Framing & Isolation: Basement Music Studio Build

[@Polentaccio]

Ahh nuts, I already pretty much completed the framing for my studio space in the basement and knowing what I know a week later, I probably would have used iso clips. I've got a similar space. living area, studio area, gym area. I'm on two external facing walls and the two internal ones we did staggered studs with one wall within a wall beside basement stairs. I probably should have used iso clips to connect the walls to joists for top plate. But I tell you, costs go up quick! I'm currently considering how I will tackle the ceiling as that is where most of the sound is going to escape once I get my drums back in the basement studio room. I'm trying to choose between resilient channel vs clips and hat channel then 2 layers of 5/8 drywall with minimal wiring coming through for lights. HVAC is going to be an interesting consideration.. I am far from the supply and return but it will still carry sound so I am thinking about insulated flexible pipe and snaking it somewhat within the joists. I'm looking forward to following your build. Damn I-beams in these newer homes. Total PITA.

[@simonbuildsastudio]

Totally agree on costs. You still have the option to consider iso clips at this stage. Fair bit of work to make the switch but still possible. For the ceiling I would highly recommend iso clips and hat channel if you can afford the ceiling space. I used resilient channels and it’s a bit of disappointment. Not terrible, but not as good as I was hoping. I’m tall so I’m not sure giving up the ceiling height would be better overall, but I’m terms of isolation absolutely. Re: HVAC. I’ll be posting my video on this by Saturday. It’s taken me a while cause it’s so difficult to explain without a lot of visuals. HVAC was the hardest part of the build, but so worth the effort. I used flexible pipe with bends just like you’re thinking. A few other steps as well.

[@Polentaccio]

@@simonbuildsastudio awesome stuff. I will be sure to watch the upcoming vid..and yes, i almost feel as if resilient channel won't be that much of an improvement over double drywall alone. I'm pricing out iso clips for the ceiling for this reason. HVAC though, i've spent hours trying to figure this out. I have a friend that does hvac but it is interesting that they dont see it as we see it for sound, they see it for efficiency.

[@akoyoat]

fascinating how air gap between two adjacent walls without dry wall in between insulation and new wall is better for stc, even if not touching!

[@MattyDaddy14]

Wow. This was incredibly informative and lotsa useful info with pics to go with the descriptions! Thank you! 🎉

[@jpb7146]

Hey! I’m curious to know where you got the Sonusclip from? They seem kind of hard to find in Canada. Thanks man!

[@simonbuildsastudio]

I was able to get mine from Arc Acoustics. They are in Ontario. These products are all sold regionally from what I found, so you can typically get them from 1 dealer in your region. The western Canada dealer for Regupol (DE90) is Vibra-Sonic.

[@jpb7146]

@@simonbuildsastudio Thanks much appreciated!

[@theopinson3851]

Ok, dumb question: why do you need to worry about the floor if you’re in a basement?

[@simonbuildsastudio]

Fair question! In the end I discovered that you don’t need to worry about the floor in a basement. You would have to surpass the weight of the concrete slab on the walls and ceiling before you have anything more to do with the floor. Any sounds I hear now are coming through the walls and ceiling, not the floor.

[@larss4119]

I love how un ironically bad the acoustics are in the opening part of your video 😂

[@simonbuildsastudio]

😂 yeah no acoustic treatment yet

[@waltmiller]

I've used 3 mm armaflex pipe insulation tape on all beams and studs and R15 insulation on ceiling and walls, but it's for my office, so a little noise should be okay but so far I don't hear anything crazy.

[@simonbuildsastudio]

As long as you’re happy with the results that’s all that matters. Where is the armaflex attached? That sounds similar to some other isolation membranes made to go under framing, creating some isolation between the frame and the floor.

[@waltmiller]

@simonbaxtermusic armaflex attached where drywall joins studs, inner side of the room, on all walls and ceiling as well as in the corners on the floor the ceiling on the perimeter. The only thing that I'm not sure of are HVAC channels that are slightly (12 inches) lower than the ceiling, and there's some existing framing from 2x1 and 2x2 wood planks. I'm thinking about nailing ceiling tiles to them as the framing attached to the ceiling with nails, so I'm afraid that the whole thing might fall off if I'll put drywall on it. And I'm thinking about putting some insulation on those channels, but I'm leaving it for the very end. Because I want to finish everything else first.

[@simonbuildsastudio]

@@waltmiller your best strategy is to be consistent with the number of layers of drywall everywhere, so you’d be better off putting in new studs around the HVAC if you’re not sure about the strength of the existing studs. Ceiling tiles won’t give you much sound absorption. You should watch my video on drywall: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKObh4JueNhlqKs

[@waltmiller]

@@simonbuildsastudio Thank you. I mean Armstrong ceiling tiles. They're saying that they're better than drywall. What would you say?

[@waltmiller]

And that's what was there before.

[@Tentashion]

Wath Is the Wood Material

[@simonbuildsastudio]

Spruce. Standard framing lumber for Canada.

[@helmanfrow]

I'm not at all clear on why you'd connect the studio and climbing room walls with clips...

[@simonbuildsastudio]

The climbing room wall is connected to the floor and ceiling as usual. The studio wall is then connected to the climbing room wall with isolation clips to reduce vibration between the walls. I’ve created a “room within a room”, where the studio is decoupled from the rest of the house with isolation clips. Not as effective as a completely separate structure, but much better than standard construction. Since it’s a basement I didn’t have the space to build a completely separate structure.

[@helmanfrow]

@@simonbuildsastudio I understand why you'd use isolation clips for the ceiling but why connect the walls at all? I presume you lapped the top plates and fastened the bottom plates to the slab in which case the structure is fully self-supporting and would need no contact with neighboring partitions.

[@simonbuildsastudio]

@@helmanfrow The only time I’ve seen a fully isolated structure is when there’s a frame for the ceiling that keeps the full length of the wall rock solid. I definitely noticed a difference in strength for my walls when I attached the iso clips. It’s possible I could have done what you’re describing if I had secured the top plates differently, but it wasn’t an option I was aware of at the time. The bottom plates are power hammered into the slab.