How to Build a Recording Studio in Your Room, Garage, or Basement

Setting up a home recording studio is easy and affordable (if you have a tight budget) but some things must be done in preparation, so you build a home studio that’s efficient and professional.

 

This is a simple guide on how to set up a home recording studio. If you plan to set up a home-based studio, this article will tell you what to consider. The room must not only make recording easy for you, it must also be built to impress your clients.

This is an example of a recording studio that you can set up in your home - your room, garage, or basement.

How Do I Set Up a Recording Studio?

Good question. A well-set-up recording studio can save a lot of precious time in a shooting schedule, so to set up an efficient recording space, either for a client or for your personal pleasure, there are four basic things to consider. They are:

• Size of the room you intend to use.
• Required features.
• Electricity supply.
• Sound production.

Size of Room You Plan to Use

The size of the studio space is the first thing to consider when building a recording studio in your home. One that is too small is as good as not having a studio.

The recommended minimum space you require is 20ft by 15ft (610cm X 457cm) of floor space, and a ceiling with a minimum height of 10ft (305cm). The shape of the room is also important. It is much better to have a rectangular shape room than a square room.

A room set up with these minimum sizes will reduce light spills from the walls and ceilings, and ensure that your talent has the 'freedom to move'.

Required Features

The next thing to consider is the interior features of the room.

• Does the room have a suspended ceiling or mounting points for lighting trusses? 
• Is the existing colour of the ceiling and walls conducive enough for a recording studio set-up? 
• Are there adequate lighting points? etc...

If the only room you can use to build your studio has a suspended ceiling, for instance, you have two options.

• Dismantle the suspended ceiling panels. This will allow for the extra height that you need to install your lighting gear and trusses.
• Make use of butterfly clips in the ceiling to hang lightweight fixtures from its beams and tees -  (The disadvantage of this option is that the butterfly clips tend to bend the beams, which may put the fixture close to the ceiling tiles. This will cause unpleasant discolourations of the ceiling over time).

Though the height of suspended ceilings may pose a problem, they do have their advantages.

1. A suspended ceiling makes it easy to hide or install electrical cabling
2. It is perfect for hanging lightweight cloth or backdrops.
3. It can be used for installing recording studio-style LED lighting panels.
4. To install a lighting grid, once you locate the position of the ceiling studs, you will find them useful to hang light trusses for your studio's lighting fixtures.

Another important feature is the room's colour, especially if it's a smaller space than usual. Paint the walls or ceiling in any dark colour like deep purple, brown shades, dark blue, or even black if that's what you prefer. Alternatively, you can hang up a dark material along the walls - floor to ceiling, as this ensures you control your studio lighting more effectively.

Electrical Requirements

The electrical wiring layout in the room must be perfect; otherwise, it can make or break your studio. A recording studio set-up without adequate power to tap from will limit the kind of lights you can use.

So how do you ensure you get what's adequate?

1. First check the electrical panel to see how many circuits your room has, as well as the amps available on each circuit.
2. If you'll be using incandescent lights or quartz halogen light bulbs, you will more than likely require a minimum of 30 to 40 amps of power. You don’t want to overload your electrical system.
3. Find out which outlets and switches are connected, and to which circuit. This way you can label each outlet to ascertain the amount of power you can draw from each outlet before it overloads.
4. If you plan to use hanging lights from the ceiling, you may need to consider hiring a professional electrician to help you install power outlets on the ceiling, or at the top edge of the walls. This way, you won’t have unsightly cables running/hanging down to the floor.
5. Ensure you have a 10 amp circuit for every couple of lights you'll be plugging into so that you don’t have to walk back to the circuit breaker every ten minutes during a shoot.

Sound Production

One of the most important things to consider before setting up a recording studio at home is the sound that filters into the room, both external noise and internal clatter.

If you can, don't have your studio room directly across from a train station, bus station, railway line, expressway, or airport. However, if you don't have a choice and the only room you can use is close to such noise, you will need to build a soundproof inner wall in your studio. That's the only way to keep unwanted external noise out.

