[Indecisive]

Ok, after falling in love with Grooves floating wall design I have taken the plunge and started to re-create it in my living room.

This thread will be my motivation to keep going and not down tools and leave the project half finished, I also hope it will give others the same motivation to build what I believe to be the best DIY way to display your system on a budget yet look like a professional install.

So far I have built my framework but I will continue to add to the thread as the project progresses.

Below is a basic Google sketch-up of how the room should look and some pics of where I am at the moment.

I am currently unsure on speaker location so if anyone wants to help, a thread on this can be found here

5.1 or 7.1 Speaker location help

Thanks, hope you enjoy

End Result

Got So Far

Current setup

White unpainted part of the wall is where my old Pioneer was once wall mounted

Old Setup

[andy900uk]

will be watching with interest. what will you viewing distance be to the screen and what size screen do you have, is it 50"
Andy

[Indecisive]

Originally Posted by andy900uk

will be watching with interest. what will you viewing distance be to the screen and what size screen do you have, is it 50"
Andy

Hi Andy, yes its 50" (Panny 50PZ81B) and I will be 9ft from the screen.

[andy900uk]

thanks, the reason i ask is your room looks about the same size and shape as mine, you oviously do not find the 50" to big at this distance, am in the market for a new sreen and cannot decide what size to get or where to put it, so pull you finger out and get yours done so i can make my mind up .
Andy

[Indecisive]

Originally Posted by andy900uk

thanks, the reason i ask is your room looks about the same size and shape as mine, you oviously do not find the 50" to big at this distance, am in the market for a new sreen and cannot decide what size to get or where to put it, so pull you finger out and get yours done so i can make my mind up .
Andy

lol, I am, just came back to check on the thread, mdf supporting batons and rope light fitted before sun down (I hope)

No 50" at this distance is not too big, I could quite happily go bigger but didn't want to compromise quality in my budget (if I could afford it I would have a pj at that distance)

[Indecisive]

Ok, quick update...

All framework is now done and rope lights have been fitted.

Anyone who is planning to buy these rope lights and fit them in this style. Do Do Do buy the strip to fix them to your surface rather than the clips (un like me ) the clips are incredibly awkward to fit and to make things worse the screws are tiny. Also although I have got the rope light fairly straight, the strip would of made a sharper job.

Work so far

[peteborota]

that rope light looks good, I got mine from TLC it's one of their new LED lights, but it gives a sort of broken light effect. It's not a consistent ambient light?

what make of rope light is yours??

[Indecisive]

Originally Posted by peteborota

that rope light looks good, I got mine from TLC it's one of their new LED lights, but it gives a sort of broken light effect. It's not a consistent ambient light?

what make of rope light is yours??

Thanks......It's also a TLC but I didn't go for the LED style as I will be dimming these and to my knowledge you can't do that with LED's. Also white LED's give a very cold light and I didn't want that type of effect.

These still give a broken light (I think the camera has given them a more even glow) however the light they throw beyond the 5cm lip I will be having is fairly even as you won't be able to see the bulbs.

[peteborota]

I'm thinking of using some silver foil on the outside batons to get a greater reflection of the LED's. Think that will help throw a more even a greater light.

If it works I'll post some pictures.

[groove]

Oooooh......looking good Indecisive !

Man that brings back memories.....makes me want to do it all over again....its strange , not that difficult to do this, but the result will look a million dollars..Cant wait to see the finished thing.

Have you sorted your cabinets out yet ?

[Indecisive]

Originally Posted by groove

Oooooh......looking good Indecisive !

Man that brings back memories.....makes me want to do it all over again....its strange , not that difficult to do this, but the result will look a million dollars..Cant wait to see the finished thing.

Have you sorted your cabinets out yet ?

Good evening Grand Master Groove and thank you for your comments, coming from you they mean alot (I bet you love all the respect you have earned)

I wish it was as simple as just making the wall, its everything else that goes with it, because for the wall to work, it has to be in a room that is deserving enough, so the whole room is being re-decorated, skirting upgraded, new carpets, paint, lighting and new curtains etc. Now if you live on your own you can stop there, but I don't (and I'm sure most men can relate to this) so now the other half now wants the rest of the flat done to the same standard (credit crunch or not) when she has decided she wants something, it's best to agree otherwise it's like a child that wants sweets (you either agree or you get the anti-christ).

