# mancave/home theater



## nucksda32 (Jun 12, 2011)

Hello everyone. My name is josh I am very religious on this for and now that things are situated in my new house and with the blessing of my wife its time to get started on my theater. 

A little about me; I just bought a house a few months back and it came with a 900sqft pole barn that was once a horse stall which is now converted into my shop (im a mechanic) and the horse stalls. As soon as I get 5 posts I will show pics but two of the stalls are to be fully framed and insulated into my mancave/home theater. Not much done but I cut down the seperating wall between the two so the demensions are 23ft long by 11ft wide by 8ft tall.

My plans are a diy bar, poker table and the other half to be a theater area to watch movies with the family, some football and video games. Im told from a very credible source that a tv is cheaper but im thinking a projector is the way to go. Im just getting started and literally have a blank canvas. Any projector advice would be greatly apreciated. 

I see the finished product in my head and kbow where I want it to go, I just need help over the product hump. 

I love this site and thank you all for your helpfulness and inspiration. :T


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## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

welcome to the forum. Post up some pics when you get a chance so we can follow your progress.


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## hjones4841 (Jan 21, 2009)

Welcome to Home Theater Shack! Please visit us often.

I suggest posting your room layout sketch in our Home Audio Acoustics forum. That is a great place to learn about proper speaker placement, acoustic treatments for your room, etc.


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## bpape (Sep 14, 2006)

Welcome. Good luck with the project.

Bryan


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## nucksda32 (Jun 12, 2011)

So would it be better to get my diy screen done first or purchase the projector and then go from there?


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## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

I would go with the projector first... Then you can shine it on the wall and see exactly how big you want the screen.


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## Tonto (Jun 30, 2007)

Decide on the PJ first, that will determine which paint formula to use (leumans/projected distance/ambient light). That room is almost a rectangle, might not be the best size acoutically. Bryan will know best. 

Since your HT will not be connected to the house, I'm guessing sounds will not be an issue. I thinking some DIY subs would save you some money & really give you that wow factor. :hsd:

Stay with us untill you think you have the whole thing planned, *then start *(pre-planning will save you a lot of headaches).

PS: We love lots of pics! And welcome aboard!!!


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## bpape (Sep 14, 2006)

Nothing really bad about the dimensions. Would be nice if it was a bit wider but gotta work with what you're given.

The fun begins...


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## nucksda32 (Jun 12, 2011)

Thanks for the suggestions and advice guys. Im waiting to get my 5 posts to put up pics. 99% of my posting and picture taking is on my phone.
A side note the majority of my walls are 1" thick toung and groove knotty pine. I dont know it that will play a factor on sound.


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## nucksda32 (Jun 12, 2011)

I just tried to upload some photos and they are too big I need to resize them.


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## duder1982 (Aug 28, 2012)

Welcome to the forum, one thing I can say is plan, plan, and more planing. Once you get the structure and lighting figured out, those seem to be the toughest for me as I am there now. Most of all have fun while doing, that's what makes this idea alot better.


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

If your room length is 23' for the home theater, I would personally opt for a baffle wall with AT screen - that will allow you to go with a bigger screen which will give a more immersive experience.

And, as everyone else has said, there can never be too much planning ahead - it took me nearly two years to finish just the theater portion as I spent a good amount of time researching how I wanted to approach it.


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## nucksda32 (Jun 12, 2011)

I have been doing a lot of planning. This goes back a few years before I even purchased my house. I just never had a space until now. It started with a roughly drawn out sketch now transfered to graph paper. Luckily my father in law is a contractor and as soon as he talks to his insulation guy I will be able to write down my list of material and get the framing/insulation started.

Im kind of torn though because I need to do all my power outlets and electronic boxes done before the walls are insulated to make it easier.


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## Tonto (Jun 30, 2007)

I know what you mean. Don't let the insulation guy rush you. Just tell him you not ready & don't let him in. I would run conduit in wall (PVC pipe works great) for all your cableing. Plan your wiring to minimize crossing other wires (including the riser, pre-wire for butt kickers & power for chairs if so desired).


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## nucksda32 (Jun 12, 2011)

Hes not gonna rush me. Its just insulation questions. 3 of the walls will have blown in insulation because I cant access the backs of them and because they are already up I dont want to have to take them down. So would blowing insulation be cost effective or would it be better to just take the walls down and use normal roll insulation.


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

Blown in should work well enough IMO...


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## HoosierMizuno (Jan 21, 2014)

I'll be following this closely as I'm also new to the site and deciding on a new theater. I'm going through a new build process and determining if the space I have is efficient enough for a projector or if I'd be better off just doing a large TV due to the large open area of the basement. 

Hopefully I can post floor plans soon and get the advice of all the experts on this site.


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## nucksda32 (Jun 12, 2011)

Talked to the insulation guy and he doesnt believe it will be worth while to use blown insulation. So I have to come up with an alternative. 

I am running into technical difficulties here. Im posting from my phone and my pics are to big to put on here. Is there no automatic resize tool of pics? What is a good size to take pics so I can upload them easily?


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## dougc (Dec 19, 2009)

I have trouble posting from my phone too, so I upload to photobucket.com and add an image link to there


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## nucksda32 (Jun 12, 2011)

A little bit of an update: so insulation guy says its not a good idea for just blown in because there is no vapor barrier and the insulation will rot. So starting tomorrow I have about 100 11ft 1" toung and groove knotty pine slats to remove to install studs and a vapor barrier.

I also noticed a slab of concrete is sloping so im going to purchase an electric in floor heater then go over it with concrete and just stain it.that will be my room heater. And again I apologise for no pics yet as doon as I get a photobucket I will be posting them.


