Basement studio design and construction

fresh_oil_2003 · Post by **fresh_oil_2003** » Sat Oct 18, 2003 11:18 am

I'm finally ready to start constructing my basement studio. I just need a little advice with the design and construction of it. I'm not an engineer, but did the best that I could with smartdraw to convey my measurements. I need to build a small laundry room next to the studio and need to reroute my ducts.

I'm sending more pics after this post. Thanks in advance.

Fresh Oil

fresh_oil_2003 · Post by **fresh_oil_2003** » Sat Oct 18, 2003 11:21 am

more pics....oh, by the way, I have a low ceiling between 7 - 8 feet. When I measure, I'll post the height.

The first pic is the small area (around 6ft in height and 8'1" in length)....see the smartdraw sketch.

Post by **John Sayers** » Mon Oct 20, 2003 1:36 pm

That looks Ok for a studio - we need more info really - like where do those stairs appear, where is the HVAC and how do those ducts run etc.

More precise drawing maybe??

cheers
john

fresh_oil_2003 · Post by **fresh_oil_2003** » Tue Oct 21, 2003 3:55 am

Sorry John for not giving enough info. I'm at work currently and drew this pic in Visio. The measurements are accurate, but everything is not to scale (like the washer/dryer, water heater, etc.). I just want a basic drawing for my studio layout.

Items desired:

A) A small laundry room

B) Something to go around the heating/air conditioning unit and the water heater to minimize its noise

C) Rerouting of ducts (they hang down just above 6' close to the middle of the basement. Maybe we can route them along the 15' wall??? Whatcha think?

D) Advice for the ceiling. As with everybody, I don't want sound going up or coming down. So as much isolation as possible.

E) Advice for the walls. The walls around the paremeter of the basement is concrete (4' 11") then paneling with insulation behind it and brick for the exterior of the house (the normal red bricks)

I'll probably start either with Digi 002 or HD1 w/ control 24. I want a simple vocal booth and the control room.

Hopefully, I've given enough info for you to work with. John, I really appreciate you taking the time to share me and many others your wisdom and expertise. You rock!

Fresh Oil

fresh_oil_2003 · Post by **fresh_oil_2003** » Tue Oct 28, 2003 2:57 am

John, any advice?

dbluefield · Post by **dbluefield** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 10:12 am

Oily,

I'll take a shot if you like.

I've roughed in the dimensions, but need some measurements; where are the stairs exactly located from the wall? How wide are they; windows etc. The more infromation you can provide, the better. Doesn't have to be to scale, but just list as much as you can.

Outside dimensions and absolute position of hard features that can't be moved, like beams/ washers?) /are you really going to move ductwork? How? where?

Best,

Dave Blauvelt

fresh_oil_2003 · Post by **fresh_oil_2003** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 3:21 am

Dave thanks for your bravery! I'm going to attempt to get as detailed as possible, ready.......

Main Objective: To build a pre-production studio in my home that will not disturb neighbors or my family(upstairs). The studio area is outlined in bold on the picuture below.

Current Issues:

A) My HVAC duct runs pretty much in the middle of the basement.

Answer: Reroute duct along the east as far as I can. This means that the HVAC duct will run along the back of the control room.

B) Low ceiling (from floor to bottom of ceiling joist = 7ft)

Answer: To be determined....I don't know????? Needs to be sound proof. I need complete sound isolation.

C) Washing Machine and Dryer

Answer: Build a small laundry room

D) HVAC makes noise

Answer Enclose HVAC, water heater, and water softener.

E) A small portion of my basement (yellow area) has a 6ft ceiling.

Answer: Drum room?? Office??? Storage??? Another booth??? What should I do with this area?

F) I have concrete floors now.

Answer Carpet?? Pergo??? Need advice.

G) The walls around the perimeter of the studio are concrete 4' 11" and wood paneling/insulation/brick(outside) for the top half of the wall

Answer Drywall the entire perimeter of the studio

H) The windows are approximately 2 1/2 feet long and 3 1/2 feet high. I'm really guessing on this.

Answer Glass blocks?? I would like to have natural light come into the basement with greater security.