All I can say is thank god for the sales and failing carpet stores (god they look at you funny in there, it's as if they don't remember what a customer looks like).

No I have not got the cabinets sorted yet, they are next to order. I will also have to take the feet of my amp, can't remember what amp you had, mine is a Denon and will only just fit without feet.

I have to wait a little while now before I can progress with the wall as I can either have the MDF and the carpet delivered for £30 each or hire a van for £20 and collect them both on the same day myself. Carpet is on order though so I need to wait for that to come in stock before I can hire the van and get my MDF that I need so bad .

I'm also unsure as to where to put my rear surrounds (waiting for some help on another thread) so I cant even really get started on the cabling.

Thanks for the inspiration with the wall Groove, I have always wanted something like this, I just didn't know what it was until I saw yours.

[Indecisive]

Not got anyfurther with the build yet (still waiting for my carpet to come in) so I have spent some time researching and playing around with speaker location ideas and this is what I have come up with......

Side speakers will be approx 2m high and angled down and towards the viewing area

Rears will flush in-wall mounted and be on each side of the main sofa (THX recommend right next to each other but I felt my option would give 2 viewers the chance to receive a stereo output rather then hearing both L + R in 1 viewers left ear and the other viewers right ear {hope that makes sense})

I know its not THX perfect, but with the limited space I just wonder how it would perform? Surely if I tell my amp the distances from the viewing area, the speakers would compensate???

Any opinions?

[Indecisive]

Well been a while (been busy at work) but here is an update...

Ok I profiled the edges of the MDF to create a void to fill @ the joins

Then offered the MDF upto the framework to work out where to cut for the bracket

Once I had that sorted I marked where the brackets that fit onto the plasma would go and where the cables would exit the tv and cut them out. Then fixed the MDF to the framework and filled the joins, MDF primed and undercoated.

Once that was all done I moved on to sorting my speakers for the rear in my 7.1 set-up.
I had a slight problem here as the inwalls I purchased were too deep for my wall cavity so I needed to improvise and took an idea from "The Force's little effort" to give me a thicker wall to play with to give form as well as function (I will also be incorporating a large mirror into this...

The cut out for the in wall is also boxed off to reduce sound travel and I have used some dyno-mat to aid

This is the look I am going for

and these are the speakers I will be using

Well I am waiting on the mirror now so that part is on hold for now.

Next step was the ceiling. I wanted to update the look of the living room and light fitting just don't do it for me and I have always wanted halogen downlights but my ceiling cavity was too shallow to fit them so I have decided to build a section that mirrors the floating wall to create the depth I need and thats where I am at now...

should look like this when done (same size and shape as the floating wall, but on the ceiling)

My flat is a construction site..... I have wood and tools everywhere, 2 rolls of carpet, dust in places I didn't know were in the flat and as much as I am am enjoying the transformation I can't wait till it's all over and I can enjoy a very loud movie

[MattBennett]

Looking good, that floating celing is going to look good. Thought about putting rope light around there also? Maybe just the screen side though

[Indecisive]

Originally Posted by MattBennett

Looking good, that floating celing is going to look good. Thought about putting rope light around there also? Maybe just the screen side though

Thanks.. No its not going to be a floating ceiling, just reflect the floating walls size, shape and position.

[Indecisive]

Ok it was electrics day today and I have successfully wired up my first ever set of downlights

Just need to get a spark round now to ensure they are safe and get a certificate (fingers crossed).

After that I will get the plasterboard up and make it look tidy again.

[Indecisive]

Plaster-boarded the ceiling today. If anyone is thinking of doing this, get some help.............. I didn't and I honestly don't know how I got the boards up on my own without breaking my neck. So glad that is out the way, now just need to fill the joins and put some coving round the edge.

