DIY tips to create a home theatre

Building a home theatre is the ultimate home renovation project. With all of the new video and audio technology options available, it’s no surprise that more and more people are investing in creating the perfect space for enjoying family movie nights. A basement home theatre is also a great place for the kids to entertain while the grownups enjoy hosting upstairs. That is, of course, as long as the sound effects from the newest action flick don’t drown out dinner conversation.

Whether you’re turning your basement into a home theatre or your garage into a music studio, you need to think about how the project will affect your entire home and the people in it. The right soundproofing solution is especially important for a home theatre or music studio, since it needs to serve two purposes: giving you the best possible audio quality inside the room while limiting noise transfer to the people outside.

Kate Campbell, celebrity contractor, has created her own home theatre and has some tips for those planning a dedicated entertainment space. Since a standard home theatre creates 75 to 80 decibels of sound, she says the most important aspect of a home theatre is soundproofing.

Start by replacing hollow-core doors with solid doors and cover any windows with heavy curtains to block light and absorb sound. For walls and ceilings, she recommends Canadian-made Sonopan with Noise Stop Technology for home theatre and basement renovations.

“The product absorbs a wide range of frequencies and significantly reduces the transmission of sound and vibrations from basement home theatres. The standard 4-by-8-foot panels feature cavities of varying dimensions and depths on each side. They are lightweight, simple to install behind drywall and environmentally friendly because they’re made from 100 per cent recycled wood and are totally recyclable.”

Campbell says that sound transfer to rooms above or adjacent to a home theater can leak through electrical outlets, light fixtures and other openings that aren’t properly sealed. That’s why it’s important to use acoustical caulking to seal any gaps where walls, ceilings and floors meet, including those around the edges of electrical outlets where drywall meets the outlet box. Sound can travel from these areas to all parts of your home.