Refinishing my basement - Are you interested?

[Dan Mages]

Hi all!! Within the next few weeks I will be starting a project to finish my basement into a home theater, bar, and general party area. This project will include some interesting techniques and products to improve the accoustics of the room and seal it from the rest of the house. I will also build the cabinets for the bar and a set of built-in book cases along two walls that are heavily inspired by a set built by Ron Dyliard.

So the question is, are you interested in me starting a thread about the progress and techniques used to finish my basement? As we say in Chicago, vote early and vote often!!

Thanks!

Dan

[Andy Hoyt]

Yes, please post!

[Andy Hoyt]

Yes, please post!

[Anthony Anderson]

Dan, I am very interested in following your progress. Actually, I am building two theater room A/V cabinets to go on each side of my theater screen. Isolating the sound is a good idea, especially if you are adding a sub. I did minimal sound isolating, and now wish I had done more. What are the dimensions of your theater room? What type of wood, cabinetry are you planning on using? Thanks for asking, and keep us posted. Later, Bill

[lloyd morris]

Dan,

Yes I am interested. Thanks for starting the thread.

lloyd morris

[jon harriman]

I would love to check out a thread like that!

[David LaRue]

Gee Dan, I thought you were inviting us to come over and help. :rolleyes: :D
Thread away!

[Dan Mages]

Gee Dan, I thought you were inviting us to come over and help. :rolleyes: :D
Thread away!
You are invitied to come over and help. Anyone with experience building cabinetry is welcome over! ;)

Dan

[Dan Mages]

Dan, I am very interested in following your progress. Actually, I am building two theater room A/V cabinets to go on each side of my theater screen. Isolating the sound is a good idea, especially if you are adding a sub. I did minimal sound isolating, and now wish I had done more. What are the dimensions of your theater room? What type of wood, cabinetry are you planning on using? Thanks for asking, and keep us posted. Later, Bill

All good questions. Here are the floor plans for the basement area that I have to work with. I am planning to use oak throughout the basement mainly due to the cost and that my lumber yard (Owl Hardwoods) offers plenty of S4S and predrilled 15" cabinet sides. The cabinets and book cases will be much less ornimental than what Ron did with his. It will probably be use flat stock instead of fluted columns and rosettes. I will also use flat panels on the cabinets.

Have a great morning!!

Dan

I need to get to work, but I will try to describe what my bar cabinet plans are.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v647/DanMages/Basement%20work/Basementplans.jpg

[John Miliunas]

Dan, you rotten scoundrel you! I about spit my coffee all over my desk just now! I didn't even notice the last "selection" until I went back to vote!!!:D :rolleyes:

Well, in that case, John Miliunas thinks (OUCH, that hurt!:D ) that we should see plans, methods and progress!!!:) Been there twice already and I, for one, always enjoy seeing how other folks go about this process. Carry on, my friend!!!:) :cool:

[Aaron Montgomery]

Dan,

When you get done with your basement, maybe you can stop by and finish mine. I'm not that far from you. ;)

[Jim dePrado]

Dan,

I would definately be interested in seeing pics, updates on progress etc.

Jim

[David Fried]

Dan,

Having seen what you can do to a laundry room I can't wait to see what happens when you're let loose with a whole basement! Please, please,please keep us posted.

Dave Fried

[Tom Hamilton]

Hi Dan: By all means keep us informed, just be careful about asking for counsel...you know it will flow out of the Creek in a flood.:eek:

I'm look forward to the saga!

TJH

[Anthony Anderson]

Dan, I forgot to mention that there is a theater forum that is loaded with tons of info on everything you can imagine, dealing with a home theater. The site is www.avsforum.com (http://www.avsforum.com) . You may have already found this site, but I thought I should mention it. Bill

[Dan Lyman]

Hi Dan,
I'd love to follow your progress. You are combining 2 of my favorites, woodworking and home theater.

Last year I completed my own theater room (11x17) with an 82" diagonal screen. I know you'll really enjoy it when done. If you have any questions feel free to contact me.

Dan

[Jim Becker]

Home improvement and woodworking go hand-in-hand...many of the same tools, techniques and considerations. Go for it! Hopefully, you'll get some fun "true woodworking" projects as part of the larger effort, too!! :)

[Marc Langille]

Jim hits the nail right on the head - please share! It's great watching the two being combined... and better justification to get the SWMBO's approval.... :D

[Dan Mages]

Dan, I forgot to mention that there is a theater forum that is loaded with tons of info on everything you can imagine, dealing with a home theater. The site is www.avsforum.com (http://www.avsforum.com) . You may have already found this site, but I thought I should mention it. Bill

Im already on there collecting information... thanks for the tip!!


Jim hits the nail right on the head - please share! It's great watching the two being combined... and better justification to get the SWMBO's approval.... :D

Allison (with two l's, Jim) and I are not married, so getting her permission will not be necessary. But her advice and ideas will be taken seriously.

Dan

[Dan Mages]

Dan,

Having seen what you can do to a laundry room I can't wait to see what happens when you're let loose with a whole basement! Please, please,please keep us posted.

Dave Fried

A small correction. The laundry room is a leasson why you never, never, never, never, never leave your mother the keys to your place when you go on vacation!!

Dan

[Bill Simmeth]

Can we critique your plans?
.
.
. (I'll assume yes)
.
.
Okay, in the upper right corner it says "Pool table or dining table".

I vote "POOL TABLE", baby! :D

The chips and salsa can go on top of the dryer. :p

[scott spencer]

If John abstains, whatever Corey or Original Bart thinks is fine....:D

[Dan Racette]

Coffee spitter!

I voted for whatever you think!

d

[Tyler Howell]

Only if you bring back the dancing hipo!

Plans look good. One question, do you want guests walking through the laundry to get to the head???

