Need help turning a rented office space into a studio

How thick should my walls be, should I float my floors (and if so, how), why is two leaf mass-air-mass design important, etc.

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vincentp
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Need help turning a rented office space into a studio

Post by vincentp »

:) HELP PLEASE!!!!!!!!
I have a 600sf office space that I want to turn into a recording studio with a lounge and reception area.
Below is the layout of the space. It may not be big enough for a live room but I was thinking a control room with a vocal booth.
I would thank anyone who can help me.
Last edited by vincentp on Thu May 05, 2005 5:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
AlexT
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Post by AlexT »

4 posts with the same topic! :evil:
Delete the other 3 and resize your pic.
vincentp
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Location: winston salem, nc

Sorry about that

Post by vincentp »

I used the back button when I was trying to adjust the picture
sharward
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Post by sharward »

No harm... I got caught in the "Back-Button-Page-Expired-Refresh-Duplicate-Thread" trap myself once. :-)
knightfly
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Post by knightfly »

That looks like a marginal scan of an unevenly drawn pencil sketch; any chance you can upload an improved, more legible version with more detail?

The problems with most office space is crappy, paper-thin cubicle style walls. The kinds of details needed to figure out what you have would include framing size/spacing, wall materials, layer by layer descriptions, and same for floors and ceilings and doors/windows. Decenc isolation under such "office" type conditions can be very difficult if not impossible, so we need as much detail as you can possibly provide.

You also need to follow ALL the guidelines in the very top announcement in this forum - we're not psychic, so if you don't give any information, we can't recommend anything meaningful... Steve
vincentp
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Location: winston salem, nc

Post by vincentp »

Here is a better layout of the space.
I talked to a local contractor who suggest I float the floor then place added layers of drywall over the current wall and ceiling.
Then use wedge foam on parts of the walls.
please help.....
sharward
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Post by sharward »

knightfly wrote:You also need to follow ALL the guidelines in the very top announcement in this forum - we're not psychic, so if you don't give any information, we can't recommend anything meaningful...
Steve is referring to this announcement, Vincent. Among other things, you need to update your profile with a location.
knightfly
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Post by knightfly »

OK, I see you added your location; now, can you re-read the "before you post" link and try to give us some useful info on your space?

For one thing, I would be amazed if any normal contractor has a clue how to float a floor; for another, if he DOES, that would mean large mass resting on existing construction; this is NOT something you do without an engineer's assessment, or people DIE... Steve
vincentp
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Post by vincentp »

CHECK OUT THE PICTURE!!!!!!!

O.K.
Here is the layout:
The office space is on the top floor of a second floor building.
The outside three of the four exterior walls are made of stone with the interior side being a regular wall.
The floor is carpet and there is one exterior double hung window.

My Idea:
I am renting the space so I can not change the construction of it.
So I was thinking on floating the floor in some way to stop noise from coming in from 1st floor tenants. Then soundproof the window with a 2nd window installed with space between them. The walls ? maybe 1 layer of drywall over main wall with acoustical wedge foam. I also would like to install a door between the lounge area and the recording area. I will also build a 4x6 vocal booth.

I hope that was enough information to get some feedback.
Thanks
knightfly
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Post by knightfly »

Sorry for the delay, I've been lucky to get 4 hours sleep a night lately -

I am renting the space so I can not change the construction of it.
So I was thinking on floating the floor in some way to stop noise from coming in from 1st floor tenants.


I know you think you've given enough detail, but this is a very serious thing; you can't just add weight to a building without knowing whether the structure is designed strong enough to hold it. Part of what may be confusing is that LIGHT weight floating floors don't work at lower frequencies, and heavy ones need MAJOR support or people get dead. So before we get much further here, you need to ask about construction of your building, specifically floor framing and load ratings.

If you do a lightweight floated floor, it will have a resonant frequency that's in the audible range; the only way that can work is if there is NO SOUND at that frequency that you want to attenuate, going EITHER direction. So, if you don't care that the downstairs neighbors hear what YOU do, but only care that you don't hear THEM, and if their noise isn't "subwoofer oriented", it may be possible to design a specific floated floor that could help isolate.

Doing this is beyond the amount of time either John or myself have to donate, so we would have to bill you for the time. My current rate is $120 per hour, John's is (I believe) $125 AUD per hour. The amount of time this would take depends a lot on the amount of information available on your existing construction.

Then soundproof the window with a 2nd window installed with space between them.

Good plan.

The walls ? maybe 1 layer of drywall over main wall with acoustical wedge foam.

You probably do NOT want your entire room "foamed" - it will sound like crap with that much mid/high mids "sucked out" of it. Better to use something like Auralex Pro Panels (if you don't want to DIY) and do first reflection points and behind speakers, all spaced a few inches from walls and ceilings.

I also would like to install a door between the lounge area and the recording area.

Check out this thread for some ideas.

I will also build a 4x6 vocal booth.

YOu will get a much better sounding booth if you use odd dimensions; 3x5x7 or 5x7x9 will give more even modal responses than 4x4 or 4x6 by any dimension. Check out the REFERENCE section for wall building methods, booths are just small rooms so should be done same as larger rooms construction-wise.

HTH... Steve
Soooo, when a Musician dies, do they hear the white noise at the end of the tunnel??!? Hmmmm...
vincentp
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Location: winston salem, nc

Post by vincentp »

Thanks Alot For The Input
vincentp
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu May 05, 2005 1:34 am
Location: winston salem, nc

Post by vincentp »

I have another question?
Since I'm renting this space, what can I do to stop some noise coming up from the floor.
The floor is carpet and I have to leave the space the way it was when I moved into it.
AVare
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Post by AVare »

vincentp wrote:I have another question?
Since I'm renting this space, what can I do to stop some noise coming up from the floor.
The floor is carpet and I have to leave the space the way it was when I moved into it.
Read and absorb what Steve earlier in this thread:
I know you think you've given enough detail, but this is a very serious thing; you can't just add weight to a building without knowing whether the structure is designed strong enough to hold it. Part of what may be confusing is that LIGHT weight floating floors don't work at lower frequencies, and heavy ones need MAJOR support or people get dead. So before we get much further here, you need to ask about construction of your building, specifically floor framing and load ratings.

If you do a lightweight floated floor, it will have a resonant frequency that's in the audible range; the only way that can work is if there is NO SOUND at that frequency that you want to attenuate, going EITHER direction. So, if you don't care that the downstairs neighbors hear what YOU do, but only care that you don't hear THEM, and if their noise isn't "subwoofer oriented", it may be possible to design a specific floated floor that could help isolate.

Doing this is beyond the amount of time either John or myself have to donate, so we would have to bill you for the time. My current rate is $120 per hour, John's is (I believe) $125 AUD per hour. The amount of time this would take depends a lot on the amount of information available on your existing construction.
All the information to do the design, assuming that the floor will support the weight is on this forum, but you have to do the work yourwlef, if you don't want to pay a professional.

Andre
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