Framing materials for new construction

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sg400

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I am about to start framing my studio. I thought about using metal studs instead of wood. The STC numbers as shown in the Acoustics101 web site and on the fiberglass insulation bag looked promissing. Has any one had any experience with metal studs? Thanks
 
Try Rick Ws'. posts on his studio in progress. If my I 's served me correct it looks like his walls are framed with this god forsaken stuff.

I personally would work with wood. Although the high stc ratings steel stud construction is a bitch to work with. A Lot of cuting and drilling. Not to mention all the stiches if you don't use gloves. Did I mention it doesn't become sturdy until a few pieces of drywall are hung. Just lean on the stuff and it buckles.

I built a whole freestanding structure with the stuff 60' by 60'. Just the framing. I'm glad I didn't have to hang the drywall or sheeth the roof.

But wood(anykind) is where its at.

You could almost fall in love with the stuff. I practically built a relationship with it. Feel the wood and caress the wood. Even smell it if it fancies you. Aaaah there's nothing like working with the good stuff.
That's my 2 cents
 
I have been rehabing a barn, part of which will house a modest studio. I found that I could not find the variety of steel framing material that I could find in wood, so I had to go with wood. YMMV. Luck.
 
I went with wood.
You gotta be careful with steel. There's 2 types: Structural and non-structural.
For exterior and load bearing walls the steel is quite a bit heavier.

Wood is so much easier to work with.
 
Ya know, as far as labor and ease in concerned, I have to agree that wood is the way to go. The reason I went with steel is because it's cheaper, it was a lot lighter to load into my truck by myself, and...here's the main reason...I couldn't for the life of me find enough STRAIGHT studs in this area ( I needed 350) - and I'm close to 4 Home Depots, 2 Lowes and numerous lumber yards. Most of the stuff around here is crap...unless you are willing to cuff over big money. So, I went with steel. Yes, it's a pain (cuts you real easy), lots of bending and screwing (hey - I'm talking construction here) but you can get in a groove after a while. Of course it probably takes at least 2-3 times longer to stud walls this way. I also went through every wall and put braces (horizontally) between each stud halfway up to support the studs themselves and keep them straight before putting up sheetrock.

So, to simplify...if you personally don't have a preference, go with wood. You won't regret it. Not that I regret what I did, but I wouldn't want to do it again. :-)
 
Thanks Rick. The only reason that I was considering metal was because of the information on the fiberglass insulation bag. It said that STC values >40 (I don't remember them all) could be acheived with metal studs and 2 layers of sheetrock. If I add the sheetblock (Auralex) it should be even better!
 
You could almost fall in love with the stuff. I practically built a relationship with it. Feel the wood and caress the wood.
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Hey casenpoint. I LOVE WOOD too!! Hardwoods, softwoods, plywoods, veneers... any wood at all...even firewood! Resaw it, bandsaw it, join it, route it, plane it....so many ways to machine it, sand it, finish it,, love it caress it, ......opps:D ....hehehehe...I get carried away when it comes to woodworking. Been woodworking for 30 yrs. What amazes me, is people walking through places like Wal Fart and looking at printed MDF stuff and excalaiming...."OOOOOOOHHHHH, look at the oak hutch!":rolleyes: They don't have a clue what real wood is.
fitZ:)
 
When I was younger My friends and I used to go and find wood in alleyways and curbside trash so that we could make a semi decent skateboard ramp.

I thought hell this is frigin' easy. So I ended filling up the whole side of my house with skateboard ramps. Drove my parents crazy with it. Should of made a business outta that one! At least I had fun doing it. .....oh well.

Till recently all the neighborhood kids ask if I'll build them ramps. I tell them " you can't afford me". But how could I resist I am a glutton for punishment.

When Chrstmas came around last year.... I gave the kids some tools in hopes they would stop bothering me with building thier projects. Hell that didn't work ! So I just give out advice more times than I can remember.

I guess the good part is..... they can see I am busy with the studio so they don't ask at all anymore.
 
What amazes me, is people walking through places like Wal Fart and looking at printed MDF stuff and excalaiming...."OOOOOOOHHHHH, look at the oak hutch!":rolleyes: They don't have a clue what real wood is.
fitZ:) [/B]
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That was one part of reconstructing my studio that I enjoyed.... was cutting the studs and the plywood. The smell of freshly cut douglas fir studs is nice.

Much better than the smell of mig-welding steel using an argon/co2 mix shielding gas :D
 
Frederic, I'm surprised you didn't use a Ford truck frame or 2 for your walls:D Weld up some 1x tubing for studs, some door panels for acoustical treatment, and a dashboard for a console, complete with digital "input" gauges, all connected to a ford computer for monitoring the "audio fuel mix"!

ha! fitZ:p

Now that I think about it, how bout building a doublewide floating "car control room". Make the best mixs for new DVD auto surround systems!
 
Wise-ass (cough) :D

Most of this afternoon I've been welding together an engine test stand, so I can fire up my 600cid Ford twin-turbo stroker motor in a proper environment. I have it on a section of van frame, but its too unstable for blipping the throttle.

There is no point to 600cid unless you can blip the throttle on a sunday afternoon!

So for the next week, its going to be weld/grind by day, and sand joint compound at night.

Once both projects are done, I'll have enough welding practice to mig together my massive console table.

I still haven't figured out which choice is better - weld it together indoors (dangerous), or weld it together outside, and figure out how to get it indoors.

Still struggling with how to make a 12' wide span in the front without any legs in the middle.

This is going to challenge my triangulation mathematics, for sure!
 
Truss it frederic. Check my drawing.. Easy. High tech too. Wish I could have done it. Still may :D I'll post the finished drawing tonight, but right now I've got "honey do's" to finish:rolleyes: :p But just think of using your original design, with the pipes as part of a 3d lighting truss. Back far enough for your legs to clear. It will easily support twice the weight your planning. Simply weld supports to legs on the ends.
fitZ:)
 

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Yeah, trussing and triangulation is the way to do it, no question about it.

I finally found a local steel supplier, offering darn good prices for square, round and rectangular tubing, as well as plate, angle, rods, all the normal stuff a hobbiest would want access to.

15 minutes from the house, free cuts on orders over $150, blah blah blah. So for my engine test stand, I simply had them cut everything to fit, and all I had to do was whisk off any rust (bare steel rusts quickly) near the edges, rough up with a grinder, and weld.

Same for the studio table.

What I really have to do is figure out how to make it more of a bolt-together, so I can weld outside on the driveway, then bring it upstairs in pieces, and bolt together. The advantage of welding it together in the room is simply that its 12' wide, so if I use the round tube to cross the span, and lay the mixer fronts on them, the likelihood of it being straight and level is very high. In sections, I just know its all going to be a hair off thus lining up the little mixers is going to be a real pain.

Time to play with visio, for sure :)

Awesome picture Rick, I'm going to steal from that one too.
 
SheetBlock questions

Aside from the price, Are there any tricks to working with this stuff? Should I nail it to the wall or use glue? Is it really 1/8 inch thick. That does not seem enough to have any effect on the STC. Should I buy it my the roll or individula pieces?
 
Metal stud framing on interior non-load bearing walls is WAY easier than framing in wood.
 
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