I) There's a horizontal beam that runs along the middle of the basement.

Answer To make this the dividing line between the vocal booth and the control room. Can I put a window under this beam????

The stairs are completely opposite of the studio area, so that won't be a factor.

In my first and second posts, I sent a couple of pics. I've numbered them in the order that they appear (numbers 1 - 5). [Exclude the first draft of the studio and start counting from the actual picture of the basement.] If you look at the draft below, I've labeled the areas that you are seeing in the pics. For example, if you look at picture number 5.... go to the draft below and look for "Picture #5 area", and that's the area relative to the actual picture.

Do you need any more details?

dbluefield · Post by **dbluefield** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 4:25 am

Better watch the size of your Bitmaps -- read John's picture size post. hehe. Also I've noticed that GIFs seem to take the least amount of file size.

I'll take a stab at a few general things first and start on some rough designs in smartdraw today (I finally bought the pro version).

Main Objective: To build a pre-production studio in my home that will not disturb neighbors or my family(upstairs). The studio area is outlined in bold on the picuture below.

Sounds like fun. What is the pre-production of? Lines betwen home/pro studios are obviously blurring.

A) My HVAC duct runs pretty much in the middle of the basement.

Answer: Reroute duct along the east as far as I can. This means that the HVAC duct will run along the back of the control room.

If you can move it -great! There is allot of information from knightfly on proper duct construction -- basically larger ducts with some 703 in the turns to reduce noise. So if your going to move them might as well plan on ventilating the studio as it evolves as well.

B) Low ceiling (from floor to bottom of ceiling joist = 7ft)

Answer: To be determined....I don't know????? Needs to be sound proof. I need complete sound isolation.

This one is going to be a pip. You are in a similiar situation (height wise)to my basement studio; I fortunately did not design for isolation as my family will live with music. Hey I'm a drummer haha. You can build for isolation; ask knightfly and the construction forum about this. The beotch with your low ceilings is that the construction for isolation can work at odds with the precious space you need for sound absorption. What can be done possibly with great effort is build a drywall/fiberglass ceiling on resilent channels inside the joists, so as to leave the outline of the joists for 703/R19 to be placed within -- to absorb sound. Read the SAE site on this and I think there is a discussion thread somewhere on just this topic. My guess is that your entire basement ceiling should be filled with 703 or R19 after you build for isolation -- to make the ceiling "go-away" or become "sky" , as John says it.

C) Washing Machine and Dryer

Answer: Build a small laundry room

No problem here.

D) HVAC makes noise

Answer Enclose HVAC, water heater, and water softener.

Again NP.

E) A small portion of my basement (yellow area) has a 6ft ceiling.

Answer: Drum room?? Office??? Storage??? Another booth??? What should I do with this area?

Lets see what I can think of.

F) I have concrete floors now.

Answer Carpet?? Pergo??? Need advice.

I came up -- with the Late Malcolm Chisholm's help -- a solution for floating floors without taking too much vertical height. I floated my main room and control room floors using 1/2" poly house sheathing and a layer of 1/2" plywood. In my main room I added another layer of 1/2" plywood (4x8) sheets cut in half, half of those stained, and placed in a diagonal checkerboard fashion (you can see the design in the "take a look at my basement studio" post.). Looks cool and is cheap. Plywood layers are held together with construction adhesive and galvinized screws. Do not seal the plywood with anything, as that will reduce the floor's sabins. In the control room I put one layer on 1/2" plywood over the house sheathing and glued 12" parquet squares from home depot to that diagonally. The floors should not touch the walls. No need to glue the house sheathing to the concrete -- as floors do not get up and walk away. Floors in general are best kept wood for ease of rolling equipment and cleanup, as well as providing a little livelyness for music. Throw rugs can be used for aesthetics and under drums etc. The house sheathing provides a moisture barrier and takes little height away from the room, while decoupling the instruments from the walls. This is all DIY advice, and I'm sure knightfly can be more exact.

