John Sayers' Recording Studio Design Forum Archive

Hello. I understand that the glass in a control room should be 1/3 the thickness of the gypsum on the wall in order to be effective. I also understand that I should have two walls with space in between, etc.

And, really, I would do all that if I wasn't on a budget.

So I am thinking instead of building a staggered stud wall on a 2 x 6 base. For the control room window I am thinking of putting a sliding glass door (2 panes of tempered glass already framed) into the wall.

In general, is this the worst idea ever, or just a really bad idea? Building two frames for two different plates of glass is expensive ($$$) and I'm not sure my carpentry chops are up to it. The glass door just slides right in, and it's done.

What do you think?

In general, is this the worst idea ever, or just a really bad idea

Someplace between those two. If you are going to do that, you might as well use standard construction for the wall. Anything more will be a waste of money.

Andre's right, even MORESO if your intentions for the space have ANYTHING to do with your "screen name" - Steve

Actually, it's my name, but I have done effects on occasion. You'd think I'd be a natural!

Thanks for the reality on the glass door. I am now on to contemplating using 2 sliding glass doors, but I'm unsure how to install them so they are not parallel. Any good links on that issue?

Thanks!

Check out "myth # 4", here -

http://www.rbdg.com/newsroom/expose/

People who do non-parallel doors only do so by keeping the doors vertical and splaying them like walls normally are done - otherwise, you have problems with the sliding mechanisms wearing unevenly and damaging the seals.

I'm of the opinion that in most cases of already splayed walls, making two frames non-parallel for double glass doors may eat more usable floor space than it's worth - the main thing would be to make sure the surround (the area of the walls that's between the two doors) is left absorbent into the space between frames, so that the door area can "breathe" - this will help absorb any flutter that might happen there, and it will also make it easier to predict the overall TL of the wall/door assembly prior to building... Steve