Staggered Stud (1 Viewer)

[chris.big.money]

I've read on this forum many times about "staggered studs"? well i am still in need of building a final wall for my home theater that butts up to the stairs...and i wondered if this would give me any advantage? Also what recommendations would people give for double doors leading into the theater? preferably sliding doors that can slide into the walls...but where would i find those?

 

[JohnRice]

Staggered studs, and insulation, give better sound isolation outside the HT.

 

[Ed Moxley]

You should be able to find Pocket Doors at Lowe's or Home Depot. If you want something fancier than that, you may have to get custom built. Check with a local contractor for suppliers too.

I did a Google search for Pocket Doors, and got this page:
pocket doors hardware - Google Search
Good luck!

 

[chris.big.money]

thanks guys. also, could i get some more info on staggered studs anywhere? how do i do it, etc. is it just a matter of placing the studs at different widths apart...or is it more complicated than that? and as far as insulation goes...is there a good type of sound insulation anywhere?

 

[JohnRice]

Chris, that is not what the "staggered" means. It means that as opposed to having a stud and attaching drywall to both sides of it, you have one set of studs with one wall attached and another entirely different set of studs, usually set at least an inch off center from the first, toward the other room, with the drywall attached to them. In this way, there is no direct contact from one room to the other. You end up with a thicker wall and higher material cost, but better sound insulation. I think you usually use 2x6 headers and footers instead of 2x4 and offset the studs by the extra width.

I'm not describing it well, but hopefully you understand or someone else can explain better.

 

[chris.big.money]

thanks a lot for the help. i actually ended up finding a great visual guide online for how to do it. i really appreciate everyone's help! lots more questions on the way!

 

[Ed Moxley]

Have you looked at DIY's site for help in building an HT? See here:
DIY Network
also here:
Ultimate Media Room : DIY Network
Enjoy!

 

[Robert_J]

I used staggered studs on my home theater. It does a great job of keeping noises OUT of the theater. It also does a good job of containing the highs. It does NOT contain all of the sound though. With a pair of 15" subs and a 2,400w amp, I can shake the entire house. I could have used double drywall, QuietRock, Green Glue, sound isolation mat in the walls, etc but the lower the frequency, the more difficult to contain. It wasn't worth the money.

-Robert

 

[chris.big.money]

well i don't think i'll be going that wild with my low frequency ....i just wanted to know a simple way to make that last wall a little more sound proof. it might take me a while with the drywall and what not (since i'm such a newbie) but i am planning on building a 2 by 8(?) wall with staggered 2 by 4's and pocket doors leading into the theater. i also hope to add the sound proofing insulation. thanks for the help!

 

[JohnRice]

I think Robert makes a good point. Isolating outside noise is probably easier than containing the high energy Sub output within thhe room. Of course, I've never built a staggered stud wall, and this discussion is probably better suited to the HT construction section of the forum.

 

[chris.big.money]

I think i'm gonna go for it! I've decided on a 2by6 header and footer with staggered 2by4's and hopefully some pocket doors if i get the chance. along with that i am planning on installing an in-wall equipment cabinet to get the equipment out of the cabinet that currently sits at the back of the room. does anyone have any advice/warnings on building an in-wall equipment cabinet? i have access to both sides of the wall, but one side is drywalled. Is it necessary to use the "special" equipment cabinets at htmarket.com or can i use supplies from home depot? thanks for all the feedback everyone it's greatly appreciated!

 

[Robert_J]

You can use supplies from any place you want. Make it structurally sound and provide adequate ventilation. If you want to use glass doors, Rockler has great glass hinges and magnetic latches.

-Robert

 

[chris.big.money]

thanks, i'll check it out. do i need to use a specific type of fan or anything? will a 120mm computer ventilation fan do the job or do i need more power?

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Hi Chris,

You're taking two steps forward with the staggered studs, and one step back with a pocket door. Mass and air sealing make for the best sound proofing, so doors should be solid outside-type with full weatherstripping. A pocket door will not have thes qualities. It will be hollow and will not be air tight.

Re the sheetrocking, double-layering with 5/8" will probably get you better results, and cheaper, than "soundproof insulation" (although admittedly I don't know much about the latter).

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[MarkMel]

You can hang any door type to be a pocket door. With the right hardware you can even have it weather tight. When most people think of pocket doors they think of some flimsy hollow core door that was shoved in a 2x4 wall. Take a look at some of the solid wood 2" pocket doors in an old victorian. Most of these are set into a 8" or 6" wall. Done right you can get the same performance from a pocket door as a conventionally hung door.

 

[chris.big.money]

Thanks for the replies. It definitely sounds promising that I could make a pocket door weather tight. I wish that i didn't have to use pocket doors but my hallway won't allow for some nice french doors. Also, i realized that my current financial standing is going to make me have to wait for more renovations (building the wall, installing the doors, buying new projector, updating sound) :frowning: but i will definitely keep this thread in the back of my mind for the future! I'm also going to start looking at some solid core doors to use as pocket doors. Thanks!

 

[chris.big.money]

I was actually planning on finding some solid core doors to hang as pocket doors with the right hardware if possible? I regret having a small hallway leading to the theater that doesn't allow me to have full on sealed doors :frowning: but according to MarkMel i can make them weather tight?