Another Floating Wall for Dedicated Home Cinema Room

brian1825 · 31-10-2007, 1:07 AM

Hi, I am not sure how many photos I will manage but thought I would post my progress.

We moved into our new house in April this year and it didn’t take me to long to persuade my wife that the conservatory would be better placed to be our dining area and the current dining room would be more suited to being a custom cinema room to give either or both of us an area to chill out.

Although I have enjoyed reasonable TV’s in the past, this will be my first effort setting up a suitable TV with surround sound speakers and AV Receiver.

Our proposed cinema room was decorated with matt white emulsion to walls and ceiling and had new red vertical blinds fitted. A 4 seat cinema style sofa in red leather, complete with cup holders and storage for goodies was delivered on 18th October 2007.

Ikea Besta wall and floor units were bought and assembled, and all that remained was for me to decide which flat-screen TV and surround system to get.

However, after much deliberation & time spent trawling the AV forum website, I then decided that I (or rather my wife with my support) would have a go at building a floating wall complete with ambient lighting.

After planning on 22nd & 23rd October, I ordered up a white and red rope lighting kit from www.tlc-direct.co.uk for £87.71. And after working out the number of plug points I may end up needing, I also ordered up two Masterplug Master Series Home Entertainment 8 way surge protectors from www.p3online.co.uk .

I have made up four plans which show the timber frame for the MDF floating wall to be fixed on, through to completion with TV and speakers in place.

I plan to order the timber and MDF with appropriate fixings by this weekend.

What can I say everyone on the ball, extension leads and Screwfix order arrive this morning 26th October. I can see me being tempted to make a start tonight! Need to get to B & Q later to get new saws for jig-saw as MDF may take a lot out the couple I have and they’ve not been used for a while.

My wife looking forward to making a start as she is desperate to be able to use the room. I think it helps when the misses is on your side.

Well, a slow start this weekend with it being into Saturday afternoon before we got started. Marked out the existing studs in the wall and got all the floating wall studs cut and fitted. I was going to use metal cavity anchors and screws where I couldn’t manage to get a fixing into existing stud, but changed my mind when I saw how many screws and 100mm ones at that were going into existing studs and the new stud frame was being screwed together using the same screws which meant it was rock solid and not going anywhere. We worked late but had to take plenty of breaks as I am currently on crutches (my leg is still badly broken and I need to watch I don’t over do it).

Sunday saw us measure, re-measure and even re-measure the 10’ X 4’ MDF sheets before cutting them and had to refit the middle one a couple of times to compensate for a slightly uneven floor. By Sunday night I got them finished and in place ready for marking out position of floating studs behind, front & centre speakers and TV bracket before making final cuts for access to wires which will be hidden once unit is in place.

We have decided to utilise our existing 50” Samsung Plasma, even although it is only 780p/1080i, that way we can concentrate on the receiver and speakers just now and upgrade the TV next year to a 1080p once we are ready.

Monday 29th October, I ordered my wall bracket and ensured I could get a bigger screen when we upgrade and can use the same bracket by going for an Allcam bracket for 36” to 70” TVs for just over £30 including postage.

Tuesday 30th October I have ordered the Onkyo 875 Receiver and Kef 5005.2 in 7.1 set up with additional Onkyo Wireless Transmitter and iPod dock and 55metres of QED Silver Anniversary Speaker Cable. I have been told there is a one to two week delivery time for the kit but I will measure the length of individual speaker cable required and order it on Thursday morning with a view to uplifting it on Thursday afternoon or Friday.

Looking forward to another weekend ahead with MDF sheets to be removed and speaker cable routed and additional dwangs fitted to allow more flexibility in front speaker placement.

You really need to be patient in this game! Can't wait, now I have decided what I want.

The 4 Seater Sofa

Image of studs for floating wall made up on publishing software

Mock Image of TV, speakers and Ikea Units in place

Doddsy · 31-10-2007, 1:14 AM

Looks like it'll be good, we had one of those Ikea units but got rid of it as they're quite big!

brian1825 · 31-10-2007, 10:49 AM

Well, the wall bracket arrived today and it looks very substantial and should do the job of keeping the TV safely on the wall.

