My little cellar's story begins.....

HCK · 15-10-2005, 10:50 PM

Hi all,

After months of money raising and planning, the work on my cellar conversion begins. The room size is 14.5ft x 8ft. A window has already been put in (not shown in the picture) and the electrics and plumbing are being done. The waterproofing (tanking) company are due to start work at the end of October/beginning of november, after which all that will need doing will be the decorating and a wooden floor being laid.

The AV gubbins will be situated where the gas and electric meters are, the tanking company are going to build a false wall to cover up the meters. The back of the room houses a door which leads to a 10 x 8 room which is going to be used for storage.

I have started sound proofing the ceiling with Acoustic quilt and mineral wool slabs from http://www.customaudiodesigns.co.uk/, unfortunately due to the height of the room I cant sound proof it properly, with a bar system which stops the bass travelling.

As our current TV has developed a fault I am going to have to buy a new 37" LCD (its a tough life!!). My current setup of a Sony STDB-940 AV receiver, Mission speakers and a Yamaha sub will make up the rest, no new additions here :-(.....sorry I tell a lie....an XBOX 360 will grace the room......if there is any left!!

I hope to have the room finished by mid-end november. I'll update pics and news when it happens!

**inzaman** · 16-10-2005, 7:48 AM

Quote:

I'll update pics and news when it happens!

Good stuff

I will watch this thread with fond memories of when i had my cellar converted last year

HCK · 17-10-2005, 2:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by inzaman

Good stuff

I will watch this thread with fond memories of when i had my cellar converted last year

kewl....I can pick your brains for advice!!!

**inzaman** · 18-10-2005, 7:48 AM

Quote:

kewl....I can pick your brains for advice!!!

You sure can, there are also plenty of other member who will give you sound advice on the various areas as you progress

HCK · 19-10-2005, 10:01 AM

Anybody got any ideas about running cabling...mainly rear speaker cables, so that you can change the cable easliy if needed ? The solution will need to fit behind plasterboard or I could run it through the jiosts....any suggestions appreciated.

Thanks.

Supersonic · 19-10-2005, 10:51 AM

I'd be interested in ideas on speaker cable as well. I can hide the fronts ok, it's the surrounds.

At the moment it looks like they'll simply be painted the same colour as the wall but that's about it. I have 3 surround speakers mounted on brick walls and one on a plasterboard wall (the type with the cardboard box sections inside).

shahedz · 20-10-2005, 3:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HCK

Anybody got any ideas about running cabling...mainly rear speaker cables, so that you can change the cable easliy if needed ? The solution will need to fit behind plasterboard or I could run it through the jiosts....any suggestions appreciated.

Thanks.

how about running the cable through pipes or trunking , and then when you want to upgrade the cable you disconnect the old cable from the amp , tie the new cable to the end of it and just pull it through?

jmbrailsford · 20-10-2005, 4:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HCK

Anybody got any ideas about running cabling...mainly rear speaker cables, so that you can change the cable easliy if needed ? The solution will need to fit behind plasterboard or I could run it through the jiosts....any suggestions appreciated.

Thanks.

I used 40mm plastic waste pipe as can be seen here as it exits the plasterboard ( the pipes are run within the wall as per the writing that can be seen on the plasterboard.

The darker cables are the video cables, one is HDMI - HDMI and other is SVideo - SVideo, the two white cables are actually telephone wire for use as pull-throughs if I require to put any other cables within the wall.

The 40mm pipe from Homebase isn't as thick in contruction as the stuff I got from the plumbing supplies place, this was only really an issue when I came to join the 2 pieces together with a glued joint as the cheap stuff from Homebase wouldn't glue together as it had a slightly smaller outer diameter than the joints so bear this in mind, it might be half the price but its not as easy to join.

Thing is you need to use glued joints as the pushover ones are too big for the plasterboard strapping which is usually 50mm.

Don't know if this will help, but it worked for me.

Cheers,
Mike.

HCK · 20-10-2005, 9:23 PM

thanks for the ideas guys.....I had simliar ideas but im just trying to work out the practicalities of doing it!!

louishm · 22-10-2005, 11:25 AM

oh this brings back memories.

good luck, be nice to see the end product

Docta teef · 22-10-2005, 12:45 PM

I had 2 rooms done at the same time as inzaman and ive still not painted the second room cause i either spend my time on here or in the cinema room.
To be honest it depends on how your tanking the walls if your having it rendered then pipes is the way to go. If your using a stud wall and membrane system you should just be able to run the cable in the space behind the stud wall.

HCK · 23-10-2005, 5:20 PM

it will dry lining used...but i think im gonna run the cable in the joists as close as I can to the wall so it can drop behind the plasterboard. I will update shortly with a few pics as the window has been put in and the plumbing has been moved over over to one side of the wall

TooManyHobbies · 24-10-2005, 10:33 PM

Assuming it's not an overley big cable you could use 20mm PVC conduit and form the bends with a bending spring. The advantage being that you will be able to push a draw tape straight through which you will have trouble with if you use manufactured bends even on the larger truncking. If you use manufactured bends you will need to feed and leave a draw wire in which if it comes off while your drawing the cable in you will be (excuse the term) knackered.
20mm PVC is cheap and easy to work with. If you decided to go this way I could lend you a bending spring assuming I didn't need it at work and could possible sort you some fittings out if we have them on site. I pass Ossett most days on the motorway.

