| It's kind of nice being in the "do it | | | | and would be perfect for under carpet and |
| yourself kind of business" like | | | | pad. The American Impact Standard would also |
| soundproofing. In today's world taking the | | | | be effective under the carpet and pad, but is |
| family out on a Friday night for dinner and a | | | | more suited for hardwood and ceramic tile |
| movie might cost you more than your monthly | | | | floors due to its sheer mass. Other concerns |
| mortgage payment. That is why many families | | | | that you might have with your home theater |
| are opting for their very own home Theater. | | | | would be doors and windows. Let's talk about |
| If you have a spare room or an empty space in | | | | doors for a minute; if you are trying to keep |
| your basement or attic, you have a potential | | | | the movie in the home theater, then a hollow |
| Home Theater. It | | | | core door could be your worst enemy. Most |
| used to be that the best way to build a home | | | | modern bedroom doors are hollow core and do |
| theater or a home studio was to construct new | | | | little in the way of soundproofing. Your best |
| wall within the existing room and then build | | | | bet would be to go to Home Depot or Lowe's |
| what we call a "Room within a room." Though | | | | and purchase a solid core MDF or solid wood |
| this method of soundproofing is still quite | | | | door. You could ad an automatic drop down |
| effective, it is costly and eats up a lot of | | | | transom seal to the bottom of the door and |
| wall space in your already cramped theater | | | | also a door perimeter seal kit to seals |
| room. A better suggestion is to work with | | | | around the door where it closes into the jam. |
| your existing walls by applying a new layer | | | | A real soundproof door could cost thousands, |
| of drywall to the existing walls and ceiling | | | | with a little time and careful planning; you |
| but applying a layer of a product called | | | | can get the same results at ¼ the cost. |
| Green Glue on the new drywall and sandwich it | | | | The last thing we need to talk about are the |
| in between the existing wall and the new | | | | windows in your home theater. If neighbors |
| drywall. If you do this to all the walls and | | | | are a concern, then I would suggest building |
| the ceiling you are well on your way to a | | | | window plugs with the 2" America Mat closed |
| great soundproof home theater. Now if your | | | | cell vinyl nitrile foam mat. For example, if |
| home theater is on a second floor, the | | | | your window were 3' X 3', you would cut the |
| ceiling now becomes less of a concern and now | | | | foam to 3'1" X 3' 1" thus giving the window |
| the floors become more of an issue. Floors | | | | plug and extra ½" around it's entire |
| can be soundproofed in many different ways | | | | perimeter. This extra ½" will help to hold |
| depending on what the finished floor is going | | | | the window plug tightly into the window frame |
| to be installed. If you are planning on | | | | much like a cork in a bottle. If the window |
| having carpet and pad for the finished floor | | | | is 4' or more on either dimension, it is |
| in your theater, then a soundproof floor | | | | suggested that the window plug be glued to a |
| underlay would be in order. Something like | | | | backer board, something like wood paneling or |
| American Impactless soundproof floor underlay | | | | Luaan. These wood panels can be found at home |
| or American Impact Standard underlay. These | | | | Depot or Lowe's. Well, I think we have |
| are both recycled rubber products that would | | | | covered every aspect of building your very |
| lie atop of the wood or concrete sub floor to | | | | own home theater; next time we will discuss |
| stop the airborne sounds of the home theater | | | | acoustical treatments for your theater, until |
| from traveling down to the people below. The | | | | then, Dr. Bob.... Out!!! |
| Impactless is a less dense rubber underlay | | | | |