Simple Project studio construction

[gollumsluvslave]

I'm about half-way through converting my outhouse, and hope to have some pics up later tonight.

It's exciting seeing it all come together, and whilst it's comparatively modest, it will b e MY space!

I am going for a a double partition set-up in a building totally standalone with no party walls (it used to be an old garage), with both partitions having 100mm DFM, resilient bar and 2 sheets of drywall (one is soundbloc, the other is standard)

So far the ceiling is more or less done, we are waiting for more DFM to be delivered.

I've been fortuante enough to know some people who know some people and have a local tradesman doing the work on a 'homer'

[JPeters86]

[gollumsluvslave]

Here are a few snaps of progress so far:-

Bear in mind these are quite big, so i've just put in http links:-

After ripping out all the outhouse crap, I painted all the insides with a couple of coats of bitumen paint
http://www.ritchieboy.pwp.blueyonder...d/Bitumen1.jpg
http://www.ritchieboy.pwp.blueyonder...d/Bitumen2.jpg

Here is where things are currently - ceiling is double sheeted now and the longest wall has had a full partition done, and the 2nd is halfway.
http://www.ritchieboy.pwp.blueyonder...Build/Back.jpg
http://www.ritchieboy.pwp.blueyonder...Build/Long.jpg

Just waiting for the rest of my DFM to get back in stock and get delivered!

[Ozzy]

All looking good!

One thing I thought Id mention, is that when building isolated walls from the original builing (inner studio walls), theres really no benefit to using RC as the walls are already decoupled if that makes sense.

It certainly wont do any damage, but just an extra expense and more work.

Anyways, keep up the good work, and I look forward to the progressthumbsup

Oz

[gollumsluvslave]

One thing I thought Id mention, is that when building isolated walls from the original builing (inner studio walls), theres really no benefit to using RC as the walls are already decoupled if that makes sense.

Yeah, I thought that too, but the tradesman who is doing the install still advised to use RC as there would be a few db of airbourne savings.

I got them for quite cheap trade price so not too much extra expense.

The main purpose of the room is to be able to record drums, so I didn't want to cut any corners.

The rest of the DFM get's delivered on Thursday afternoon, and the long wall should be fully double partitioned that night.

Then it will be the weekend to get the other walls done.

Doors are still going to be the biggest issue!

[gollumsluvslave]

Rest of the DFM is on the lorry and will be delivered in a few hours time!

Then it will be full steam ahead!

[gollumsluvslave]

Just home from work and now one wall is complete, and the others have DFM installed.

We fit an acoustic vent tomorrow, then finishing the rest of the walls over the weekend!

[gollumsluvslave]

Good progress made yesterday - all the walls are now double partitioned and fully sealed.

Netx step is getting the doors fitted - i've decided not to skimp, and am buying a heavy duty security door and frame for the external door.

Just behind it (maybe 10cm or so) will be an internal solid core blank internal door, but we are going to have to build a frame and so forth for that. The guy how has done the work so far has a pretty clear idea of what needs to be done, and his work so far has been great so I'm not too concerned.

Just waiting for the doors & frames to be delivered, then it will be the final step - once they are done, i'll get the whole room skimmed (I know a top notch local plasterer who did my living room and his prices are unbelievable!).

After that it will get painted and then the sparky will finish off the sockets and lights!

It's a bit humbling seeing something like Manifold/Miraverse on it's thread , but this is something I've been looking forward to for 10 years - it's only a hobby after all!

[gollumsluvslave]

External Security Door arrived today!

It's introduced the 1st snag though - going to have to remove a concrete step to allow the frame to be fitted. It's not a big job, but it means the doors are unlikely to be fitted until next weekend now.

Some pics of the door below - it weighs about 76kg.

No point in skimping on security if I'm gonna put all my gear in the room! 12 point locking system, it's pretty solid stuff.

Some pics:-

[Trev@Circle]

Cool project! Where did you get the door from?

[gollumsluvslave]

Cool project! Where did you get the door from?

Steel Doors from £139.00 + V.A.T - NPM-Sinoph for steel doors, steel fire exit doors, steel security doors and steel personnel doors

Excellent value I have to say - it's a beast of a door, and including carriage it came in at under £300!

Absolute steal!

[Trev@Circle]

Wow. That is amazing! Thanks!

[gollumsluvslave]

After a weeks delay, things are picking up again - took a while to get the removal of the concrete steps organized, but that is happening today - it's a bit of a beast of a step as it was cast in-situ! Once removed, we will install an internal step to act as a base for the door frame.

Then the door frame will be getting installed next Tuesday evening, followed by the internal door and remaining wall work

[gollumsluvslave]

Both doors are now installed - other than a little bit of work to the exterior of the vent, all building work is done!

The inside is getting plastered / skimmed on Monday, once that dries (3-4 days hopefully) I'll be able to crack-on and get it painted and lay the laminate flooring.