Will have a go tonight, at the initial fitting of it to see if the 100mm screws will be ok or whether I think I need bolts coming through from behind the studs and to see if I need to get any other fixings or spacers.

I also think I over-did it at the weekend and it is only this morning that the leg has settled down again- should have listened to the misses on that one LOL !

brian1825 · 31-10-2007, 2:49 PM

This bracket is first class and excellent value for money. The included fittings cater for any TV you could fit to it as well as appropriate fixings for the wall.

I have just assembled the bracket which was straight forward and fitted fixings to back of TV.

Later I will fit bracket to MDF board to have exact positions for additional studs behind it and measure accurately lengths required for speaker wires.

brian1825 · 02-11-2007, 5:59 PM

Well, yesterday, I phoned my speaker cable lengths to Hifi Corner in Falkirk and Mark gave me a call to confirm lengths this morning before he started cutting the Silver Anniversary cable to put airlock ends on the receiver end. I told him I would drop in this afternoon to pick them up and meet them as everything had been done over the phone.
Well was I like the cat that had got the cream when I walked into their shop and discovered that my speakers had come in today too.
Just about to open the box and se them in the flesh for the first time!

**inzaman** · 02-11-2007, 9:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brian1825

Well, yesterday, I phoned my speaker cable lengths to Hifi Corner in Falkirk and Mark gave me a call to confirm lengths this morning before he started cutting the Silver Anniversary cable to put airlock ends on the receiver end. I told him I would drop in this afternoon to pick them up and meet them as everything had been done over the phone.
Well was I like the cat that had got the cream when I walked into their shop and discovered that my speakers had come in today too.
Just about to open the box and se them in the flesh for the first time!

We need to see pictures when they are set up then

brian1825 · 02-11-2007, 11:47 PM

Thanks, I will get some pictures taken.

Must admit, I was thinking about the B & W M1 speakers or the Kef 3005se. Now that I have viewed them & the 5005.2 s, I think I made the correct decision.

I just need ot be patient to see what they sound like!

brian1825 · 03-11-2007, 8:51 PM

Aggghhhhhh,
so much for using my existing 50" Samsung Plasma (780p/1080i) just couldn't resist the new 63" Samsung 1080p and ordered it this morning!

Valo^ · 04-11-2007, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brian1825

Aggghhhhhh,
so much for using my existing 50" Samsung Plasma (780p/1080i) just couldn't resist the new 63" Samsung 1080p and ordered it this morning!

Now you’re talking! That must of been a tough decision to make

I'm looking forward to seeing some pictures of your project.

chelsea.tone · 04-11-2007, 2:28 PM

Hi, can i ask where you got the sofa from?

Tony

brian1825 · 05-11-2007, 12:01 AM

Hi,

It was a very difficult decision to make re the television but at £3638 delivered I had to give in to temptation. A lot of money I know, but it is a lot of TV and will be the icing on the cake for my room and viewing pleasure. I know the price may well come down a good bit in the coming year or so but heh. . . . . within reason I believe in living for now as we don't know what is round the corner.

The sofa I got from here and it was only in the showroom in a three seater and my wife was under the impression when she ordered it in a four seater, that they hadn't supplied a four seater version before and we were the first to order one. It looks amazing in the room.

Photos will follow at some point.

suniil · 06-11-2007, 4:37 PM

great design & good progress! thanks

btw, masterplug home entertaintment system is in clearance section, TESCO today for £22 [another 20% off is running, make a bargain value of £18]. should be the same nationwide

Quote:

Originally Posted by brian1825

I also ordered up two Masterplug Master Series Home Entertainment 8 way surge protectors from www.p3online.co.uk .

brian1825 · 06-11-2007, 10:07 PM

Well, thanks for comments ........

I will need to push on with things this weekend as last weekend we only managed to get a double Sky cable run from the last two connections on the dish Octo LNB and a phone lead with end sockets prepared.

I was hoping to get speaker positions finalised and some cables run, but on Sunday personal matters took over the DIY matters!

I got a call today from TV supplier to say it is ready to be shipped and being picked up by the courier from them on Thursday and may be delivered to me on Saturday.

Friday pm will see me marking the final speaker positions to take into account the larger screen.

