Home Theater Construction

This picture was taken during early framing. You're looking at the back of the room. The entrance is in the corner.

More framing. Now you're looking at the front of the room. You can see the door to what will be the equipment/media closet.

This is a look at the framing from outside the room.

Riser. The bottom was built with 2x4s and filled with R11 insulation. The top was built with 2x6s and filled with R13 insulation.

A view of the riser from the entrance.

A view of the front of the room. The doorway to the right leads to the media/equipment closet.

The completed riser.

A view of the completed riser from the entrance.

This is the main soffit that covers an I-beam and the main HVAC supply/return trunks.

This is a small soffit at the front of the room to cover some duct work.

I wanted to move the heat diffuser nearer to the window for better air circulation. Here are the before pictures of the old location (left) and the new location (right).

This is after I closed up the old hole (left) and installed a short duct closer to the outside of the room (right). The diffuser should sit flush against the ceiling once the drywall is attached to the soffit.

I took the existing lights in the room off the switch that controls all the basement lighting and put them on this new switch.

This is one of the recessed lights in the back.

This is the other one.

This is the recessed light in the front.

The existing smoke detector was where I built the closet, so I had to move it outside. I won't be getting any style points for my conduit work, but it should pass inspection.

Electrical work is done and ready for inspection [1/5].

Electrical work is done and ready for inspection [2/5].

Electrical work is done and ready for inspection [3/5].

Electrical work is done and ready for inspection [4/5].

Electrical work is done and ready for inspection [5/5].

Woohoo!

I decided to extend the steps just outside the door to the theater. I want the door to swing out to make more room for seating inside, and I thought it would be better if the door didn't swing out over the steps.

I originally wanted to put the projector on a shelf at the back of the room, but I realized the projector image would barely clear the seating. I don't want my guests to have to constantly worry about blocking the projector when they so much as stretch, so I decided to mount the projector underneath the soffit. Here is the receptacle I installed to power the projector. On the left is a mud ring for a recessed low voltage plate for the video cables. I also attached some blocking, so I can mount the projector dead center in the room.

I put down 3/4" OSB for a subfloor.

I decided to add two light fixtures, one on each side of the room, for sconces. I'll install two Lutron Maestro IR dimmers for the recessed lights and the sconces, so I can dim down the recessed lights and dim up the sconces when watching a movie, and do the opposite at the end of a movie, or when the movie is paused, etc.

This is the Roxul mineral wool insulation I used in the ceiling. I used 4" thick batts in the ceiling and 3" thick batts in the interior wall. This stuff really seems to do a great job, and I'm glad I bought it.

Drywall installed (view of front of room).

Drywall installed (view of back of room).

Drywall installed (view of back of room).

Cold air return duct outside of theater.

Halfway through the second coat of mud (back of room).

Halfway through the second coat of mud (front of room).

Walls sanded, primed and painted with trim (front of room).

Painted room with trim (back).

Window jamb and trim.

View of finished closet.

Carpet installed and projector mounted.

Carpet installed and final inspection complete.

View of finished theater from the entrance

View of finished theater from the back of the room

View of finished theater from the front of the room

Screen shot from ESPN World Series of Poker Coverage

Screen shot from ESPN World Series of Poker Coverage (closer)