The biggest and most common culprit for noise in any studio almost always comes from the interior. Noise emanates from the heating ventilation and air-conditioning systems, and/or the HVAC. These units tend to add a low hum to your audio, and it's always a real challenge to remove while editing.

What you can do in such instances is to:

• Turn off your HVAC units during any shoot
• Alternatively, you can hire a professional to soundproof the HVAC.

Hiring a professional may set you off a bit of money, but you will be assured of a clean, clear, and professional audio sound output.

Basic Essentials Required 

Getting started isn't as hard as many may think neither is it necessarily an exorbitantly expensive venture.

It is preferable if this is your first attempt to build a simple studio. You don't want to get overwhelmed or discouraged halfway through.

It is best to have a minimum budget of nothing less than $500 and even with that, there are only low limits to what you can accomplish with that figure. It can be a start, but if you are truly serious about recording your music, you will need more than that amount.

What you need to start off are just a few basic essentials that can also serve as a good foundation to build upon later. They are as follows:

• Computer (you probably have one you can use)
• Closed back headphones
• Two microphones
• Mic stand (an affordable one for now)
• Digital Audio Workstation (DAW software records, edits, and mixes music on your computer)
• Audio Interface (hardware to connect all your gear to your computer)
• Studio monitors
• Pop filter (to filter out 'popping')
• XLR Cables (Long one for the microphone and two short ones for monitors)

Finally, as a home studio enthusiast aiming to attain release-quality recordings, you can learn about the whole mixing process adopted by some of the most successful producers in an easy step-by-step guide: Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio. With user-friendly descriptions, it includes useful tips and tricks from top-rated engineers working on current multi-platinum hits.

Having a Recording Studio at Home is a Good Investment

Creating a studio in your home is one of the best investments you can ever make and this simple guide on setting up a studio can help you set one up in little or no time.

Building a simple recording studio for yourself or a business venture will ensure that all your recorded scenes are well produced, without you having to spend so much money and precious hours of your time doing them elsewhere.

(Originally published by the author on Discover.HubPages in 2011)

 

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Unique Headboards Headboards Made from Tapestry, Large Paintings, and Carpet

A wall tapestry that serves as a headboard. An impressive, unique, and stylish substitute for the conventional headboard styles.

There is hardly a bed without a headboard. With styles ranging from simple and basic to classic and traditional style headboards, you will find that there are a wide variety of designs to choose from, but great-looking headboards don’t have to be conventional and typical.

Headboards Made of Tapestries and Large Framed Paintings

Using wall tapestries as a headboard substitute is not only eclectic and dramatic, but it is also an inexpensive way of finding a substitute for the typical headboard designs.

Large paintings and prints, framed or unframed are also great headboard ideas. You can use one large painting, or a set of prints painted canvas panels, set and spaced to fit the width of the bed and its side cabinets.

Alternatively, you can install a wide painting or print with framing that matches the bed’s wood type.

Inexpensive tapestry makes a great one as well and because tapestry usually has a great ‘palate’, it goes a long way in determining a base colour for your bedroom’s colour scheme.

Not only do tapestry and paintings look and feel different, but their beauty will also make the total room decor appear expensive.

Carpeted Headboards

Carpet can serve more purposes than just flooring and can be used to fabricate a headboard. Because carpet is plush and soft to the hand, using it as a headboard makes for extra comfort if you like to sit up in bed. Adding extra pillows will add to the beautiful style and enhance your comfort.

You can use carpet tiles or carpet rolls and you will find them cheap to buy at discount stores or home improvement shops. You can create a simple square or a rectangular shape headboard, but if you are more adventurous, you can have an odd or asymmetrical-shaped one.

The choice of colour or pattern will depend on what you prefer but bear in mind that if the other room finishes are busy, you will need to go for a solid colour carpet. And if, for instance, your bedroom is set up in a minimalist theme, you can choose a carpet with bold colourful patterns to set the tone for an impressive feature wall.

