Thinking of converting my cellar

  • Thread starter Thread starter Druw
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How would that open and close? Will it cost alot? What is it made of?
 
Well the wall along the side of the staircase is made of 2 leaves of plasterboard on stud frames filled with insulation and decoupled from each other. And the doors would be made from MDF, or just solid core doors, and would open like shown. They would have to be sealed so as to reduce sound leakage.
 
You could build it out of brick if you want, and that might be cheaper and more effective.
 
:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:
Talk about mass. :D
Will it cost much?
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That depends on EXACTLY what your goal is. First off, if what I see in these pictures is any indication of the PREP work involved.....YES. Especially if this existing structure will be the exterior leaf of a two leaf assembly. And especially if drum isolation is the goal.
Good luck with this one. Personally, I see a PROFESSIONAL consultant in the picture, as NO ONE in their right mind could possibly tell you what to do on an internet forum.
fitz
 
RICK FITZPATRICK said:
Personally, I see a PROFESSIONAL consultant in the picture, as NO ONE in their right mind could possibly tell you what to do on an internet forum.
fitz
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You're right.
 
pandamonk,there is already a wall by the staircase, the same thickness as the rest of the walls. As for RICK FITZPATRICK's comment, prep work (clearing,cleaning the stone etc) will be done by my dad, my brother and me, and maybe a couple of friends.This room was never meant to be professional, and never will. It just a place to practice.
EDIT: I guess i didnt make it clear in the diagrams or photos that there is a wall by the staircase. Sorry! I guess we'll just be needing a door,right?
 
Probs 2 doors would be best, and if the wall is 1 metre thick or wotever, then you'l have about a metre gap between doors(good for isolation). Just gotta make sure the doors are solid core, and are sealed. Just gota fill in the windows. Probs best to blick them off and fill, from the outside in, with concrete. Then you ar going to have to worry about air conditioning, and electrics.
 
Ok, solid core doors are no problem at all, they're the only ones my dad buys. Ill come up with a new diagram with wiring, layout etc. Airconditioning is needed to save the drums and guitars from humidity right? will it need to be on all day?
EDIT: Ok here is the diagram. http://upitfree.com/v2/show.php/877_Cellarlayout.bmp.html
Tell me what you think
 
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air conditioning is to save you from suffocating, and/or heat exhaustion. But will probably also help your instruments. I think it should be ok to leave it off until you're in the room. If the room is sealed properly it should stay cool for a long time. Looks good cept a dehumidifier wont do they job. You need a real air conditioning system which will bring in fresh air from outside, and a vent to put out the used air. They both need to be installed in a way that doesn't cause sound leakage.
 
Well you could install it at the window before you fill the window in so you don't need to drill through those thick walls. But I'm unsure about how to make sure the system not leak sound. I need help with this too. I think You build a box which you add a lot of rigid fiber glass to the inside and have the pipes go into then back out of this box. I'll draw a pic to explain.
 

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Im pretty sured we wont be allowed to have that pipe sticking out into the street, ill se wit my dad what we can do.
 
You don't have it sticking away out into the street, just a grill on the side of the house.
 
You're right.
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Thanks pandamonk, and I know you are only trying to help, but this statement pretty well sums it up.

Is the ceiling stone? How thick is it? Could you hear a drumkit from the house above? I know you can't really test until you have it, but try goin down the to the basement and shouting as loud as you can while someone listens above. If they can hear you, then they'll hear the drums, and youl will have to add mass either in the basement to the ceiling, or in the rooms above.
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Without knowing the extent to which sound transmits through the existing structure, you are spitting in the wind when it comes to drums. Not to mention the unusual nature of the existing construction. It may actually take very little additional mass, or it may take extreme measures. The bottom line is

HOW MUCH ISOLATION IS ENOUGH???????? :confused: :confused:

In other words, WHO is the arbiter of NOISE LEVEL? Dad? And how do you measure it? In db? Guesswork? And even if you could DEFINE what is GOOD ENOUGH isolation, if the existing structure is NOT good enough, how are you going to specifiy the solutions without knowing EXACTLY what the problem is?

This is why I suggested that no one in their right mind could do it from a forum untill he knows what he is dealing with as far as existing performance.
Your suggestion was right on the money.

One other thing.
Also adding mass may make it unsafe, so you gotta get it checked out.
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Isn't that the same I said.
i.e. ."PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT" :)
 
im not asking for professional help. This will not be professional, and is never intended to be. i just asked what ill be needing to make it into a useable area for band practice. I'm 14 years old and just need a place to practice.
 
No matter what, if you want sound "proofing" it will have to be professional. But if sound leakage isn't too bad, and you're parents don't mind hearing a bit, then it should be adequate, no way of knowing until you try it out though. I'd say definitely add the doors though(remember to seal them properly), fill in the window bit(s) and add install an airconditioning system. As long as you don't add mass or anything to the ceiling/walls then it shouldn't cause a problem structurally.
 
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