Best type of floor covering for a Recording Studio.

unclebill98

Well the question is in the title.

Wood, carpet or a bit of both?

Most places I've been to have carpet but some of the larger places have wooden floors and have rugs to place stuff on. Just wondering what's the best or least annoying!!

I've been thinking of getting the floors done in wood, but just wanna see what all you guys do be standing on!!!

PaulBrewer

Wood, with removable rugs, gives you a useful variable acoustic.

condra

I think it should depend to some extent on what kind of recording you are doing.

One great benefit of a wood floor is the ability to move around on your wheeled chair with great ease. I'd love to have a wood floor for that reason.
Even in this small room, moving around, adjusting etc, can become quite tiring and frustrating because my carpet is so thick and "sinky".

unclebill98

PaulBrewer wrote: »

Wood, with removable rugs, gives you a useful variable acoustic.

Cheers Paul, It does seem like the better option.

womoma wrote: »

I think it should depend to some extent on what kind of recording you are doing.

One great benefit of a wood floor is the ability to move around on your wheeled chair with great ease. I'd love to have a wood floor for that reason.
Even in this small room, moving around, adjusting etc, can become quite tiring and frustrating because my carpet is so thick and "sinky".

Well the mixing room will be wood, so I can slide around with ease!!!

studiorat

Both, it's called "lede" live end dead end. A rug on a wood floor isn't going to do a whole lot imo.

PaulBrewer

studiorat wrote: »

Both, it's called "lede" live end dead end. A rug on a wood floor isn't going to do a whole lot imo.

Rugs

studiorat

Very thin. Only good up to frequencies with a quarter wavelength of the thickness of the carpet.

frobisher

studiorat wrote: »

Very thin. Only good up to frequencies with a quarter wavelength of the thickness of the carpet.

So it wouldn't be too hot for those 7o yard sub bass waves then? :P

PaulBrewer

frobisher wrote: »

So it wouldn't be too hot for those 7o yard sub bass waves then? :P

You said you'd 1 foot carpets, ? Should be good down to about 1k then ...

As I recall Jonny's space is quite big so with a few rugs to cover say 80% ( an arbitary figure) of the floor and depending what's going on above it should make an audible difference.

I've found the effect to be making an acoustic guitar brighter for a given mic/position.

Same with drums. If you just put the kick on a carpet and/or weigh it down and leave the snare on the wood floor you get 'more' top.

I guess it's just more reflective surfaces.

Remember putting wood on the carpeted floor in Monastervin? It made a significant difference.

iquinn

i've a vauge recollection of reading some acoustics guy saying, in terms of getting a good room sound, a lino floor has the same acoustic properties as a wooden floor. Doesn't look as nice, but can be a lot cheaper.

i may be very wrong though, i'll dig through some papers.

PaulBrewer

iquinn wrote: »

i've a vauge recollection of reading some acoustics guy saying, in terms of getting a good room sound, a lino floor has the same acoustic properties as a wooden floor. Doesn't look as nice, but can be a lot cheaper.

i may be very wrong though, i'll dig through some papers.

I'd imagine it does, ok.

iquinn

it was something along these lines:

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/3390525-post19.html

unclebill98

Thanks for the comments.

Looking into it online and it seems there is no straight answer. With budget being the main factor on peoples choices. Wood is the most common things found and after that its carpet or wood with rugs. Tiles are a big no no and lino was not really talked about. I think wood with rugs is what I'm going to go with.

After the floor sound treatment is next!! The room is to be slabbed and plastered. Just a side question then, is there any point in rounding the corners off or is it better to just add the acoustic treatment afterwards?

The main live room is 30ft by 17ft.

PaulBrewer

unclebill98 wrote: »

The main live room is 30ft by 17ft.

What height?

PaulBrewer

At 30 feet the first 3 modes will be 37hz 75hz and 150 hz
At 17 feet the first 3 modes will be 66hz , 132, and 264 hz

At an average height of, say 9 feet, the first 3 modes will be 125Hz, 250 Hz and 500 Hz


So you'll have modes at 37,66,75 and 125,132,150 and 250,264.

I can smell it from here already!!

unclebill98

PaulBrewer wrote: »

What height?

Just under 9ft.

PaulBrewer wrote: »

At 30 feet the first 3 modes will be 37hz 75hz and 150 hz
At 17 feet the first 3 modes will be 66hz , 132, and 264 hz

At an average height of, say 9 feet, the first 3 modes will be 125Hz, 250 Hz and 500 Hz


So you'll have modes at 37,66,75 and 125,132,150 and 250,264.

I can smell it from here already!!

Interesting...... What are you exactly smelling?

PaulBrewer

unclebill98 wrote: »

Just under 9ft.



Interesting...... What are you exactly smelling?

With 125,132,150 being so close together

and 250,264,300 ............ it probably ain't good.

unclebill98

PaulBrewer wrote: »

With 125,132,150 being so close together

and 250,264,300 ............ it probably ain't good.

I see. Well there was not much I could do about the room sizes. There at the plastering stage so if there is anything to combat that at this stage please put the suggestions on a post card!!!

I won't mention the oddly shaped drum room then :eek:

PaulBrewer

unclebill98 wrote: »

I see. Well there was not much I could do about the room sizes.

You could make them smaller ....

unclebill98

PaulBrewer wrote: »

You could make them smaller ....

I see. I sent you an email to your work address.

I like the large room vibe going on, but of course I must look at the space as a whole and if the larger room is just going to cause trouble it may be an option. Whats is the best size on the dimensions I gave?

unclebill98

Basement plans.

PaulBrewer

unclebill98 wrote: »

I Whats is the best size on the dimensions I gave?

I dunno! There's men for that job ...... I did try to introduce you

unclebill98

PaulBrewer wrote: »

I dunno! There's men for that job ...... I did try to introduce you

Ah, but there as grass in the studio back then......

Lets roll....

I'll get onto them.

basementstudio

does anybody have any experience or thoughts about putting a cork floor down on top of cement? studio dimensions are 10X15X22.

thanks.

teamdresch

unclebill98 wrote: »

Basement plans.

How final are the current placements of walls?

basementstudio

fairly well defined. there is one wall that can be moved up to 6 inches (would increase the 15 dimension to 15'6 ".

why do you ask?

teamdresch

I'd probably smash one of the walls to make a larger single live room, but then again, I am a madman on the loose.

unclebill98

teamdresch wrote: »

How final are the current placements of walls?

Well, I kept the large room size. The issues of the low end can be sorted in the acoustic treatment. Just getting the rads on the walls and the 2nd fix electrics.

I prefer the large live room, kind of the focal point of the whole place.

artvandulet

Unclebill, you'll get some great info over at the Recording Studio Design forums. A goldmine of info from design experts.