Hello all. I am new here. I recently purchased a new house and I plan to start building a home studio. Im hoping to get rolling on this project this fall so I have begun researching my options. I have a feeling that it is going to be a bit tricky. I plan to convert my upstairs loft which isn't hugh but it is a decent size area. My main concern is isolation; particulaly from the outside world. I want to isolate myself as much as possible as to not piss off my neighbors. I also hope to isolate myself from the downstairs of my house, but this will not be as much of a priority. I just bought Rod's book and just got through his section on floor isolation. I am assuming after reading this that isolation with anything other than concrete is not going to be too successful. Excuse my ignorance, but since I have a wood framed house I assume the upstairs hardwood floors will be sitting on top of a wood frame with no concrete between the floor and the downstairs ceiling. Are these fair assumptions? If so does anyone think that there is anything I will be able to do to isolate through the floors?
I will be back with some photos for anyone that is interested. Thanks!
-mcG
Comments
Essentially, if the area you are physically in(in picture) is yo
Essentially, if the area you are physically in(in picture) is your area, your mind should be on weatherproofing and remodeling.
I see one open staircase, two windows, three hollow core doors with pockets behind them and those two angles in the walls. Those areas score high in leakage. I didn't see an AC register at all:)
While the seven foot wall height hinders you from building up or down it doesn't stop you completely.
The wide trim on the windows should be removed to gain access. Those voids need to be, preferably, filled with sprayed in non-expanding foam (great stuff). I'd make it a whole thang and do the same thing to the doors, all of them. And while I had the trim off of the doors, check the hinges for shimming. If they are not shimmed get them shimmed at the hinge area. Because you are going to want to install solid core doors and they need your support:)
I'd also check my insulation depth in the accessible ceiling area overhead. I don't care where ya live, if you don't have a minimum of 10" of insulation in a well ventilated attic, your just throwing your money away.
Those angles in the wall/ceiling line? That is the actual rafter of your roof that creates the dormer you see from outside. The chances of it being a 2X6 rafter are far greater then it being a 2X8. To you that means there is 5/8" sheet-rock/5-1/2" of rafter depth/and 1/2" plywood topped with felt and shingles. If it is nothing else it is a hot spot during the summer months. It is not much more then just another wall that has the sun on it all day.
But the dormer area itself...I would think that would act like a chamber and space out your noise more then you may appreciate, while the void area of the two closets may tend to trap lows allowing the "thump thump" to go unimpeded into the lower living area. Carpet on a floor never hurts and hanging cloths in them may help.
It's not that you "can't" install lightweight concrete. It could be done. The question is "how bad do ya want it?" Do ya want it bad enough to have the plans drawn up to build in additional floor/ceiling joists, possible, glue-lams which all requires complete removal of the sheet rock below, and weeks of "demo living", IF they will pass that scenario in your neck of the woods?
It wouldn't hurt my feelins' if ya checked the exterior for proper insulation before you talk yourself into putting more plywood and rock on the walls. Glaze/caulk the individual window panes and then build or have built, using James Hardy 3/8"- 4'X8' smooth exterior siding, a double layer, glued and screwed panel to cover them with.
What about electrical? Does being next in line behind maybe a TV or refrigerator give you a feeling of adventure or a feeling of dread?
Am I on the right path with ya yet?
Brien
Sounds like a challenging project...and since I don't have to do
Sounds like a challenging project...and since I don't have to do any of the physical labor, I would really like to see what your up against:)
Brien