Are there other possible entries??

[Dan Mages]

Only if you bring back the dancing hipo!

Plans look good. One question, do you want guests walking through the laundry to get to the head???

Are there other possible entries??

Sadly, there is no other way to get in there, except to go through the garage. The wall between the bathroom and the bar area has the main waste stack. I wish there was another way...

[John Miliunas]

One question, do you want guests walking through the laundry to get to the head???

Are there other possible entries??

Tyler, I have a hunch that the LR already exists and would be far harder to move and, who the heck wants a door to the head in the middle of a fancy back-bar???:eek: Besides, there are advantages to this particular layout. Like in, "what if" the bathroom is occupied and you really have to go???? Well, as long as you're already that far, there's always the sink....:eek: :D :cool:

[Andy Hoyt]

I think that you're gonna have a problem with the garage and stairs and the whole basement thing. If I read the drawing correctly, if you leave the garage by way of the door near the stairs you can either walk straight into the basement or turn right and go down into the ? (Sub Level 27 where you do all your world domination plotting and planning)

And I'm also assuming that the door by the landing in the stairs is a Dutch Door. Open the top half to go up and the bottom half to go down. Very creative! But perhaps a bit too frugal:cool:

Of course if John M. says this is okay.....

[Frank Pellow]

Project progress reports are my favourite type of threads. This is particularly true when we see things right from the planning stage.

[John Miliunas]

And I'm also assuming that the door by the landing in the stairs is a Dutch Door. Open the top half to go up and the bottom half to go down. Very creative! But perhaps a bit too frugal:cool:

.....

Yeah, but Andy, the money saved with the Dutch Door then allows extra $$$ for the handrail going halfway into the hallway!:D 'Ya see...A reason for everything!:D :) (Come on...Give the guy a break. It's only the first draft!):) :cool:

[Jerry Ingraham]

Absolutely!

[Dan Mages]

I think that you're gonna have a problem with the garage and stairs and the whole basement thing. If I read the drawing correctly, if you leave the garage by way of the door near the stairs you can either walk straight into the basement or turn right and go down into the ? (Sub Level 27 where you do all your world domination plotting and planning)

And I'm also assuming that the door by the landing in the stairs is a Dutch Door. Open the top half to go up and the bottom half to go down. Very creative! But perhaps a bit too frugal:cool:

Of course if John M. says this is okay.....

I freely admit that my plans are not the greatest. there is probably some error in the measurements. It is the best I can do using Microsoft's Visio.

The house is a typical 1962 split level ranch. when you walk in the front door, you can go up the stairs to the left to the main level of the house, or down a few steps to the basement hallway. At the bottom of the stairs, you can go forward into the laundry/utility/bathroom area, left to the garage, or right to the main living area and the closet.

John is right. the laundry and utility rooms are existing rooms and cannot be changed without speding massive amounts to replumb the house.

Dan

[John Miliunas]

I freely admit that my plans are not the greatest. there is probably some error in the measurements. It is the best I can do using Microsoft's Visio.



Hey, you did that with Visio??? That's pretty good! I'm going to have to give that a try!!!:) (See....You're already giving value-added information on this project!:D ):) :cool:

[Andy Hoyt]

Come on...Give the guy a break. It's only the first draft!:) :cool:

I was beginnig to think he was on his fifth or sixth draft - but not the kind you're referring to :D



.....The house is a typical 1962 split level ranch. when you walk in the front door, you can go up the stairs to the left to the main level of the house, or down a few steps to the basement hallway. At the bottom of the stairs, you can go forward into the laundry/utility/bathroom area, left to the garage, or right to the main living area and the closet.....Dan

Okay, that explains it. Thanks, Dan.

[Christian Aufreiter]

So the question is, are you interested in me starting a thread about the progress and techniques used to finish my basement? As we say in Chicago, vote early and vote often!!

As you've already started this thread ...;) how about this?
Discussion: Why discuss anyway? :D ;)

Back to your question. I'm definitely interested.

Regards,

Christian

[Dan Mages]

I was beginnig to think he was on his fifth or sixth draft - but not the kind you're referring to :D



I will be at the Barrel and Wood Aged Beer Festival tomorrow, so yes, I will be on my 10th by the end of the day tomorrow. :cool:

Anyhow, I will also be going to Architectual Artifacts tomorrow as well to get some ideas for my basement. The place is a bazzar and scrap yard for architectual pieces.

Dan

[Andy Hoyt]

...... attebdubg .....Dan

Already on number 10 I see:D

Or is that another of Gort's famous lines?:cool:

[Randy Moore]

I wish that I had read all of the poll options 'fore voting. I would have voted for the last one instead of the first one.:D

Randy

[Tim Morton]

Dan, I forgot to mention that there is a theater forum that is loaded with tons of info on everything you can imagine, dealing with a home theater. The site is www.avsforum.com (http://www.avsforum.com) . You may have already found this site, but I thought I should mention it. Bill

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/ is also a nice place to research ideas.

[John Miliunas]

I wish that I had read all of the poll options 'fore voting. I would have voted for the last one instead of the first one.:D

Randy

Bummer! And I was catching up there for a bit!:D :D :D :cool:

[Dan Lyman]

Dan,

If you are going with a projector as indicated in the drawing, you might want to consider (if you havn't already), making the viewing area a bit deeper. The added space allows more flexibility of image size and better surround sound options. It looks to be about 10ft from screen to seating position and that seems a tad close.

Don't know the storage situation, but you could ax the storage closet or make it smaller. Or, you could do the screen against the front wall rather than a drop down, and build your bookcase around it.

The distance from projector to screen and the resulting image size is tied to the individual projector so you may want to research your projector options to see which ones will fit best. This is assuming you don't aleady have the projector.

Just some food for thought.