Mar 17, 2003 2:08 am

Jazzman,

Thanks for the tip! I never thought about building them myself which is funny because I'm usually the one who thinks of things like that.

Peace,
Brad

nukmusic · Post by **nukmusic** » Wed Apr 23, 2003 12:04 am

Jazzman, I work at Lowe's in New Orleans. I 'm about the turn a 20x20 garage into you know what and wanted to know what other products did you have success with. besides the wood and drywall, if u can.
thanks

jazzman · Post by **jazzman** » Fri Apr 25, 2003 3:50 pm

What else? I'm thrilled with the results I'm getting so far with double-wall construction, with the bottom plate resting on 1/2 Armaflex closed cell foam, and the top plate wrapped with the foam and held in place by metal angle brackets. Double wall is twice the work, but the air gap between the two sets of drywall is 8" in my case, so the air acts as a much softer spring to isolate one space from the next.

I was considering just doing a single wall with one side having resilient channel, but I'm much happier now with the double wall. If you build a double wall on foam or neoprene, you can do a simple test: hold your ear to one of the studs in one wall, and with your knuckle tap another stud in the second wall; you'll only hear it through the air. OK, now tap a stud in the same wall as you're holding your ear. Huge difference, simple conduction transfers all the energy. Double wall is the way to go if you can swing it.

jazzman · Post by **jazzman** » Fri Apr 25, 2003 3:53 pm

Another product I just thought of that's ridiculously cheap is a roofing material called Tri-Ply. (Sorry, I saw this at Home Depot, not Lowes, but Lowes may have it too.) It has nearly the same mass, thickness, and limpness as Auralex's Soundblok, but it only costs a fraction of the vinyl, about 35 cents a square foot. You might want to consider using some as the meat in a drywall sandwich.

knightfly · Post by **knightfly** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 11:12 am

Lee, can you give more details on Tri-Ply? Specifically, is it asphalt-based, and will it burn readily?

I've thought about using either roll roofing or 90 lb. roofing felt, but both of them are really good for barbecues, as long as you're not going to eat what gets cooked... Steve

nukmusic · Post by **nukmusic** » Fri May 02, 2003 2:08 am

I'll have to seriously look through Lowes on my lunch break for it because I was already thinking there was something similar to "SoundBlok".

What about those black 4x8 foot sheets of asphate sheathing($5.50 sheet). Every use?? They look like soft MDF coated with black asphate.

and Mineral Fiber???? Haven't seen it yet. I saw the bags of Cellulose, but it must be blown in with a machine.

Post by **John Sayers** » Fri May 02, 2003 11:13 am

just a point about sliding doors - when the sliding door is fully closed it should seal to the fixed door with a rubber seal created between two extensions on each door that come together when the door closes completely.

like this

cheers
john