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Help / Comments - New Construction - Sort of...

Thanks for taking the time to read this if you are... It is a bit bittersweet for me, but the wife and I have put an offer in on a new home and it has been accepted. It is a bit sad after years of hard work into our current home, however situations with her business really dictate we move and build custom.

Now with the sweet of the bittersweet... The "better half" has also allowed me to use the "bonus room" as my dedicated listening room. It measures roughly 15'8" x 21'9" with a ceiling height of 9'. I have made some "minor" requests to the builder at this time. There is to be a "coffered ceiling" which consists of 6" wide by 8" deep beams... square pattern to consist of nine roughly 5'x7' rectangles. I am hoping this will help with diffusion. I have also requested the entire room be hung with double layers of sheetrock. The room is located on the second floor. Also to have 5 dedicated 20 amp lines ran to the room. On the short wall (behind my listening position) is the "chute" for the chimney from the greatroom below. This is approx 18" deep by 3 feet wide. I have made arrangements for cabinets (waist high) and bookshelves to the ceiling (for vinyl) to flank either side of the chimney chute. Only other option at this point was a solid door as well. I am planning on providing the cryo'd romex and duplex' and plan to have the breakers all on the same leg at the top of the box...

All else is yet to be determined. I have a wife that does not want *any* type of "tacky" sonic correction stuff anywhere... the best I have gotten so far is my Eighth Nerve room pack up...

So any suggestions, must do's... let me know. I am not certain I want double drywall, but was told that the stiffer the wall, the better the bass, and livlier the room, as well as help to isolate the sound.

At this point, we just signed the contract this evening, thus all *could be* changed... however budget is about zip, zero, zilch, nada, you get the idea... thus I worked the above into the room with the builder at this point. However, they estimate it will be 6 to 7 months until closing so if there ARE any "MUST DO" suggestions (afraid there will be many...) I do have time to react.

All help is greatly appreciated. My system link has all my gear, minus my TT that is on the way... Nottingham Spacedeck with Ace Space Arm, ZYX Airy3-S-SB with the Whest phono stage...
audiofankj
audiofankj OP
373 posts
 
Thanks much Tom & Jim - Much appreciated. I was able to drive over again today and re-measure. It does appear the current spacing of the I joists to be 19.2" center to center, I didn't measure this - don't know how I forgot but did measure just about all else. It is as follows, and hopefully not as bad as initially thought:

The I joists are a height of 14" exactly - that is including the "2x4" on each end of the I joist. They are being installed width wise of the room, approx just under 16 feet.

I measured the plywood subfloor to be 3/4" thick with the tape measure. However, stamped onto the subfloor was ' T&G Engineered - 23/32" ' I am assuming this means they are tongue and groove pieces of plywood? Full pieces were 47.5" wide by 8 feet long. They were laid in a staggered pattern as well.

Let me know if this will be sufficient for a subfloor, with the construction glue & 16" on center? Or should I also ask for blocking?

I did have my wife with me, and had her stand in the middle of the room and jump up and down a good foot or so in the air, and I was about a foot from her, there was approx 1-2" of flex noticable in the floor. However with her walking I could feel it, but not notice any bounce... again this may be different with a needle on the record.

Also, this house is just in the beginning stages... frame just went up, plumbing is going in now, and shingles being put on... as the windows were going in today if any of that is of relevance.

Thanks again. Any other thoughts on what to request of the builder before I talk to him? As of now:

- I joists on 16" centers

- minimum of the 23/32" T&G engineered subfloor (if acceptable to you guys?) construction glued to the I joists

Do I ask for the blocking? Or at this time, make certain he is aware I want the primary layer of drywall taped and mudded as normal, then the second layer laid on top and finished...
jea48
2,944 posts
 
23/32" that is the thickness, nominal 3/4". Like a 2X4, if you measure it, it is not really a 2X4. The solid bridging in the sound room would be nice. What it will do, no matter where you are walking it will also transfer the load to the joists on either side of the one the weight is on. Did you notice if the T&G was screwed down. In my city it is. Glued and screwed.
Not sure why you want the first layer of rock mud and taped. If you are not going to use wall damping pads between the two layers of rock just make sure the sheet rocker uses a lot of wall adhesive between the two staggered layers of rock. Again glued and screwed. Not nailed. Bass will pop nails over time. Infact I hope the rockers in your area, screw all the rock in the house, not nail it. Also make sure the electrician knows this room will be double rocked. So he can set his rough-in boxes for the correct depth. By the way, any idea the distance your electrical audio oulets will be from the main electrical panel? Those dedicated circuits...
audiofankj OP
373 posts
 
The flooring appeared to be nailed, however my current neighbor is a retired contractor and mentioned we could go over on a Sunday morning and sink screws into the floor after they had put it in. It seemed fine before, however with the construction glue, would that still be alright to go back and do after the fact?

The request for the first layer of sheetrock to be mudded was advice given to me, that if it is not, it won't be any more effective than just a single layer if both layers aren't mudded. Is this true? I was also told the second layer should be a different thickness to help break up the waves, as if they are the same thickness, it will almost act as just one layer is up and not really help with the transfer of sound. I haven't seen the drywall yet, however I would assume they nail the drywall rather than screw it - that is how most I have seen appear. Not sure about us coming in after the fact and screwing it in, as it will have to be re-mudded again...

again - any thoughts or advice greatly appreciated. Once we have all the "basics" down, I will compose an email stating my wishes on the construction of this room...

good tip to ensure the electrician knows the room will be double rocked to set the boxes at the correct depth.

The main electrical panel will be in the basement, hopefully somewhat centrally located... if that is the case, I assume I will need about a 20-30 ft. run of romex for each duplex...
jea48
2,944 posts
 
I got a chance to go out and look at some new homes under constuction. In my earlier post I was mistaken, they are just nailing the sub floor to the "I" joists. Glued and shot down with a nail gun. "I" joists 16" on center. In regards to you personnally screwing down the subfloor, in the audio room on a weekend, I would not do anything in the way of work in the new house with out the builders permission first, unless you are the general and the builder is a subcontractor under you. He will not like it at all. Not to mention it could be a liability issue. If you want it screwed down have the builder do it.
You need to read the info on this website, every thing you ever wanted to know about about an audio room. You will find the answers to you drywall questions.

http://www.asc-soundproof.com/iso-diagrams.htm

Jim
tvad
9,467 posts
 
I'm with Jea48, you're opening a Pandora's box that might better remain closed. Perhaps you can negotiate with your contractor to screw the subfloor, but you have to realize this might take his crew longer, and therefore cost you more. Also, contractors absolutely hate to be second guessed and micro managed by home buyers. Whether this is right or wrong is not the issue. But, it's a fact, and rankling the contractor without sufficient "massage" could create bad feelings and resistance on his part for the long term. Something to consider...

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