DIY Network

Starting the Construction Work on the built-from-scratch home theater begins. From "Home Theater" episode DHTW-103

(Continued from page 1)

	Figure D
	Figure E
	Figure F
	Figure G

• You'll also need to run wires for the video. Depending upon your equipment and projector, you'll want to run sever RG-6 coaxial cables (figure D) to your projector to transmit the video signal.

  Note: If you're using a "flat" screen or "rear-projection" television, you'll want to run these cables to that location.

  Tip: When wiring your home theater, it's easiest to use a common path when running both audio and video cable.

  Q: When you have speaker cables, audio cables, video cables and power cords running all over the room, how do you keep the power cords from inducing hum and interference in other cables?

  A: Any time you run signal cables beside power cables it induces hum into the wiring. If you run them at 90-degrees you won't get any of that hum.

  Q: What if you have a room with pre-existing "finished" walls and you want to put in a home theater -- but you don't want to stare at a bunch of wires?

  A: One good trick is to take off the baseboard running around your room. You can notch out a small area of the drywall to chase the cable in. And then when you get to the point in the wall you need to be, you can cut a small hole down there (figure E) and then a hole higher up in the wall--and then chase the wiring up inside of the drywall. Then when you put the baseboard back on, it will cover up the hole at the bottom and by mounting a speaker up above you'll cover the hole above.

• With the wiring in place it's time to put R-13 or "Batt" insulation (figure F) in the walls and ceiling. For this particular project, Mark and Corey utilize a special sound technique--alternating standard insulation with panel "fiberglass" insulation (figure G).

advertisement

	Figure H
	Figure I
	Figure J

Note: Mark explains that by using both batt and panel insulation, which is mounted right to the wall, you can simply cover the panels with loosely woven fabric to give it the appropriate look, and it will do a superb job of absorbing sound in the home theater.

• If this wasn't a home theater that's being built, drywall would be put up, but to further improve the sound quality of the room, you'll want to "avoid" creating a rigid wall, and this means adding an extra step to the construction--
  1. A special channel is mounted to the stud walls, using specially made isolation clips (figure H), which work much like shock absorbers in your car. The flexible clips are attached to the layers of drywall to the channel, and what this does is make the sheet-rock wall work well as a bass absorber.

  2. "Resilient" channel (figure I) is attached to the stud walls because it helps create a deeper airspace and improves acoustic performance. It's a formed 22-gauge galvanized steel strip shaped like a hat--and it's often referred to as "hat" or "furring" channel.

     Note: You can buy resilient channel at most drywall-supply stores, and it's affordable, usually running 35 cents a foot.

  3. Once the resilient channel is in place, the drywallers are called in. This isn't a typical drywall installation. A special technique is used to further enhance the sound quality of the theater. The special technique involves applying two drywall layers of different thicknesses (figure J) to give the wall more mass, which helps with bass absorption. The first layer is laid horizontally and the second layer is laid vertically so none of the seams overlap.

     You also don't want to let the walls and ceiling touch each other so they'll "move" with the sound. The wall will move forward and backward, while the ceiling moves up and down, which helps absorb sound.

  4. Next, the cracks between the walls and ceiling are sealed with a special acoustic caulk. It's flexible and non-hardening, which allows the walls and floor to move. Acoustic caulk also seals the room, which isolates the theater from the rest of the house. This means you can turn up the volume without disturbing anyone.

In the next segment find out why floating your floor helps with the sound quality of your home theater.

1 | 2

RESOURCES :

Don Fillers & Assoc.
Website: www.dfasolutions.com

McDougall Bros. Construction, Inc.
Website: www.mcdougallbros.com

Middle Atlantic Products, Inc.
Website: www.middleatlantic.com

Terratex Fabrics
Website: www.terratex.com

Absolute Sound, Inc.
Website: www.absolutesound.com

Kinetics Noise Control
Website: www.kineticsnoise.com

GUESTS :

Mark Midyett
Engineer/Designer
Don Fillers & Assoc.
1003 North Broadway St.
Knoxville, TN 37917
Phone: 865-523-4470
Website: www.dfasolutions.com

Ted Hollander
Home Theater Designer
Phone: 407-629-0230
Website: www.absolutesound.com