Tile Floor or Area Rug?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Coque
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Coque

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I am new to the forum so please don't eviscerate me if I ask something painfully obvious.

I'm working on transforming a bedroom in my house into a studio. It's roughly 11' X 12' with 8' popcorn ceilings and saltillo tile floors.

I've been doing my homework, and though "The deader the better" seems to be the battle cry for little rooms, its the flooring I'm not too sure on.

I was fixing to put down a full size area rug over my tile as a method top dampen sound and control some of the reflections off the clay tile.

However, after reading a host of different opinions, I see there are those who suggest leaving the floor reflective and installing bass taps and whatnot to deaden the rest of the room.

I'm lost. So, what should I do: leave the tile as is and dampen the rest of the room, or add the area rug and dampen the room?

Would this be too dead with rug? To live without? Please help!!
 
Just my opinions:
I sure don't like the "deader the better" philosophy. Dead sounds dead.

I'd for sure have a rug on a tile floor because the sound of the plastic tiles isn't happening.

Just do some research and start adding stuff 'til it sounds comfortable. But don't go overboard and think that absolutely dead is musical. Somewhere in between please 'cause really dead rooms tire your ears out.
 
I don't know about plastic tiles. But a hard floor, even cement, is a good thing. It's the ceiling that should absorb. Another important thing is the corners, where you'll want as much bass trapping as possible.
 
Coque said:
I am new to the forum so please don't eviscerate me if I ask something painfully obvious.

I'm working on transforming a bedroom in my house into a studio. It's roughly 11' X 12' with 8' popcorn ceilings and saltillo tile floors.

I've been doing my homework, and though "The deader the better" seems to be the battle cry for little rooms, its the flooring I'm not too sure on.

I was fixing to put down a full size area rug over my tile as a method top dampen sound and control some of the reflections off the clay tile.

However, after reading a host of different opinions, I see there are those who suggest leaving the floor reflective and installing bass taps and whatnot to deaden the rest of the room.

I'm lost. So, what should I do: leave the tile as is and dampen the rest of the room, or add the area rug and dampen the room?

Would this be too dead with rug? To live without? Please help!!
Click to expand...

Welcome to the board.

I don't agree that you need a dead room, in fact a well treated room is not dead at all. In smaller rooms you need a good amount of bass traps and/or broad band helmholtz resonators.

google John Sayers and Ethan Winer they both have good sites on studio and acoustic treatment.
 
The saltillo tiles are brand new (I installed them in August). They are set on poured concrete (it's a ranch-style, one floor home) and have an unusual grout; sand mix concrete - which is much more difficult to use than thin-set. The grout line is standard at a whopping half-inch or more, leaving much cement exposed in the acoustic equation.

They are quite beautiful and very durable, but they are made of sun-baked clay and are also, very porous. Unlike ceramic tile, saltillos need to be sealed and if untreated will absorb a full glass of water like a sponge! Mine were pre-sealed and, in addition to being an uber-green product, I like the Mediterranean look.
However, as they are hand-made and, as such, not uniform, I wonder what havoc they will deal out to the sound in my room.

As such, I ask if anyone has any experience with this tile, acoustically speaking, and can tell me weather I should cover it with a rug or not.
 
Simman said:
Welcome to the board.

I don't agree that you need a dead room, in fact a well treated room is not dead at all. In smaller rooms you need a good amount of bass traps and/or broad band helmholtz resonators.

google John Sayers and Ethan Winer they both have good sites on studio and acoustic treatment.
Click to expand...

First off, thanks! Good to be here!

Secondly, I agree. That's why I didn't want to add a big rug if I didn't need to. I'm making the transition from my current home, where I play in a wonderful room with bookcases lining the walls and 18 foot ceilings! It is a great room to play at and can support a full band... I'll miss playing here...sniff.
Anyhow, the high ceiling I ain't got, so I feel I want to make the with the new space I'm moving into. Too dead will kill me.

Cheers to that! I've been reading all their stuff over the last few days. Between the two of them they offer a plethora of truly invaluable advice -- gurus of the Yoda sort.
 
dintymoore said:
Just my opinions:
I sure don't like the "deader the better" philosophy. Dead sounds dead.

I'd for sure have a rug on a tile floor because the sound of the plastic tiles isn't happening.

Just do some research and start adding stuff 'til it sounds comfortable. But don't go overboard and think that absolutely dead is musical. Somewhere in between please 'cause really dead rooms tire your ears out.
Click to expand...

I agree to mr:dintymoore :))
 
Is Dinty even alive? Haven't heard from that guy in a long time.
 
You can always ask question. And there will always be good people like them to answer you.

:)
 
Why not just get some cheap throw rugs and experiment. I'm sure if you decide not to use the rugs the wifey/girlfriend/effeminate-boyfriend could find a use for them.
 
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