Thoughts on Sound Proofing a Media Room?

[kccarl]

I looked at all the same products you did while I was building my dedicated home theater room. I was shocked and Awed by the prices everyone was charging. I was so shocked at how much I would have to spend, it stopped me for a while. Then, one day, it came to me. In two ways.

First, for sound proofing, there is nothing better than good old insulation. If you already have your room built, there is nothing you can do really, but if you are still building it, double insulate with the pink stuff. Stuff it in every place there is any opening no matter how small.

Second, for sound proofing, but also for sound dynamics. I came upon an idea while building my theater room. I put up regular sheet rock. Once the room was fully sheet rocked, I nailed lathe boards (ususally 1x 3/8 inch) slate boards called lathe boards forming a border all around the wall and down the middle parallel to the flor. It essentially formed outlined squares with the sheet rock open in the middle. Then, I took industrial spray glue and sprayed the back of 6 lb carpet pad and glued them up on the wall. The whole room was pink by the time I was done. Then, because there is an outline of lathe boards, I bought and pulled material across the carpet pad, covering it up. Mostly material is 48 inches or so wide which is perfect for a nine foot ceiling. I stapled the material to the lathe boards pushing down on the carpet pad so when it rose back up, it strained against the material. Once that was done, I used regular trim to cover the material stapled lathe boards.

The end result was a room that was sound proofed, with the dynamics that the room sounded wonderful. The material makes the room look like a theater. The best complement I got was from a friend who upon first walking into the room, he said, "its like walking into a anachoic chamber".

You can get 25 foot rolls of carpet pad from home depot for 25 bucks each. Spray glue is nothing. Staples are nothing. Lathe boarding costs about 2 bucks for a 6 foot length. The material is a bit more, depending on what you want, but I looked for coupons for Joann's and got all the material I needed for about 400.00. Insulation was about 200 dollars.

I don't know if this helps you, but I'm telling you I saved a ton of money and have a dedicate home theater that looks and acts the part with gusto.

KCCCARL