Ceiling cloud question

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mjbphotos

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Did a search and could not find any real definition of the best thing to use.
My room is small, will be building some bass traps next week, Roxul is on its way.
Ceiling height is 7'8", drop-ceiling with 2'x2' tiles. There is space above, not sure how much exactly, I think about 4-6".
Would an 8" deep framed trap with fiberglass (constructed like a bass trap, wood frame, cloth covered) hung over the mixing area be better than filling the space above the ceiling tiles with fiberglass?
I have 8" fiberglass left over from my attic insulation project, which would work in a trap, but probably be too thick to fit uncompressed above the ceiling tiles.
Suggestions/comments/ideas?
 
Something like that wouldn't hurt to be compressed a little above the ceiling tiles. Of course deeper trapping over the first reflection zone (over the mix area) is ALWAYS better. You can't have too much. In fact, I would recommend both options at the same time. ;)

The ceiling cloud that you hang Under the ceiling tiles only needs to be about 4' thick & put it right up against the ceiling tiles. That'll drop the visible height to 7' 4" & still leave you with a sense of space visually.

Cheers,
John

PS. But DO fill the entire ceiling above the ceiling tiles with the attic blanket. :thumbs up:
 
Thanks, John! Would it work to use a couple of my to-be-constructed bass traps suspended (rather than traps made with fiberglass)? this would be good getting a couple of traps out of the way during regular room use.
Of course I have to figure out how to hang the traps from the susp ceiling either way - someone should make little clips that hinge and clamp over the 'rails' so that the ceiling tiles still sit flat! I've used wire before, but it's necessary to cut slots in the tiles so that the wire goes through them.
 
Yes, that would definitely work.
Can you post some photos of your ceiling tile? or a make/model?
I know what you mean about having to poke holes in the tiles to hang stuff. Sometimes that is the only option as the rails often do not line up where you need them. - If my failing memory serves, I think I DID see a solution that clips to the metal railing. I'll do some digging.

Cheers,
John
 
No idea on the tile brand, they were up when I bought the place 19 years ago. Just the standard cheap contractor stuff.
As my traps will be 2' x 3'9" (need to shorten them from 4' so I can stack 2 high), lining them up with the 2'x2' grid will be easy. I've drilled holes and used a piece of 1/4" plywood on the top for hanging light fixtures from suspended ceilings - a big PITA!
Guess I've got my projects cut out for me next week (5 day weekend with 1 gig and 2 concerts to go to)!
 
What are these ceiling tiles doing for you? Maybe I'm missing something. Why not pull the tiles where the cloud goes and put the insulation up in there?

Another thought - I've heard that you can get some decent bass trapping by going around stuffing even pink insulation above the drop ceiling along the walls. You can very easily cover all of the wall/ceiling corners without giving up any new space to treatment.
 
ashcat_lt said:
What are these ceiling tiles doing for you? Maybe I'm missing something. Why not pull the tiles where the cloud goes and put the insulation up in there?

Another thought - I've heard that you can get some decent bass trapping by going around stuffing even pink insulation above the drop ceiling along the walls. You can very easily cover all of the wall/ceiling corners without giving up any new space to treatment.
Click to expand...

John indicated stuffing the whole ceiling woudl be good. I probably don't have that much leftover insulation, but will concentrate it above the mixing position and along the walls.
I would have to make traps 2'x2' to fit in the ceiling grid, and they'd be a bitch to get in (or out if I wanted to use for other purpose, like in my recording room). Just need to figure out how to hook them up in place easily.
 
sh!t! Not even 4" of space above the tiles. Looks like I will be putting on the long sleeves/gloves and shredding some fiberglass :eek:
 
I have a low ceiling like yours....and it's not even a drop ceiling with some space above it...it's just sheetrock.

The way I did my cloud....I simply took some drop ceiling tiles :D and stuck them to the sheetrock with basic silicone caulk/adhesive, and I mixed in strips of trapping, along with some wooden diffusion strips.
So the center area of the cloud (about 4' x 6') is alternating rows of trapping and diffusion, and then around that is a wider 2' border of the acoustical ceiling tile.

That way, I lost no more than 2" off the ceiling height, and it has a nice combination of several absorptive and reflective surfaces....worked out great, and it looks great. I finished it all off with some nice maple wood trim.

Since you have the drop ceiling….mmmm….you can’t attach/hang too much more stuff off of it, but maybe you might just remove some of it to get that 4” of extra space and then add the trapping in a visible and also decorative way rather than just stuff fiberglass behind the drop ceiling.
IOW….create an actual visible cloud area.
 
Ever try to insert grid tiles with almost no working space above them? :( 4" traps hung tight to the grid will be fine - figure I will only have two 2'x3'9" traps there, and still 7'4" of ceiling height.
Roxul arrived yesterday. Will get the 1x4s tomorrow and look at the cloth options for covering.
 
Hey Mike
What about VELCRO for hanging the traps, they'll be nice & tight to the ceiling & removable?
 
Not sure how much the traps will weigh (1x4 frames, plus insulation plus cloth - picked up some burlap yesterday), but don't think I'd trust them with velcro on the 1" wide ceiling grids.
 
you could hang the traps by clothesline rope. I would have just had my girlfriend sew velcro on fuzzy blankets cut in 2' strips and attached them to the grid.
 
drtechno said:
you could hang the traps by clothesline rope. I would have just had my girlfriend sew velcro on fuzzy blankets cut in 2' strips and attached them to the grid.
Click to expand...
What? :wtf:
This is my house, dude! Not a high schooler's basement jam room!
 
If anyone comes up with a good way to suspend the traps from the suspended ceiling, let me know! :confused: I bought some little plastic clips that are supposed to snap onto the grid - but they don't, any pull on them and they just right off (the 'lip' on them is less than 1/8"). The traps weigh about 15 lbs each (guess), so I wouldn't trust velcro.
 
How about stainless steel wire. Like a 7x7 braid. Run wire through eyelets and secure with crimping.
 
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