Tips:

• Cut any pattern you desire from craft paper and ensure that its size and shape conform to the size of your bed. Do this before you start to cut into your carpet.
• Trace your pattern on plywood and cut it out using a jigsaw.
• Sand, prime, and paint the edges of the plywood using semi-gloss latex paint and make it the same colour as a plain carpet. For a patterned carpet, use one of the colours in the colour mix.
• Use adhesive caulk to secure the carpet (give extra allowance) to the plywood and allow it to dry thoroughly.
• With a sharp utility knife, cut the carpet or carpet tiles to the shape of the plywood and use a rubber mallet to nail in large nail heads 1” from the edge and around the sides and top.
• Hang the headboard at your desired height.
• To care for your carpeted headboard, clean it with a vacuum attachment to remove any dust.

Now that you have been inspired by these unique headboard ideas, you will not only save a lot of money, but you will also be pleased that you can create any of them without requiring the services of an interior decorator or home improvement expert.

(Culled from originally published article by the author on Discover.HubPages in 2013)

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How to Make Area Rugs from Old Clothes

People have been making rag-area rugs for centuries, as far back as the 17th to 18th century. Today, there is a renewed interest in its creation and you too can crochet with fabric strips cut from old clothes.

A rag area rug is a traditional handwoven carpet, made from old and discarded clothes This craft has been around for hundreds of years and involves crocheting strips of cloth to create a floor covering.

Long ago, when clothes were so worn that they were no longer useful to wear, they were hardly thrown away and too old to be given out. Every old bit of anything a family owned was recycled and put to good use for the benefit of the family. And if gifts needed to be presented, rag rugs made from the same worn-out materials were used.

Today, the popularity of rag area rugs continues to rise, and people love them so much that they either go out to buy one or hand-weave one for their own use or as a gift. Also, for those who love craft-making, ‘rag-rugging’ is great fun and when it is completed, makes a wonderful item to spread on your living room or bedroom floor.

A rag area rug made from different pieces of old or discarded clothes.

Materials You Can Recycle to Make Rag Rugs

Making handwoven rugs is a great way to recycle your old garments which can include:

• Old jeans
• Blankets
• Bed sheets and pillowcases
• Shirts and skirts
• Old jumpers
• Old but soft leather bags
• Curtains and drapery
• Old towels
• Ribbons
• Toughened plastic bags.

The best rag area rug has a good mix of fabrics in a planned colour-coordinated way and a variety of textured materials can also be added to the mix.

If you would rather use new strips of fabric instead of old clothes, you can purchase a mix of cheap or fabric rejects online or from any of your local fabric shops. Wherever people live, cheap fabric shops and flea-type markets abound so especially look out for leftover strips gotten from bales of fabrics.

There are different types of rag rugs and each is constructed differently from the others. They can come in one solid colour or as a multi-coloured rug.

If you want a soft rug, use fabrics that are soft underfoot like bedsheets, pillowcases, or old t-shirts. On the other hand, if you want a rag rug that is thick, strong, and longer-lasting, you can use old jeans, suits, or flannel.

If you can crochet with yarn, then you can crochet a rag area rug with fabric strips. It’s the same basic crocheting principle. Don’t worry too much about perfection because the idea of a rag area rug is not to achieve the intricate look of a machine-woven carpet. These are handmade rugs meant to be a work of art and therefore need not be perfect.

A close-up photograph of a crocheted rag rug made of recycled rags from 

old bed sheets and pillowcases. 

A variety of rag rugs.

