There are a lot of options for finishing a basement.
You can create a kid’s playroom, build your own personal sports bar, or add another guest bedroom to your home.
Another popular option is home theaters. While a large television is a fine start, if you’re going to create a home theater, there are some important things to remember. With these tips, you’ll have an easier time remodeling and excellent results when you’re finished...
1. Use a Wide Space
While you don’t need an entire section of the home for your theater, you do need enough space to create a comfortable atmosphere. Ideally, your home theater will sit in a room that is at least 20 feet long and 13 feet wide and is isolated from the rest of the house. Building a theater off the family room, above a living room, in the basement, or converting a spare bedroom is often the best choice.
2. Insulate the Walls
Most interior walls will not need insulation, at least not for maintaining comfortable temperatures. However, insulating the walls of your home theater will help with sound proofing, which is very important, not only for maintaining quality sound inside the theater, but for not disrupting the rest of the home.
3. Pre-Wire for Sound, Lighting, and Projector Systems
Most home theaters will need a complex system of wiring, including lines for sound, lighting, and projectors. Make sure you prepare well in advance and prewire the walls and ceiling for these components.
4. Use a Quality Sound System
When we think of home entertainment, we often get caught up in the visuals. Having a large HD television is fantastic, but don’t neglect the sound system. For larger rooms, make sure you are including surround-sound speakers and a powerful subwoofer. If you are using a smaller space, a “soundbar,” which packs multiple speakers in to a tight row, is perfect for adding audio perfection to your home theater.
5. Dark Colors Abound
When you go to the local theater, what color are the walls, the floor, and the ceiling? In almost all cases, they are dark. Do the same in your home theater. Add dark walls, such as a deep red or black, so the screen has a brighter, clearer picture by comparison.
6. Good Seating is a Must
The best theaters also have quality seating. If you desire, you can furnish your home theater with couches and love-seats, but if you want the truly authentic theater experience, you need to install theater-style seating. If you’re working with the ideal 20‘x13’ space, you should have enough room for two rows of four seats. Make sure you structure the area so the back row is elevated, providing a clear view for everyone.
7. Use Sound-Proof Ceiling Tiles
It’s important that you sound proof your entire home theater on all sides, including the ceiling. With a direct mount ceiling grid from CeilingConnex, you can use high-quality sound-proofing tiles that measure 2’x2’.
This gives you the versatility you need to select decorative and sound-resistant tiles, and also allows you to take full advantage of the convenient, easy-to-install grid system.