Stucco?

frederic · Post by **frederic** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 4:45 am

One of the things I was thinking about in my studio, is on the wall with the single window, where there are two ceiling slants, is to skim the plywood with stucco, or use those lightweight fake bricks. Why? Because I think it adds to the ambience and atmosphere from a comfort perspective.

But, it would be on the right side of the mixing environment, and not in front, or back, of the console table.

Is this a really dumb idea? If so I'll pass on doing this, but I happen to be in a position to acquire fake bricks and the steel screw-on rails for next to nothing, and have more than enough to cover this strange wall.

So, tell me its pretty but acoustically stupid

I've attached the wall in question...

frederic · Post by **frederic** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 4:46 am

That reminds me, I have to remove the radiator real soon so I can insulate behind it and get rid of the two dead mice that I can see, but can't get my arm in there to yank them.

Bleah.

knightfly · Post by **knightfly** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 9:25 am

OK, you asked - it's a dumb idea

Seriously, if you're talking about a mix environment you need as close to TOTAL PLANE SYMMETRY as you can get. If there's enough room to splay walls too, great - otherwise, maybe angled slot resonators each side in front (deeper at front of room, so they reflect to the rear and away from mix position)

Your ceiling is already good for RFZ, but I'd try to keep the room balanced left to right... Steve

frederic · Post by **frederic** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 12:00 pm

OK, you asked - it's a dumb idea

I figured. I had to ask though, I like brick, and this stuff is very cheap, and very light.

Seriously, if you're talking about a mix environment you need as close to TOTAL PLANE SYMMETRY as you can get. If there's enough room to splay walls too, great - otherwise, maybe angled slot resonators each side in front (deeper at front of room, so they reflect to the rear and away from mix position)

My first iteration will have foam, just because I have a lot of foam in the attic also acquired cheaply (auralex), and if that doesn't work out I'll be building some slotted resonators and angle them accordingly.

Your ceiling is already good for RFZ, but I'd try to keep the room balanced left to right... Steve

Cool, the ceiling is an irritating accident, actually

knightfly · Post by **knightfly** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 12:51 pm

"the ceiling is an irritating accident" - So was vulcanizing rubber, and Reeses Peanut Butter Cups (if you believe the ads, in which case I've got a great deal on a bridge for ya)

... Steve

frederic · Post by **frederic** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 1:39 am

knightfly wrote:"the ceiling is an irritating accident" - So was vulcanizing rubber, and Reeses Peanut Butter Cups (if you believe the ads, in which case I've got a great deal on a bridge for ya) ... Steve

I'm probably closer to said bridge

I said accident because I was "assigned" this room when my wife and I bought the house, and I can't really complain because not every guy has a wife who encourages studio construction. Or car projects. Or racks of servers in the basement. And gig-E in every room of the house (except the bathrooms, of course).

Irritating because the slanted ceiling has just been a pain in the butt to work with. But as of rihgt now, the first layer of plywood is on the slant, all is well.

knightfly · Post by **knightfly** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 4:11 am

Just curious - why plywood?

frederic · Post by **frederic** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 6:20 am

knightfly wrote:Just curious - why plywood?

I thought it was a better choice than sheet rock, for a non-staggered stud design.

I was going to apply two layers of plywood over the vapor barrier, all glued and screwed into the joists. Less vibration that way? More airtight? it won't be perfect of course, but I thought it was smart to do it this way.

Post by **John Sayers** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 8:40 am

I would have thought a double layer of drywall on RC would have been easier and more effective.

cheers
john

knightfly · Post by **knightfly** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 4:38 pm

You'd probably be better off now that at least part of the plywood's up, to put sheet rock over it and DON'T glue except where fasteners are. If the plywood's already got screws into the rafters, you'd be better off putting a layer of 5/8 sheet rock with seams offset, and just screwing that to the rafters as well. Normally I'd recommend NOT running fasteners through successive layers into wood framing because it adds to flanking noise -

I probably explained most of this here fairly well -

http://johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=598

check out the first #4 and #5 points particularly...

If you do decide to go with drywall, I'd look at that rental lift for sure - here's a chart of panel weights -

Regular Drywall Panels.

Panel Size Weight Lbs/SqFt

4' x 8' x 3/8" = ///45 lbs. //1.406
4' x 10' x 3/8" = //56 lbs. //1.406
4' x 12' x 3/8" = //67 lbs. //1.406
4' x 8' x 1/2" = //54 lbs. /1.6875
4' x 10' x 1/2" = //68 lbs. //1.6875
4' x 12' x 1/2" = //82 lbs. //1.6875
4' x 8' x 5/8" = //74 lbs. /2.3125
4' x 10' x 5/8" = //92 lbs. //2.3125
4' x 12' x 5/8" =//110 lbs. /2.3125

Firecode Core Panels

4' x 8' x 5/8" = /70 lbs. /2.1875
4' x 10' x 5/8" = /88 lbs. /2.1875
4' x 12' x 5/8" = /105 lbs. /2.1875

Gawd I hate trying to put charts up on BBS's - NEVER comes out right... Steve

frederic · Post by **frederic** » Thu Oct 09, 2003 2:01 pm

If the plywood's already got screws into the rafters, you'd be better off putting a layer of 5/8 sheet rock with seams offset, and just screwing that to the rafters as well. Normally I'd recommend NOT running fasteners through successive layers into wood framing because it adds to flanking noise -

The plywood is screwed, and chaulked down on the walls with silicon chaulk (its clear). The ceiling plywood is screwed, and glued down with structural adhesive, which has the same consistancy as the clear silicon chaulk except when it dries, its a glue.

I probably explained most of this here fairly well -
http://johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=598

Okay, I shall go read.

Gawd I hate trying to put charts up on BBS's - NEVER comes out right... Steve

Yeah, it looked funny, but you know what? It was readable and thats what matters. Thanks!

And you mentioned you thought the slant was an okay "feature". You do realize thats the front of the studio, meaning the backs of the monitors will be facing the ceiling slant.

knightfly · Post by **knightfly** » Thu Oct 09, 2003 2:56 pm

Yeah, it looked to me like there would be an upward slant in front of your mix position and a downward one behind you? If so, the front one should "carom" the sound away from the mix position, and the rear slant might pose the need for some absorption to keep those reflections from getting back to the mix position in less than about 22 milliseconds (20 feet LONGER path length than the one to your ears) -

Did I see it the way it is, or??? Steve

frederic · Post by **frederic** » Fri Oct 10, 2003 4:12 am

knightfly wrote:Did I see it the way it is, or??? Steve

The ceiling slant is at the front of the room, my monitors and the console will be under the slant.

The back of the room is open and about 20' in length, though if you're facing the ceiling slant, behind you on the right is a 3' wide ceiling slant that goes down, and the rest of the room is essentially one giant dormer, with 7-8' high ceilings depending where you stand.

Want me to snap a few quick 320x240 pictures to give a better idea of the space? Would that help?

knightfly · Post by **knightfly** » Fri Oct 10, 2003 12:02 pm

Thought ya'd never ask

So, like, the rest of the room does NOT slant back down like the part in the pic? If so, even better... Steve

frederic · Post by **frederic** » Sat Oct 11, 2003 7:34 am

knightfly wrote:Thought ya'd never ask

Well Steve, here ya go

Attached to this post, is the floorplan. Ignore the specifics on the gear, some of it might change, but the overall placement is valid.

The bottom of the diagram, across the entire width, is the ceiling slant.