I just save $5K to build my workshop with! Well, sorta...

Jens · January 06, 2009, 11:05:45 PM

I know we need rain, so that we don't get another drought here (funny, where I grew up things turn brown and dry in a drought, actually, every summer!), but I just went into my basement, and there is about 4" of water! Most of the tools were up off of the ground, (router may be toast

) but I have given up the idea of re-doing the foundation so that I have enough room down there for a shop. Instead, I will fix the foundation that is here, and put the money into rebuilding my out building to have the shop in it.

Of course, I still don't have the 5 large, but, a penny saved is a penny earned right? So then maybe a penny not earned, but not spent, is a penny not lost.

Sorry, had to vent a bit of the frustration about my workshop being flooded.

Redoverfarm · January 06, 2009, 11:11:02 PM

Bummer on the basement.

January 07, 2009, 12:23:51 AM

Harbor Freight has pretty cheap automatic sump pumps, Jens.

Jens · January 07, 2009, 08:49:35 AM

Basement is dry this morning. I thought about getting and installing a sump pump, and I still may do that. Our downspouts go into a drain system, and the drain system has grates in the floor of the basement. I think it overflows down there from the drains. I may divert the downspouts, and see if it makes a difference. Thing that sucks, is that it all costs money just to see if it will work.

I am still going to divert my plans to the outbuilding. It might as well be finished up, and then I will have an autonomous shop where I can use the planer and such without being too loud in the house. I can build a rental cottage on top of it too (which I may be doing anyway for my friend and his daughters).

diyfrank · January 07, 2009, 09:19:30 AM

Can you block off the grate in the floor to see if it is in fact backing up into the floor drain? Are you saying the downspouts dump into the footing drain? How deep is the footing drain? You can install a backflow preventer on your floor drain if you suspect its backing up.

January 07, 2009, 10:40:04 AM

Many years ago it was the norm to run the rain gutters downpipes into the sewer system. Is that what you have? Or a totally separate storm drain? Or ?

Jens · January 07, 2009, 04:32:05 PM

I don't really have any clue. This is the way the house was when we bought it a year ago, it was built in 1930, so anything could have happened at any time between now and then. I am going to divert the downspouts, hopefully into reclaim containers with provisions for overflow (so we can use to water garden and stuff), but still gonna plan on not having the shop down there in the future.

I don't even know if it has foundation drains, but I will probably end up adding them when I tidy up the foundation before we add the second floor. I still don't like a wet basement, but it's nice sometimes to have the tough decisions made for you!

diyfrank · January 07, 2009, 04:48:45 PM

One thing you can do is buy a box of rit dye and pore it down your down spout. If its getting into your basement you'll know.

firefox · January 07, 2009, 10:20:49 PM

Hopefully the noise of the planer won't disturb your friends who will rent the apartment above the workshop

Hope that helps,
Bruce

January 08, 2009, 09:15:03 AM

Quote from: firefox on January 07, 2009, 10:20:49 PM
Hopefully the noise of the planer won't disturb your friends who will rent the apartment above the workshop

Hope that helps,
Bruce

Hey, its not my family

No, I'll be using plenty of sound deadening insulation in the cieling, and that part of the house will probably be deck over the garage, or kitchen, not living room. Will also have plywood subfloor, and finished floor, instead of just pine T&G 3/4" over the joists like my house has.

Might think about the rit dye, but only if it isn't raining to hard! Don't wanna dye everything 4 inches up...could make some cool t-shirts though!

MountainDon · January 08, 2009, 01:07:17 PM

When it comes to soundproofing a workshop many folks make the assumption that fiberglass thermal insulation will do the job. Unfortunately that's false.

There are special acoustic insulation from Owens Corning and others. The recycled denim type is superior for sound insulation. Also mass is your friend. Two layers of 5/8" sheetrock is good. Sound studios used to used lead in the walls/ceiling to increase the mass and reduce transmission of sound. If the wall/ceiling can not vibrate it can not transmit sound. Air sealing is just as important for sound as is is for thermal resistance, maybe more so.

Placing rubber feet or mats under power tool stands also helps a lot. The more massive the stand the better. Cheap sheet metal stands are a big source of the vibrations that carry sound.

Resilient channel can be used in wall construction. I've read some info that puts it down; mainly due to faulty installations. It acts like a cushion between the studs and sheetrock. I think Owens Corning makes some kind of special studs as well.

In new construction double offset stud walls help, especially if you place 2 layers of 5/8 sheetrock inside, two layers of 1/2 exterior grade sheetrock outside, covered with the final exterior finish wall. Insulation fully in between.

Foam board makes for crappy sound deadening material; low mass.

Windows are generally bad. Doors should all be heavy solid core with weatherstrips that are tight. Sound studio windows are special made, non operating with at least three panes of heavy glass. The middle pane(s) is set in at an angle. That causes the vibrations (sound waves) to collide and cancel each other out. Also they use large air spaces; IIRC the space between inner and outer panes was something like 8 inches.

I've stood inside a studio window like that while looking out onto the 8 lane main drag, buses, trucks, all sorts of traffic, and not heard a thing.

Maybe you knew all that already Jens. Reduction of sound transmission is a topic unto itself.

harry51 · January 08, 2009, 01:53:34 PM

I don't know about Jens, but I sure learned a few things from that post. Thanks, Don. That info could be useful in many different situations.

MountainDon · January 08, 2009, 01:58:15 PM

I have info someplace here, need to find it. Then I think I'll make a new topic.

Jens · January 08, 2009, 09:23:05 PM

Thanks Don. I did already know a lot of that, from reading Fine Homebuilding. I can assure you though, I'll not be putting lead on the cieling any time soon!

Actually found out that the cottage can only be half the size of the principle dwelling, so that limits me to 16x28, which barely gets over the shop. I know that the sound will still travel by means of anything connected, but I also know that it won't be as bad as it is in the house here!