# Blank canvas room design



## Deft (Dec 22, 2010)

Hi all, I have been lurking the forums for quite some time now enjoying the threads that follow other home theater enthusiasts as they build themselves a home theater. Quite exciting, and very motivating! I have just recently purchased a new home the basement is unfinished. I have told the old lady how it is (aka, begged and begged her for the go ahead on my home theater) and she of course listens to me - I have the go ahead. Now, i have one corner of the basement to use; I must use it wisely. I will be building a room within a room, using 5/8' drywall GG'd not sure if i will do 3 layers or 2. I want this thing sealed tight as she likes to sleep and i like to blast movies until 4am with beer and the friends. First question (of many) is how do you all feel about a room size that's 18' long x 13' wide and 7.5' tall? will this suffice? First let me appologize for the picture quality, the only camera we have is attached to my ladies iMac, so as you can imagine i am holding the computer and clicking the mouse to snap these pictures. I will post a layout of the floorplan ASAP. 

Note the tape outline on the floor of these pictures.

This first picture is looking down (length wise) the plumbing is what makes it have to be 18'.

The second is looking at it from the other corner.

I don't need "huge" I would just like the sound, and screen size to be big without quality loss.. I am a few months away from starting, but i need this time to plan! thanks very much i look forward to all your input!


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## SierraMikeBravo (Jul 1, 2007)

Hi, and welcome!

Had the same problems to resolve with my room design as I had very similar dimensions. If you want it to be quiet so the wife doesn't hear the room when you are playing, you'll have to address everything including the floor and door(s). Here is an example of what I did with my room. Keep in mind, these are not the full plans (some things have been edited out as well), there are actually 17 pages of "How to build this room" inctructions :bigsmile:, but this might get you thinking about what needs to considered. BTW, if you are going to go through all the trouble of "soundproofing (I dislike this word)" your room, how do you feel about how it will sound inside the room?


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## bpape (Sep 14, 2006)

Providing isolation is something that can certainly be done with a lot of understanding, planning, and careful execution (not to mention money unfortunately). 

The basic dimensions of the room don't seem bad though it would be nice to be able to get a little higher ceiling if at all possible. 

Welcome to the madness.

Bryan


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## Deft (Dec 22, 2010)

Thanks guys!

That layout does look similar to what i have to work with. Some good ideas there. Does that projector room have a a door into it and another door into the theater? I like that idea - although I fear adding that small room will start to make my theater too square - i would like to have my speakers behind the screen i already accounted for about 18" which may not be enough depending on the speakers. So, if i have to add another 6" behind the screen and what looks like 4 feet for the projector room I'd be looking at about 13' long x 13.5' wide (original 18' long minus 4' for projector room minus another .6" for more room behind the screen - 13.5 ) for the actual theater room :gulp:. 

I suppose what you are telling me is a sound isolated room will require carefully planned acoustic treatments? 

Unfortunately the ceiling in the basement is under 8 feet to start, and with the room within the room ill have to drop it a little more. I could squeeze a couple more inches out of the height, like 7.7' - 7.8' but that would start to eliminate the head space between the ceiling of the theater and the floor above.

Let the madness begin


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## SierraMikeBravo (Jul 1, 2007)

Hi!

Actually, what Bryan is eluding to is that sound isolation planning requires a lot of thought (the partial plans above required 150 hours of my time and I am quite proficient at the CAD program so no learning time involved...150 hours of straight up design and revision). Not something you really produce over the weekend nor with Google Sketchup as this type of planning comes down to the inch(es), and the 3D aspect of Sketchup is really not useful other than to make the statement of "Gee! That will look nice", but it doesn't tell me how to build it. You are going to want to maximize the spacing in your room, which will likely require several different methods of isolation techniques. Once the isolation has been planned, then you need to deal with the acoustics of the room seperately. They are linked, but not exclusively. 

Also, IF you do use isolation techniques, you will need get that projector OUT of the room. Period. The projector will do two unwanted things...produce a lot of heat in an already stuffy room...even in the winter...and produce a lot of unwanted noise which negates the whole sound isolation purpose in the first place. Placing the projector in a hush box will take up a huge amount of head room with only 7.5 foot ceilings, so you will be banging heads A LOT!!! So, you really don't have a choice but to place the PJ out of the room if you use sound isolation. Again, same problems I ran into.



> Does that projector room have a a door into it and another door into the theater?


It has a "secret" entrance that maintains the integrity of the sound isolation.  The last thing you really want in a sound isolated room is a bunch of doors. Doors offer significant opportunity for sound to both leak in and out.


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