G) The walls around the perimeter of the studio are concrete 4' 11" and wood paneling/insulation/brick(outside) for the top half of the wall

Answer Drywall the entire perimeter of the studio

You might not have to put drywall everywhere - but it could look nice as well as be incorporated into you interior acoustic solution. I take it the only isolation problem is from Ceiling to the house above?

H) The windows are approximately 2 1/2 feet long and 3 1/2 feet high. I'm really guessing on this.

Answer Glass blocks?? I would like to have natural light come into the basement with greater security.

I think about that and the rest.

Best,

Dave

dbluefield · Post by **dbluefield** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 8:00 am

Here's a possibility.

I don't know where your main sewer line is, but the little room could be for laundry.

If you could move that pole, possibilities open up even more.

Best,

Dave Blauvelt

dbluefield · Post by **dbluefield** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 8:24 am

This is better for live room visibility.

Dave

fresh_oil_2003 · Post by **fresh_oil_2003** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 9:19 am

I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!! Whew! I never thought to put the washer and dryer by in my 6' area.

I have one question...

Look at picture #3. That's my "small room" area. It's really hard to see, but behind the 2 water heaters is 4'11" concrete and the rest is insulation/drywall then behind that is the garage.(south wall) The east wall of that area is under the porch, so there is nothing but concrete and dirt. It's the same issue with the north wall of that area.

Here's the question...can I route the vent from the dryer (the accordian like object) into the garage? If I can't, then I won't be able to put the washer and dryer in the "small room" area.

Major kudos to ya Dave! You passed the biggest test of them all...MY WIFE LOVES THE DESIGN!!!

dbluefield · Post by **dbluefield** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 9:36 am

Here's the question...can I route the vent from the dryer (the accordian like object) into the garage? If I can't, then I won't be able to put the washer and dryer in the "small room" area.

I see no problem with that, but even better use hard duct for better air flow and continue it all the way through the garage to an outside vent cover.

I was concerned whether you can get to a waste line for the washer?
If you can do all that, I think it's the best use of that small ceiling 8x8 space. Not to mention it's closest to the stairs for carrying up laundry.

Any chance you can move that pole? Either way, I don't think its a big deal having the pole in between the slidin doors -- visibility to the studio would still be good.

Glad I could help a bit.

Best,

Dave

knightfly · Post by **knightfly** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 10:11 am

Oh Well-Lubricated, HUMUNGOUS picture poster - since I don't have moderator privileges in this particular forum, could you PLEASE, go back to the post with the super-wide picture, edit your post, delete the "life-size map of Texas", and re-size it down to no wider than 800, then attach the NEW, smaller pic? You'll need to click the Delete box for the old file, then edit a second time and add the new, smaller one.

Otherwise, this entire thread is going to be a study in left-right scrolling from now on. Huge pix cause the entire thread to widen out, making it a real pain to read text.

Thanks... Steve

fresh_oil_2003 · Post by **fresh_oil_2003** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 11:42 pm

Dave, I was at work yesterday when I saw your design. The concept works great for us. Having gone home and actually visualizing and mentally going through the design, I think the control room would be better facing west (toward) the booth.

I failed to mention in my "most detailed description of my basement" that the horizontal beam in the middle of my basement hangs down maybe to 6'5" ~ 6'6" or something like that. I don't think a sliding door would work.

Here's a couple of ideas...(tell me your opinion).

A) Face the control room toward the vocal booth with a window just below the beam

B) On the south wall of the control room place a window and a door

C) For the "live" part of the recording booth place a window next to the door. My picture is not exactly to scale. My beam should be a little further south and I should have enough room for a window.

D) Do away with the vocal booth by the stairs. I don't think that will work for us. Too much possible interuptions during recording. We'll make that a vestibule.

dbluefield · Post by **dbluefield** » Sat Nov 01, 2003 9:33 pm

Hey FreshOil you got a name?

For the time being, keep taking measurements, and fill in as much info as possible on the plan I gave you; like window distances/widths/distance of stairwell from the wall. exact location of that beam. Kinda in the dark without as much detail.

As for the beam and sliding doors-- I don't know are doors taller than 6.5'? Measure one and see

Best,

Dave