Saturday I am planning to remove the MDF sheets to place additional studs behind wall bracket new position and speaker mounting plates, and allow for a channel trunking behind the MDF to run and easily re-run speaker cables in the future. I will also cut large access holes in the bottom sections of the MDF which will be concealed by the placement of the Base Units

Once the TV arrives I will adjust the position for the wall bracket to suit and will hopefully be in a position to make final fixing of the MDF sheets to the stud frame.

If all goes to plan I will then be in a position to make final preparations for wall mounting TV and units before my brother comes with his wife to visit on Thursday ........ don't ask much do I ? I suppose it just depends how many coats of primer need to be applied before the final coats of matt emulsion.

I think it is achievable but I might be pushing it a bit !

brian1825 · 08-11-2007, 11:56 PM

Hi,

Got a call today to arrange a delivery date for new TV on Monday, so that gives me a bit of breathing space to get some of the other work done.

brian1825 · 09-11-2007, 9:01 PM

Well the rope lights arrived today but no mounting clips (the 2m plastic clips) and believe it or not the delivery was delayed two weeks as the clips weren't in. Apparently received at supplier yesterday and posted out with lights for delivery today, haven't appeared yet. Here's hoping they arrive in the morning as I have arranged an electrician for tomorrow afternoon to wire the rope lights through a double dimmer and to wire in a spur switch so I can isolate the power to my main double socket which will power both monster 8 plug extensions without moving the base units.

If the clips don't arrive tomorrow I have been able to source metal slim fit wall uprights similar to this but obviously slimmer LOL.

The uprights are a perfect size and are on special at B & Q just now for 50p for a 2m length. The upright can be screwed to the wooden surround flat side to the wood and the rope light can be fitted in the channel facing out or it can be screwed to the wood and the rope light can be secured using plastic ties.

Anyway 9pm on a Friday night and eventually getting round to fitting speakers to walls to make holes for wires to be fed through.

Patch04 · 09-11-2007, 10:18 PM

Pictures pleeeeeeeeeeeease!

Mr. Wilby · 10-11-2007, 7:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brian1825

The uprights are a perfect size and are on special at B & Q just now for 50p for a 2m length. The upright can be screwed to the wooden surround flat side to the wood and the rope light can be fitted in the channel facing out or it can be screwed to the wood and the rope light can be secured using plastic ties.

That sounds exactly how I attached the rope light to my floating board in this thread. It was like that plastic trunking you get to hide cable run around walls, but it didn't have a face (3 sides open). I just screwed the back onto the wood with some very small screws. Its very secure.

brian1825 · 11-11-2007, 2:36 AM

Well been a bit busier today and as usual have overdone it slightly with my bad leg. (Sore just doing nothing so may as well be sorer doing something)

Today, I have revised the position of the studs where the TV wall bracket will be. I had tried several different sources to get the spacing of the wall bracket mounting screw holes on the 63" Samsung but got no answers. So the end result of my revised plan means I can move the bracket higher or lower and still get a really solid fixing with 8 screws/bolts. You will also see I have left a channel where the TV will be to feed cables down to sockets and equipment etc.

Various holes drilled in studs to feed cables and the front and centre speaker wires are now in position as are the Sky cables.

I have managed to get the white and also the red rope light in position for the electrician to wire them through a dimmer tomorrow (he got held up and didn't make it today) and then I will tighten them in position using cable ties.

I have checked and labelled the four rear speaker wires and hopefully the spark will help me run them tomorrow behind the plasterboard. I have all the speaker brackets in place and holes drilled for wires from behind the terminals.

The edge of the stud frame also painted white today and a few wee touch ups to the walls where they got marked.

Tomorrow once the spark has finished it is my intention to tighten the rope lights into position and he should also be able to fit a spur switch for me to isolate all the power to my sockets without having to pull out the base units every time.

I promise to take some photos tomorrow before the studs and rope lights get covered up and then once things are getting into place.

This image shows the revised stud and speaker positions. The red boxes to the right of framework is only to show me the depth of the wall units and base units in relation to my studwork.