[jagdeepp]

very interesting inspired thread. Seems to be a good amalgamation of the groove and the force's projects. Really looking forward to the final pics. Loving it!

[Indecisive]

Originally Posted by jagdeepp

very interesting inspired thread. Seems to be a good amalgamation of the groove and the force's projects. Really looking forward to the final pics. Loving it!

Thanks....

I am back to work for 4 days now so won't be much done during that time but looking forward to the next stage. I can't wait till the final pics either lol

[eni]

Originally Posted by Indecisive

Plaster-boarded the ceiling today. If anyone is thinking of doing this, get some help..............

Haha, having been 50% of a two man effort of doing something similar to a kitchen ceiling, I concur! It took both me and my dad (neither of us weaklings, both used to doing stuff like this) and we were knackered. I did the Atlas bit of standing with a huge 3' wide by 5' long plasterboard panel at the top of a (fairly shaky) ladder, whilst my dad positioned it with the studs we'd put up and then screwed them in... We had to do that 6 times, the room is roughly 6' wide and 10' long... I was nearly in tears at the end haha.

And the thread is fascinating mate, I notice you haven't posted anything in a while... I hope all is going well and you've managed to get some more done. Awaiting your next pics with anticipation;
peace, eni.

[andybailey1972]

time for an update me thinks!

[KhalJimbo]

Wow this project looks cool

[n2h]

hi mate great thread love the project- im in the process of moving homes, and this has given me some idea's many thanks man- DONT DOWN THE TOOLS keep at it!!!!!

[Markie Boy]

Update update update please!

[illingworth22]

Ah cum on give us some more pictures!

[DJ_Bucho]

I gotta say that is looking superb You should feel very proud of yourself. I can't wait to see it all finished

[Indecisive]

Originally Posted by eni

Haha, having been 50% of a two man effort of doing something similar to a kitchen ceiling, I concur! It took both me and my dad (neither of us weaklings, both used to doing stuff like this) and we were knackered. I did the Atlas bit of standing with a huge 3' wide by 5' long plasterboard panel at the top of a (fairly shaky) ladder, whilst my dad positioned it with the studs we'd put up and then screwed them in... We had to do that 6 times, the room is roughly 6' wide and 10' long... I was nearly in tears at the end haha.

And the thread is fascinating mate, I notice you haven't posted anything in a while... I hope all is going well and you've managed to get some more done. Awaiting your next pics with anticipation;
peace, eni.

Yeah your not kidding. Putting the plasterboard up on my own quite literally killed be. I had the shakes for about an hour after. But I can look at it now and say "I did that"

Originally Posted by illingworth22

Ah cum on give us some more pictures!

Humble apologies and thanks for keeping the interest. Project went stale for a while, lack of money & time plus some unexpecting planning for a new addition to the family but things are back on track now and I promise to update my progress within the week.

The living room project has become a whole apartment project now including hallway, kitchen & bedroom. Currently the bedroom is in bits in the living-room as it's being decorated so as soon as thats done and the living-room is cleared, I will take some pics of the nearly complete living-room.

A brief update:
Walls & ceiling finished
Carpet fitted
All A/V equipment up and running
Speakers installed & sounding sweet (have opted for 5.1 not 7.1 at the moment but may change my mind again)

Still needed:
Besta units for floating wall from Ikea
custom cut mirror for opposite feature wall
usual finishing touches.

[blueboy1971]

Good god man, you started the same time as my project and have nearly finished. Looks excellent so far and can't wait to see some more pictures. I know what you mean about having to do the whole room or the floating wall will just not suit but that is what takes most of the time to prepair.

I really must start my floating wall thread.

[Sanders79]

Loving this thread so far! I think my favourite part so far is how you have housed the in-wall speakers to accommodate their depth. A relatively small part of your build, but I like it

Workmanship looks very good too so far... unless there are pictures you are keeping from us

Keep up the good work!

By the way... I feel your pain with boarding the ceilings. A mate and I did 3 rooms in a day in our house, 16 boards and 800-900 screws in all! There is no way I could have done it on my own, the bedroom ceilings are just too high!

[JayBird]

Outstanding!