Would be interested in here how you go on with the tanking as I'm looking into doing our cellars. When it rains one of the rooms floods and like today I spend an hour sucking up the water after work

HCK · 24-10-2005, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TooManyHobbies

Assuming it's not an overley big cable you could use 20mm PVC conduit and form the bends with a bending spring. The advantage being that you will be able to push a draw tape straight through which you will have trouble with if you use manufactured bends even on the larger truncking. If you use manufactured bends you will need to feed and leave a draw wire in which if it comes off while your drawing the cable in you will be (excuse the term) knackered.
20mm PVC is cheap and easy to work with. If you decided to go this way I could lend you a bending spring assuming I didn't need it at work and could possible sort you some fittings out if we have them on site. I pass Ossett most days on the motorway.

Would be interested in here how you go on with the tanking as I'm looking into doing our cellars. When it rains one of the rooms floods and like today I spend an hour sucking up the water after work

Thanks for the offer, I will probably take you up on that!! When the tanking has been put in you are welcome to pop by to see the work. It sound like you will need what im having done, which is a pump and a sump put in, along with drainage channels. We have water that trickles in at the back of the cellar (the storage part

)....but the rest of the cellar is fine.

**inzaman** · 25-10-2005, 7:56 AM

Quote:

Would be interested in here how you go on with the tanking as I'm looking into doing our cellars. When it rains one of the rooms floods and like today I spend an hour sucking up the water after work

I had to use the membrane system with a sump and pump for mine as it is quite damp, especially when it rains. Lucky i do have a pump as we have has a lot or rain the past few nights and i have seen it working in the run off outside.

TooManyHobbies · 25-10-2005, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by inzaman

I had to use the membrane system with a sump and pump for mine as it is quite damp, especially when it rains. Lucky i do have a pump as we have has a lot or rain the past few nights and i have seen it working in the run off outside.

I have slight issue with very slight damp in one cellar but my main issue is with a problem water rising up through a hole in the lower cellar.
It only occurs when it rains. I have dug out around it the hole last night and the hole fills with water. I drain it out and it fills to exactly the same level unless it is raining. I think I have and issue with the water table TBH but what a cannot understand is our house is built on an incline so I think its time to find a few specialists and see where we go.
I has been said that some houses on the street are built on an underground spring which could be feesable as the water is crystal clear.

Sorry to hijack the thread!

**inzaman** · 26-10-2005, 8:22 AM

I dont want to take this thread off topic but i had a similar problem and after much investigation it was found to be broken drainage, check my cellar conversion thread for more details, here

HCK · 26-10-2005, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by inzaman

I dont want to take this thread off topic but i had a similar problem and after much investigation it was found to be broken drainage, check my cellar conversion thread for more details, here

thanks for that, I think ours is a rainwater pipe problem but ours is a semi...and next door have built a garage right next to our unjoined wall which leaves about 30cm gap between our outside wall and their garage wall. so working on it is impossible!!!!! The water we get in is enough to warrant a pump but not to dig up the pipes.

HCK · 05-11-2005, 10:45 PM

Got a few piccie updates. Had a window put in, new consumer unit and the gas and water pipes moved over onto one wall, also had a radiator put in. The whole celing is now soundproofed, I put silicone in the gaps between the floorboard, that took ages!!! It has a layer of mineral wool and a layer of Acoustic quilt both from Custom audio designs. The Waterproofing company has said they would put in soundproofed plasterboard, for no extra.

I also have some home made DD and DTS signs, I think they look the dogs!!

The tanking is due to be started in just over a week. Its getting close, I think im gonna pee my pants.

I forgot to mention I have ordered my leather sofa and a Toshiba 37LT58....oh joy!

HCK · 22-11-2005, 11:32 PM

Got some more piccies.

We eventually tied down the Tanking company to a date and all should be finished by this saturday. I then have to decorate and lay a floor

.

Walls have been tanked, drainage channels have been put round the edges, and a sump put in, pump waiting to go in. There should be a lot of activity between now and the weekend!!

HCK · 16-12-2005, 4:15 PM

cellar is more or less done, just to some skirting to paint and the door covering the gas and electric boxes. I shall post a few piccies in the next few days

ash · 16-12-2005, 6:55 PM

You mst be very happy!

**inzaman** · 17-12-2005, 8:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HCK

I shall post a few piccies in the next few days

Good man, great timing as well just before Christmas

sy278 · 17-12-2005, 12:06 PM

Where did you get the DD and DTS palques from? they are well smart!

HCK · 17-12-2005, 6:22 PM

erm...i printed them off and got them framed by a local company.......they do look good.

Yes i am well happy, although I have budget speakers the sound is amzing due to it being in a cellar. I need to put the pics up then I will post a few piccies.

baldybonce · 17-12-2005, 6:59 PM

Off topic question... where do you get the DTS plaques from?

HCK · 17-12-2005, 7:26 PM

I got them from here...

http://www.thx-trailer.com/2/covers.htm

and printed them off and got them framed.

**inzaman** · 18-12-2005, 2:04 PM

Looking at those pictures takes me back to when i got mine done, once its complete you will hopefully be very happy with, i bet you cannot wait.

HCK · 20-12-2005, 12:51 AM

Finally got round to taking some pics. Its still not entirely finished as I have to wax the beams which are not clear from the photo's and the storage part of the cellar is not finished (more pics when finished). We put LED's going down the stairs but the photo has not come out too well

The subwoofer needs a home but cant decide where to put it....but its a minor gripe, but overall i'm very happy with it.

The picture of the first contact DVD has been signed by Patrick Stewart, as we me him at the West Yorkshire playhouse, it takes pride of place above the beanbag!!

Jon Boy · 20-12-2005, 1:34 AM

looks very nice mate , love those led's on the stairs! whats the score with the paint? looks like the walls have been plastered and not painted from the pics? apart from that spot on!

Where did you get your dolby and dts signs? they look very cool!

Jon