Next Step: Drywall

Next we're going to start the drywall. We're just finishing a few small things that need to either be adjusted or completed before we start with drywall. Mainly we need to finish insulating the HT room ceiling. After that we need to finalize the wiring diagram so we can find the wiring once the drywall is up.

Insulation and Vapour Barrier

We wanted to use the Fire/Sound proof rockwool insulation in the HT room and Storage/Furnace room, and regular pink insulation in the remainder of the basement. We also insulated the ceiling in the HT room to reduce some of the noise escaping/entering the room.

Tip: The Pink stuff is a lot easier to work with, can be cut easily with scissors whereas the green rockwool insulation requires a sharp blade or saw to alter the shape. That and its really really itchy for those of you with sensitive skin.

Before:


After:

A/V Wiring in HT Room

We ordered most of the A/V wiring online along with the Projector. We were waiting on the wiring before we could begin insulating the walls/ceiling.

Here are some shots of the interconnects along with the centralized wiring at the HT Receiver location.

Cabling included:

• 35' HDMI Cable
  
• 35' Component Cable
• 25' VGA Cable
• 50' Composite Video
• Cat 5 Cabling
• 50' RCA's
• Tons of Monster THX speaker wire
• Coax for Satellite and Cable TV
• Coax for Subwoofer
  

Dry-fitting the projector to ceiling:

Home Theatre Room French Door

Drywall Mission

So yeh... moving the drywall and flooring down to the basement was as heavy and time consuming as we thought... so after a few hours of heavy lifting we managed to get the stuff down

PHASE 2: The project goes on

Its been a while since the last post. We had a month long hiatus because we were in Kenya/England on vacation. Its now June, the weather is nicer and we have less reason to be couped up in the basement labouring away. But nonetheless, the project must go on.

So a quick update on where we are:

• A few loose ends to fix on the framing
• Wiring is almost done, again a few small things to finish off
• Speaker wire runs to bar and rest of basement - complete
• Home Theater wired for 5.1, may expand to 7.1
• Video cable (HDMI/DVI + Component Video) for the projector still needs to be purchased
• Pot light wire runs are complete to switches
• All electrical outlets are complete
• Electrical for the bar area needs to be modified
• Coax to second floor will be run soon
• Ethernet runs to second floor will be run soon
• Wall sconces have been pre-wired and mounted to the walls in the home theatre
  
• 3 Doors have been installed (2 storage + 1 Bathroom)
• Plumbing for wet bar has been roughed in

After making some calculations and finally making a decision on the type of subfloor and ceiling we wanted to do, we ordered the next phase of goodies to install.

An early sat morning delivery by home depot this time. Still have some back breaking work to get all this down to the basement. Someones gonna sleep well tonight...

Delivery included:

• Drywall (4x8 and 4x10 sheets)
• Bathroom Drywall
• Chipboad + foam for flooring
• French doors for home theatre room
  
• Bathroom fan
  

Electrical and Wiring Continues

Wiring continues...

Did wiring for electrical sockets and lighting, coax for satellite, speaker wire for home theatre and aux speakers, ethernet and a few other wires.



loops for when we install the pot lights, once the ceiling is up
cutting holes for pot lights in the existing ceiling
main light switch area...

Demolition progress pics

Here are some pics as we broke down the large wall... finally what i've been looking forward to





Check that spirit level

More Demolition

Videos of wall being knocked out

On to the fun part of renovating:

Electrical begins...

Onto mounting electrical outlets and switches...

Home Theater Wall

So for the home theatre wall we'd like to install french doors opening outward. We'd like to enclose the area for a few reasons: Firstly, for privacy from the rest of the basement, Secondly, to stop sound from travelling throughout the house when we're watching movies, thirdly, so we can maintain a specific level of lighting without affecting other areas of the basement.


Before: Existing door to this side of the basementAngle from further away
Opposite angle, after existing door has been removed
Begining of frame work. Building of secure framing under the ducts

bracing the cripple stud before nailing it into place
framing of wall complete, pic from inside the room looking out
pic from outside the room looking in