Finally the sparky will come and hook up the power, install the fuse board sockets and lights.

After that the gear can start getting moved in!

A few new pics:-

[gollumsluvslave]

Plasterer has done a fantastic job! I've took a pic or two, but my camera's battery has run out.

Hopefully, i'll get some snaps up over the next day, should look great once it's dried.

[gollumsluvslave]

Been a busy weekend, got a lot done, tho not as much as i'd hoped.

Finally pointed the bottom of the door frame.
Plaster dried by Friday, so spent all weekend applying a base coat, then a couple of coats of matt.

Sparky installed power on Friday, but my actual lights won't arrive till next week.

Hoped to get the flooring laid but i'll be tackling that tomorrow night.

Some new snaps:-

[Colonel Blues]

Great job !
Can't wait to see it growin' up to a real studio !

[Mogodon]

Lovin' the backwards cap dude!

[gollumsluvslave]

Been struck down with the flu (man variety) this week so no progress other than the floor which I laid last Saturday just before I was taken ill

Illness aside, just some minor fittings left to do - door seals, and floor trims, then gear can start getting set up again.

[gollumsluvslave]

Well I can post a few updates today!

It's pretty much finished, apart from getting the drum kit in, and building some traps/absorbers.

There is gear in!

First I got the floor laid last week, but never posted any pics:-

[gollumsluvslave]

Next I fitted the vent, then the internal door seals - these door seals have been fantastic - I got them from a company called Lorient from the following wholeseller:-
Acoustic Seals

The noise reduction these have added is unbelievable - I'm no great DIY expert and managed to fit them myself - a decent hacksaw and some patience is all that was needed!

[gollumsluvslave]

Finally after the vent and seals were done, it was time to get some gear in:-

[gollumsluvslave]

So far I'm really happy with the results - a few preliminary tests are showing that playing a CD at seriously excessive volumes inside with both doors and vent fully closed is practically inaudible outside.

Of course the proof is when the drums are in, but I don't think we are going to have any issues.

The only regret I have is I wish I had knocked out the corner where the drums are going to go (see pic below) and built a replacement external wall to 'square off' the room giving much more space. However, it's easy to say these things in hindsight - it very likley would have made the whole project untenable from a budget point of view. The drums will still fit OK, just not as comfortable as it could have been.

Next up is building some absorbers, but I'm going to wait a few weeks before starting that. The good thing is I have almost a whole pallete of the DFM Rocksilk stuff that was used in the build.

[Oli_W]

I like your band by the way! You sound a bit like Mansun (check them out, I don't see them on your influences...) on All Messed Up.

[gollumsluvslave]

I like your band by the way! You sound a bit like Mansun (check them out, I don't see them on your influences...) on All Messed Up.

Cheers man, I think we share quite a few source influences with Mansun which explains that. On the whole we are a lot more rock though.

Got guitars and amp in now, need to take a few more pics.
busy trying to sort out materials for building absorbers / traps, hopefully should start building them when I get back from Canada (away with work all next week)

[iwobic]

nice job man! please keep posting about the acoustic treatments


cheers

[Tonio Ruiz]

yes it looks very nice man, and I do wonder how will you treat the rooms

it's going to be awesome

let it rock baby!!!!

[soulfield]

well done!

Glad to see it coming together. I am generating funds now to start a basment improvment for my new recording space. Hope it turns out as well as your

[gollumsluvslave]

Well, I said was going to wait a few weeks before building absorbers, but it's been more than a few weeks for various reasons

Anyway, treatments are done, the drums are in and all connected and everything is sounding way better than I'd hoped!

My API A2D is finally getting a serious work out!!

Due to space constraints, and the fact that I didn't want to compromise the sound proofing (which is amazing BTW) I decided that wrapping the RS60 slabs that were left over from the build in hessian, and then glueing them to the wall with contact adhesive was the best approach.

It's worked out really well - i've put 7 traps in behind the drum position mainly to tame early reflections and help the bottom end a bit.

There are another 4 traps behind the desk, and a couple in the path of my monitors. I've still got plenty of RS60 left, but so far the sound is great - we recorded a full song yesterday, and the drums sound great to me; better than a few times i've been in studios in Edinburgh before, which was the whole point!

We've been battering the drums and cranking the guitars for a few weekends now and the neighbours haven't heard a peep, so I'm glad I went for double partitions at the expense of a wee bit of space - it was WELL worth it!

Note, the red can on the mix desk is the contact adhesive - EvoStik instant grab - it's done the job!

Some snaps:-

[gollumsluvslave]

The studio has been seeing some great usage over the last two months!

Got about 13 tracks down so far - still a fair amount of vocals to do, but most of the instrumentation is done.

Hope to post some rough mixes for critiques and advice soon, and some more pics!

So far I'm very pleased with the results, being able to crank guitars and properly mic them up coupled with real drums is a massive change!