This image shows 63" Samsung in place and revised speaker position. Should be to scale and total width of floating wall is 3.6m X 2.3

brian1825 · 11-11-2007, 7:37 PM

Well, a bit deceiving how long some things take. Spark just away after over four hours.
Work done so far this afternoon; the rope lights (red & white) now wired through 2 dimmers and one single plug into one of the the Monster power centres. Both Monster 8 socket power centres now screwed to wall and they plug into a double wall socket which is wired via a single spur switch which can also isolate power to the double sockets. Hope you followed that.

Speaker wires also now in place and used 3 blank single sockets to ease running of cables.

Batteries on charge to take pictures later and boy is that red rope light effective!

brian1825 · 11-11-2007, 10:50 PM

brian1825 · 11-11-2007, 11:31 PM

At full output, will post later when dimmed.

putbinoot · 12-11-2007, 1:06 PM

nice, can't wait to see more pics. Rope light is the new downlight.

brian1825 · 12-11-2007, 7:25 PM

WHAT A DAY !

Went out this afternoon to get Isopon P38 from Halfords and couldn't resist picking up a few different grades of sandpaper and applicators for the paste.

Next went to Maplins and picked up a 10m & 5m PC to Monitor cables as well as 2 X 3m HDMI leads, 2 X Optical, 1 X Component and a headphone extension lead oh and a swivel HDMI connector for fitting to side HDMI lead on TV to conceal cable more. Also decided to get a gold flat 3m Scart lead.

Got home just in time to see the Samsung 63" TV arrive and it is in the hall still in box. Will take top of box off to check TV and to check for position of the mounting holes.

Then got a call to say my Onkyo 875 was in, so went to Falkirk to pick it up with the Ipod dock and extra 10m Sub cable (I am running an extra QED 10m sub cable to give me the option later to have two subs or even just moving the sub I have to a different side of the room.

Busy night ahead as I plan to get my teenage sons to help me lift, lay, cut and then fit the MDF panels to the studwork tonight. Fill and sand screw holes and joins and hopefully get a couple of coats of MDF primer on tonight.
Then tomorrow a few coats of the white matt emulsion we are using on the MDF sheets and hopefully tomorrow night Plasma wall bracket and plasma mounted on the wall!

Not really a lot if you say it quick and hoping to have room fully operational by Wednesday night as my brother and his wife coming to stay for a few days. He likes his movies as I do and I couldn't think of a better way or company to have for the initial movie showings.

I will list my photos as we get more work done later and will also list my movie line up !

brian1825 · 12-11-2007, 9:01 PM

Nice boxes! That's not a large box

That's a LARGE BOX

MDF Sheets almost ready to go on frame

Ikea units waiting patiently!

Just about to open Samsung box

**inzaman** · 12-11-2007, 9:15 PM

I bet you cannot wait to get it all hooked up

, looking forward to seeing the completed article

brian1825 · 12-11-2007, 10:50 PM

Don't know if I have made a mistake or not! I decided to hook up the Sky HD box and the new Samsung before it was fully out of the box - 1. to check the TV is working ok and 2. to check all the cabling for the Sky HD. An extension lead and a long Sky cable and a 5m HDMI come in handy.

Boy.......... this TV is awesome and yes you are right I can't wait to get everything hooked up.

I was a bit knackered after running about all over the place today and the few late nights since last week so thought better of working with MDF boards tonight................ but heh there is still time!

Here are a few photos of the Samsung:

Rear top wall bracket screws are about same distance from top of 50" Samsung Plasma (160mm) and are roughly 675mm apart

brian1825 · 12-11-2007, 11:13 PM

Here are some more pictures before I get started on the MDF sheets or at least the two end ones.

More to follow but these ones above are simply with the Sky HD via HDMI and the general thoughts in my household are that it is a fantastic picture. Hopefully see a difference again once everything is conected through the Onkyo 875.

brian1825 · 12-11-2007, 11:25 PM

Well TV packed away again.

It really makes my Samsung 50" look quite normal now !

brian1825 · 13-11-2007, 3:10 AM

Late again, but that's one board cut, pinned to wall and first coat of MDF primer applied. Just off to cut second board as my wife paints the third. All going well all three boards on wall and 2 coats of primer.

Pictures to follow.