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## nucksda32 (Jun 12, 2011)

Most recent pic. Middle wall out and aquing materials for the bar.


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## nucksda32 (Jun 12, 2011)

Pre cut

Post cut


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## nucksda32 (Jun 12, 2011)

Lots of pine...
Close up of the bar materials so far.


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## duder1982 (Aug 28, 2012)

Is wood for your bar, what kind is it. Looking like some progress was made. I decided to use Picasa, as its easy for me to take the photos with my phone and just share them to Picasa which then keeps my link updated.


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

Thanks for the pics!

Glad he thought of the vapor barrier / rot issue - they actually changed code here recently to no longer use vapor barrier. I heard there were a couple instances of the foundation blowing out and they figured it had something to do with it... :huh: I know it is a bit of extra effort pulling all that down to put the insulation in, but you will really appreciate the results.

And, that is a lot of wood!


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## nucksda32 (Jun 12, 2011)

ALMFamily said:


> Thanks for the pics!
> 
> Glad he thought of the vapor barrier / rot issue - they actually changed code here recently to no longer use vapor barrier. I heard there were a couple instances of the foundation blowing out and they figured it had something to do with it... :huh: I know it is a bit of extra effort pulling all that down to put the insulation in, but you will really appreciate the results.
> 
> And, that is a lot of wood!


Yes it almost seems like too much wood. Ive been thinking about not putting it all back up and using some drywall with some wood accent walls then repurpose the wood for something else. Maybe to face the bar or something. I have a few things onmy "honey do" list which involves a couch table so maybe use some for the table top.


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

A good idea I think - more mass on the walls is a good thing.


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## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

nucksda32 said:


> Yes it almost seems like too much wood. Ive been thinking about not putting it all back up and using some drywall with some wood accent walls then repurpose the wood for something else. Maybe to face the bar or something. I have a few things onmy "honey do" list which involves a couch table so maybe use some for the table top.


We did our pond area with repurposed decking and drywall...


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## bpape (Sep 14, 2006)

Mom! I want a pond in our basement... Please, please!


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

bpape said:


> Mom! I want a pond in our basement... Please, please!


I know right! That is just amazing...


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## nucksda32 (Jun 12, 2011)

Hello everyone. Not a big update here. Been busy working on honey do's. But I do have a question: so my room will be roughly 253sqft. Whats the most efficient way to heat in your eyes to heat the room? 

Room will be fully insulated. Concrete floor. Im thinking about using heated floor with concrete over the top as I need to redo and level out the floor anyway. I am also thinking of doing a floating floor with one of those cool looking infered heaters. What are your thoughts? Good or bad. Any experience with either? For those that have detached rooms and had to make your own heat what did you do?


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

Where are you located mate? And, will any equipment be in the room?


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## nucksda32 (Jun 12, 2011)

ALMFamily said:


> Where are you located mate? And, will any equipment be in the room?


Located in the great pacific northwest. And yes. Im plannin on a projector with screen not sure any further than that. Funds at this time will allow me to build the room and start with projector, screen re iever dvd... just the badics.


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

I am in Wisconsin, and I have no heater in my room. Being in the basement keeps the temperature pretty stable - it can be a little chilly when we first go in so I have blankets on each of the chairs, but they are not in use for too long before the projector and body heat warm it up a bit.

That said, I did put a dedicated outlet in that I had intended for an infrared heater that I could run for a few minutes to warm it up a bit - I just have never used it.


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## nucksda32 (Jun 12, 2011)

Im not sure that would work. Im using a pole barn detatched from my house.


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

nucksda32 said:


> Im not sure that would work. Im using a pole barn detatched from my house.


Ah - I would go with the dedicated outlet to an infrared heater solution for the most inexpensive route.


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## nucksda32 (Jun 12, 2011)

Finally an update: after 200+ nails and countless meticulous nail pounding because I wanted to save the boards the walls are finished so now comes the framing/insulation. Im excited now!


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## B- one (Jan 13, 2013)

ALMFamily said:


> Ah - I would go with the dedicated outlet to an infrared heater solution for the most inexpensive route.


We had an infrared heater and it just raised our electric bill. They may have improved the type we had was a Suncloud IIRC.


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

nucksda32 said:


> Finally an update: after 200+ nails and countless meticulous nail pounding because I wanted to save the boards the walls are finished so now comes the framing/insulation. Im excited now!


Wow - I really like how that looks. Definitely worth all the effort you are putting into it!


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## cavchameleon (Jan 7, 2008)

Nucksda,

Welcome! I'm looking forward to your build. It should be awesome to have a separate building just for your man cave


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## cavchameleon (Jan 7, 2008)

Forgot to mention, for floor heating, any type of decent radiant floor system should work.

http://www.thermosoft.com/thermotile2


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## nucksda32 (Jun 12, 2011)

cavchameleon said:


> Nucksda,
> 
> Welcome! I'm looking forward to your build. It should be awesome to have a separate building just for your man cave


Thanks, yeah its my favorite part of my property. Its a 950sqft pole barn.


The two openings on the right are the cave/ theater. One opening will be closed in and the other is going to be a slide in door. Yes I know its way dirty just moved in 7 months ago and got right to the cave. Wife said go for it so im getting it done before my honey do list expands.


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## nucksda32 (Jun 12, 2011)

Small update nothing major, decided aginst the in floor heater. Gonna use a cadet heater from the main house because we are getting one of those heat pumps. (Thank you house for not having duct work!!!) Gotta get about 100ft of t5 to bury for internet. apparently wifi doesnt go through metal well which is no biggie. Cable is already burried thanks to previous owner. It will be easier to retrieve t5 through dirt before concrete is poured.


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