Construction Begins on Sim Room Addition

[Kaos]

Drywall mudding was completed today and knockdown was sprayed on ceiling. Dry time for initial mudding was quite long (3 days). Painting will begin tomorrow. I am hoping to get electricity and min split fired up by Thursday (possibly Wednesday, depending on how much painting I can complete tomorrow). Planning on carpet being installed later this week.

[Kaos]

Initial test was done with Db meter using the drywall crew music. The Db in the room was running about 80-90. Just on the other side of the entry door it read an average of around 45Db. Half way up the stairs it was around 40 Db. You could still hear some of the low frequency base, but it wasn't too bad as in not annoying. BEFORE mud was installed I did a higher frequency test of about 110-113Db. Measured in the Master bedroom with everything turned off, I got a reading of about 53 Db. My wife watches TV at a Db of 48-55 (level 7-8 out of 100 on Vizio TV). I suspect that after carpet, enclosure and curtains are installed, I expect that number to drop a little. I am thinking that after carpet and sound dampening curtains are in, I may drop to the high 40s as measured in the master. I also measured the Db of a iron at impact and I consistently got 108-113 Db in the garage with the Db meter about 7-8 feet from impact. Hopefully, I can get it to a level where the TV masks any impacts or at least that you will have to be listening for them to really hear them.

[Kaos]

Gutters were installed and first two coats of mud were put on. The crew is sanding and touching up mud, fixing the living room where the entry door was installed and spraying knockdown on ceiling tomorrow. I believe the trim is being installed Monday along with window sills. I am hoping to be painting on Tuesday (or Wednesday at the latest) so I can get electrical finalized.

Ugggh...the real estate assessor also came by so they can increase my real estate tax bill (they certainly didn't waste any time!).

[Kaos]

Additional blocking was installed around windows and doors. Drywall rehung and fire caulking was done. This crew did a much better job and the gapping is substantially correct now. Siding was completed all the way around. Interior insulated entry door was installed and caulked. Yard was graded and grass seed put down. I hope the mudding will be started in the morning (and will probably take 2-3 days). Once mud is complete it will be trimmed and painting can begin and then carpet! I am hoping to be painting by Wednesday or possibly Tuesday. Electrician can then finish off equipment install, lights, switches and outlets and fire up mini split. I will really start to get excited when mud and sanding is complete!

[pwade3]

Brettster - I am concerned about sound. I currently have my sim in my 4 bay garage. It is ground level and the neighbors house is close by. We live in a rural area and it is quiet. Standing outside, we can hear the driver. Its noticeable. Don’t really hear anything else. House was built with insulated concrete forms so they are very sound proof. The weakness is the garage doors and windows. The garage doors are a heavy insulated type but we still get too much noise transferring to the outside. The new building will be 16 x 30. It will be in the back corner of the property and about 80ft from the neighbor but will be right beside them if they are gardening or enjoying their back yard. Kaos is doing it the right way. He going the extra step to avoid sound issues and even though only one wall of his sim is attached to the house, I’m sure he does not want noise effecting his yard or neighbors . I will be going the extra step just to be on the safe side. I like my neighbor’s. I have a buddy of mine who converted his unfinished detached garage to a sim. Insulation and drywall etc and he says that standing in the yard that they can hear the driver but it is not really loud, but he lives in the city so ambient noise there is higher then the extremely quite area I live in.

[Brettster]

I can't stand mudding/sanding ACgolfer. You're right, always have this done by an expert - the difference between what a drywall guy can do compared to your own work is usually night and day and not something you can easily correct/hide - I've tried it myself in my basement. The only way I could make it look good was ' a lot of trim '.

[Brettster]

pwade3 - really, you're doing an exterior shed right? I am as well, and about to get some new bids on finishing the interior and adding 4 feet to length... I'm not worried at all about sound, as it is an entirely stand-alone structure from the house and I don't expect there will be any sound transference, as far as it sits from any sleeping areas...

[Brettster]

Bummer Kaos - looks like they are hanging drywall on metal, is that for soundproofing? Going to be one heck of a nice sim room when you're done.

[pwade3]

I’m going to use sound dampening paint if its not overly expensive as I have to paint the walls with something. Lol 😂. I am also going to have heavy drapes along the wall for about 12 ft from the screen but the rest of the building will only have it on the windows.
Thanks again for doing this. Its is all very helpful.
I’m trying to find information about what different types of siding will do to dampen sound. Being I will have obs, then tyvek wrap and then siding will just add to the dampening effect, unfortunately have no idea how much. Found information on obs but not siding.

[John6577]

Wow. Poor job on the drywall - they were probably hoping to tape and mud before you noticed the large gaps. I had a few gaps on my installation but I installed it myself and I am not a drywaller. Good luck and its looking good!

pwade3 - if you are building it yourself, save time and hire an experienced person that does taping and mudding. It is a huge pain but by far the worst job is sanding!!

Currently in the process of having mud, tape and sanding done. Not cheap, but having the drywall done by an experienced professional from start to finish is money well spent. Its a super pain to do on your own and ensure it looks good when done. I paid more than I had originally budgeted for drywall (about $2k more) but very glad I did. I absolutely hate working with drywall!

[ACgolfer]

Wow. Poor job on the drywall - they were probably hoping to tape and mud before you noticed the large gaps. I had a few gaps on my installation but I installed it myself and I am not a drywaller. Good luck and its looking good!

pwade3 - if you are building it yourself, save time and hire an experienced person that does taping and mudding. It is a huge pain but by far the worst job is sanding!!

[Kaos]

That is the purpose of doing this step-by-step to help you guys! No on the paint. I am just adding sound dampening curtains to all curtains and doors. The entry door will also have a curtain that can be pulled after the insulated door is shut. Trying to do everything I can to keep wife happy!

[pwade3]

Oh man. Sorry to hear all the issues going on. Your doing an excellent job staying on top of the contractors though. Well done. I am making a check list of all the possible issues you are having so when I start construction (in a couple of weeks) on mine I can make sure some of the issues don’t happen. Sorry your having to be the test run so to speak. Are you going to use sound dampening paint? Read an article that stated that it helps but it gave no data and said it required 3 coats, so not sure its worth it.

[Kaos]

Well...one step back today! After looking at the drywall install more closely yesterday, I found that the crew did a REALLY bad job and the gaps around the ceiling and walls were 1" or more and the gaps around the corners varied between 1/2" and 1". The gaps per sound clip and hat channel instructions were suppose to be 1/4". I made them rip out all of the drywall installed Saturday. It was a different crew that tore out the drywall and I hope it is not the same crew that does the install tomorrow! There was additional blocking added around windows and doors because of the gap between the drywall and studs. Siding almost completed. The plan I believe is to reinstall drywall tomorrow, install entry door and finish siding. Wednesday I believe they are planning to grade the yard, mud the drywall and if time permits, start installing trim. I think the contractor is planning of finishing up by Friday (or possibly Thursday). I am sure he will be glad to be rid of me, as I have been kicking his butt on QC issues. I am hoping to be painting this weekend. Fingers crossed. Once painted, the electrician will finish of his work (e.g., installing outlets, switches, firing up mini split etc.).

[richerod]

Have you tested how effective the soundproofing is so far....pre mud and taping? Do u have a portable net u could do a quick sound test with a driver? Or test with some loud music?