Mavice's Underground Home Cinema

[mavice]

Its been a long road, but I have just decided the principle use for my 'underground' room in my new build

After checking progress on the build today, it is just begging to be a dedicated HC room (with maybe a double use as music listening room and studio)

below is a shot I took today.
The room is 3.4m wide and I will be able to sit about 4 - 4.5m back, a bit close but never mind.

The back wall is solid concrete, 300mm thick with earth behind it to ceiling height.
I think it will absorb sound quite well with the right wall coverings.

There will be no windows.

DSC00191.jpg

a bit boring to look at a wall of concrete at the moment but I will try to post the
ongoing photos as the room develops and of course the finished room

[sbowler]

Looking forward to seeing the build, looks like an ideal blanck canvas. No annoying the neighbours with the sound levels.

[albriscoe]

Hi Mavice

it seems to ring a bell mate somewhere this new build basement cinema room, dejavu even

Hope all goes well with the project my friend, please keep us all informed with plenty of pics

cheers and good luck

Allan

[mavice]

Originally Posted by albriscoe

Hi Mavice

it seems to ring a bell mate somewhere this new build basement cinema room, dejavu even

Hope all goes well with the project my friend, please keep us all informed with plenty of pics

cheers and good luck

Allan

Hi alan

now I have to spend the next 3 hours reading your 17 page thread to pick up any tips....thanks.

forgot to mention, my build is in Spain so very different to yours in construction techniques and materials. - hopefully the end result will be as impressive as yours is looking.

may be some time before an image is actually projected onto that cement....maybe mañana


Simon

[Lizard]

The dream HC room with out a doubt.

I'm sure you have already got this covered, but how are you planning to insulate the room? Not for sound proofing but for warmth (having lived in a few basements i know first hand how cold they can get).

[albriscoe]

Originally Posted by mavice

Hi alan

now I have to spend the next 3 hours reading your 17 page thread to pick up any tips....thanks.

forgot to mention, my build is in Spain so very different to yours in construction techniques and materials. - hopefully the end result will be as impressive as yours is looking.

may be some time before an image is actually projected onto that cement....maybe mañana

Hi Simon

we looked at new builds in Almerima (Almeria) last year and when I looked at yours I thought of them (dejavu again). where abouts is yours if you don`t mind me asking

cheers Allan

[mavice]

Originally Posted by Lizard

The dream HC room with out a doubt.

I'm sure you have already got this covered, but how are you planning to insulate the room? Not for sound proofing but for warmth (having lived in a few basements i know first hand how cold they can get).

Hi Lizard

I am not too sure on how they insulate the concrete retaining walls. For the normal brick walls, they build the outside wall in air brick, spray on 30mm of expanding foam over the entire surface, leave an air gap of 50mm or so and build an internal wall in air brick.

I suspect the reason for cold basements is primarily damp issues. Something that is not such a problem here.

The back of the concrete walls are sprayed with a bitumin type black finish before the ground is filled up to it for damp proofing (not that much is needed) .I am guessing that they will spray the concrete direct with foam and then build an internal wall with cavity but they may just board direct to the concrete.

It might be a good idea for me to ask them to board with insulated plaster board as a minimum though or put some sheets of polystyrene behind the wall before backfilling

Thanks for reminding me to think about it -.

[mavice]

Originally Posted by albriscoe

Hi Simon

we looked at new builds in Almerima (Almeria) last year and when I looked at yours I thought of them (dejavu again). where abouts is yours if you don`t mind me asking

cheers Allan

Hi alan

Ours is in Granada so not too far from Almeria.

Convenient now the flights are direct from East Midlands, its only about 2 hours 20 min flight.

It looks a bit like an NCP carpark at the moment but should be 'closed' by the new year.
The HC room will be the one bottom left. The far end will be underground and the near end level to the garden due to the slope on the plot.

It is also under the garage so less risk of noise polution

OK - back to choosing a boiler - far less interesting than choosing the next PJ or amp.



DSC00216.jpg

[Lizard]

I would assume that you are getting them dot and dab plasterboard onto the concrete walls to finish them of anyhow, so to dot and dab insulated plasterboard instead does make sense (you will need to check what thickness/grade they use though as their quite a choice).

how are you planning to finish the ceiling? I don't no if you can use dot and dab or not on ceilings and you cant screw the plasterboard to concrete (well not ecomincally anyhow!) The trouble is this is were you lose the bulk of the heat.

Your right about damp in cellars causing cold, but its also because they dont get any sunlight to heat them, and the last thing you want to have to do is run the heat all the time to make the room useable.

PS not trying to be bossy only seeking to insure you dont slip up like i did!

[mavice]

Originally Posted by Lizard

I would assume that you are getting them dot and dab plasterboard onto the concrete walls to finish them of anyhow, so to dot and dab insulated plasterboard instead does make sense (you will need to check what thickness/grade they use though as their quite a choice).

how are you planning to finish the ceiling? I don't no if you can use dot and dab or not on ceilings and you cant screw the plasterboard to concrete (well not ecomincally anyhow!) The trouble is this is were you lose the bulk of the heat.

Your right about damp in cellars causing cold, but its also because they dont get any sunlight to heat them, and the last thing you want to have to do is run the heat all the time to make the room useable.

PS not trying to be bossy only seeking to insure you dont slip up like i did!

Its funny, I had all the same questions

I am quite familiar with the materials and techniques available UK side but feel completely out of my depth in Spain. for example, plaster board is still a relatively new thing in Spain and not widely used.

I believe, but dont quote me, that the walls will be boards dabbed with adhesive and the ceilings are suspended (galv strip system) as this is where much of the services pipes and electric conduits are installed, so naturally there is an air gap insulation.

The garage may not be heated so again your suggestion is useful - I need to think about the ceiling insulation too.

That said, the bigger problem here is keeping rooms cool. The winter is really only 2 months long but the summer can be 45 degrees. Even with no heating, the room would be useable for 9 - 10 months of the year.

for example, yesterday was 19 degrees here.
today it was 2 degrees at the plot at 9am so its getting colder at night but by this afternoon, it will be about 16 - 18 degrees.

cheers

[Lizard]

Originally Posted by mavice

That said, the bigger problem here is keeping rooms cool.

Fair play Simon, you seem to have everything covered.

If it helps, dont forget insulation works both ways, not only does it keep heat in but it will also stop heat from the outside entering into the room to.

[cybrey]

Going to be an impressive house Good luck with the build.

[mavice]

The build has a few more walls now and the roof is mostly done.

The HC room unfortunately, will be one of the last formed as they seem to work from top floor down. - no pics of it closed yet.

attached is a pic of how walls are built in southern spain to provide insulation - it shows the srayed on foam on the outer skin and the inner wall part built

DSC00135.jpg

[mavice]

So we had the back of the HC room built with an arch

That way, it will look more like a 'Bat Cave'



427_1.jpg

[mavice]

Well ...6 months on and the build takes most of our time

We are at plastering stage and windows & doors go in this month (after plastering)

The concrete wall of the room were 'lined' with air bricks to contain conduits, sockets etc. No insulation was needed according to are architect as the ground behind the wall will insulate well.

Ceilings are formed in the traditional spanish way with 1m square, tongue n groove cement/plaster boards and then skimmed. Quite interesting as the boards are hung from stringy rope made from grass and cement adhesive to stick it to the concrete ceilings and boards. The result looks as good as the UK system of plasterboard once skimmed.

Looks like it will be 2009 before the room can be used for any kind of HC though as still loads to do elsewhere

conduits.JPG