How to Make Handwoven Area Rugs

Rag area rugs are quite easy to make and if you are skilled at the art of making them, you can complete one (depending on its size) in just a couple of days. For a beginner, the process is fairly straightforward and if you can do some simple crocheting, you can make a rag rug because the most basic and simple technique of crocheting will suffice. The tools you need to make a rag rug are:

• Needle and thread
• Sewing machine
• A sharp pair of cloth scissors
• A large crochet hook (the US size Q is perfect for the job)
• Old clothes or other textiles found around the home

Method

Make sure you have enough materials to make the rug size you want but if you are a beginner, just use what you have available and consider it a test run. But if you have a certain space you'd like to use the rug and need it to be the right size, you'll need to be sure you have enough material to use.

• Cut all the material into I” or 2” strips depending on the fabric and the look you desire.
• If the strips you have are short, join them together by sewing or knotting at the short end to create longer strips.
• If you can crochet with yarn, then you can crochet a rag area rug with fabric strips. It’s the same basic crocheting principle. Follow a half double crochet
• With the large crochet hook (large crochet hook allows looser stitching) start the rug with a chain stitch as long as you want the rug to be wide.
• After you create a chain, start the half-double crochet stitches.
• Wrap the strip around the hook and hold it with a finger so it doesn’t slip off the hook.
• Push the tip of the hook through the hole, hook the fabric strip and pull the hooked strip out through the hole.
• Continue to pull it through both the loops on the hook.

Don’t worry too much about perfection because the idea of a rag area rug is not to achieve the intricate look of a machine-woven carpet. These are handmade rugs meant to be a work of art and therefore need not be perfect.

Tips:

• Add on strips as you crochet or make all that you’ll need in advance.
• Make all your strips up first if you plan to dye them to look evenly random.
• If you want simple stripes on a rectangle rag rug, for instance, you can add on as you crochet and change strip colours at the edges as is required.
• Using a large crochet hook allows stitches to be relaxed so it’s easy to unravel if you hate the end result and want to do it all over again.
• You can get area rag rug-making kits that have every tool you will need for your task, including backcloths.
• On completion, iron it with a steam iron, especially if the edges are ruffling.

Rag Rug Making, a Perfect Craft for the Family

When kids are free or on vacation and want something exciting to do, give them this fun task to do. They can make their own rag area rug for their bedroom, or for any other space in the house. And if they get good at making them, they can sell them to family and friends and earn some money in the process.

Even the elderly can join in the fun of making handmade rugs. They have a lot of free time on their hands to take up rug-making crafts. They may even take the craft up to earn some income too.

They will make great gifts for their family members, and friends, and even as gifts for children in orphanages, and homeless people in localities, to help insulate them from the cold.

(Originally published by the author on Discover.HubPages in 2009)

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Affordable Headboard Idea: Gallery of Framed Photographs and Artwork

Create a headboard with a cluster of framed images that show your personal style.

(Image created by viryabo@polyvore)

If you are a conformist and feel safer keeping to conventional headboard designs, you’ll be losing out on expressing your creative ideas. However, non-conformists who like the unusual and wish to reflect it in the style of their bedroom don’t follow any hard and fast rules when it comes to home décor. They get creative and save money in the process.

This unique headboard idea involves hanging a cluster of framed favourites on the wall above the bed's head. Framed art can be anything from black-and-white photographs to abstract paintings, all in varying sizes for an asymmetrical look or, if you prefer, arranged in a symmetrical order. This arrangement will not only create a focal point for the bedroom but also make the entire room look very impressive.

If you have a collection of pictures that hold fond memories of loved ones, pets, friends, or colleagues, instead of having them stashed away somewhere, soon to be forgotten, gather them together and frame them with different coloured picture frames. Use them to create a gallery to serve as a headboard.

If you don’t have such collections, use art. You will find small art images and pictures at flea or street markets.

Tips

• Use sepia or black-and-white images with white or black frames for a classic vintage look.
• For a more colourful and modern look, use coloured photographs in bright colourful frames.
• For a dramatic look, hang as many as you desire, even up to the ceiling if you love the look.
• Ensure you allow a gap between the bottom line of the photographs and the top edge of the bed to give you enough space for ample pillow arrangements.
• The trick is to ensure they are all small-sized framed art in varying sizes.

(Culled from originally published article by the author on Discover.HubPages in 2013)

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Ceramic Tile Grout Application (DIY)

Most DIY home repair enthusiasts can apply ceramic tile grout. It isn't as hard as many may think. If you are just learning how to grout or need a few tips to help you along, this article will give you grouting tips, tell you what you need to carry out the task and how to maintain your grout works.

How to Fill Gaps Between Tiles

Ceramic tile grout mix is a kind of filling material that is used in the construction industry, mainly for masonry works involving the application of tiles. It is used to seal ceramic tile joints after tile installations and to fill voids and cracks in between the ceramic floor and wall tiles.

The materials used for grouting depend on what material is being joined together. It can be composed of a cement and sand mix if it is required for filling cement block joints, or a cement-based epoxy if it is for filling joints of ceramic wall and floor tiling.

When you have coloured tiles but no matching epoxy filler, a colour tint of any shade can be added to the mix. With that, the tile grout will be a close colour match to the already laid tiles. Grouting material can also be made in a contrasting colour that highlights or complements the tiles. If this is the case, the colour tint and epoxy mix will contrast with the tiles.

Grouting is a simple task and can be done by most DIY enthusiasts. As long as you have the essential tools and grouting materials, the application is not a job that requires the services of professionals.

However, if you are not a hands-on person, you can always call in professional tilers from home improvement stores who will carry out your grouting works to your satisfaction.

Tools Required to Apply Ceramic Tile Grout

Before you commence the application, you will need to prepare adequately. Grouting can be a mess if you don’t use the right applicators and tools. To ensure a job well done, you'll need these simple things to perform your grouting task- whether you are installing new tiles, or re-grouting discoloured, broken, or chipped old grout works: 

• Grout Saw/Remover (an electric grout saw ensures a faster job)
• Scraper
• Float
• Sealer
• Attachment

Grout Saw: A grout saw is composed of tungsten carbide blades and is used to cut and remove old tile grout. This is required if renovation works are being carried out on existing laid tiles.

Scraper: A scraper is a simple hand tool that is required to remove old grouting that has been discoloured with age.

Grout Float: A grout float is similar to a trowel used by masons but it has a sponge rubber pad at the bottom. It is used to smoothen the surface when it's just been freshly applied to the tile works.

Sealer: The sealer is water-based and is applied over dried grout. They must possess qualities that resist water, oil or acid-based contaminants.

Guide (Attachment): A grout attachment acts as a guide. It is placed over a rotary implement and it helps in the quick removal of old ceramic tile grout. It can be used in place of the saw for faster and better grouting work.

Preparations Required Before Grouting

Preparing for grouting works actually commences before laying the tiles. You want to determine how wide or narrow your spacing (gap between tiles) will be. To do this, you will need plastic spacers.

Plastic spacers help to space tiles evenly and squarely to ensure that the tiles are laid perfectly straight and squared and the gaps are the widths of your choice. After tile application and before grouting, the X-shaped flexible plastic spacers should be removed.

Now that you are ready to commence your grout work,

• Mix the grout material with water. Note that the quantities required will depend on how much tiling needs to be done. Follow the instructions on the package carefully and ensure you use the right ratios of tile grout to water (or the acrylic latex liquid) mix.
• Buy grout material that has an acrylic latex additive in its components. This will ensure good flexibility and eliminate the chances of having fine line cracks a few weeks after it has hardened.
• If the tile grout you have purchased comes without the additive, you can get some acrylic latex liquid admixture which can be used in place of water.

The process of applying a white grout mix to a bathroom wall finished with blue ceramic tiles.

Instructions on How to Grout

These simple 10-step instructions apply to both wall and floor tiles grout works.

1. Spray the already-tiled surface with a light mist of water. You can do this in sections so the water doesn't dry faster than you can work. The moisture will give the mix some moisture that without it, would affect its setting.
2. Scoop some amount of grout onto the surface starting from the inner corner of the room. Spread the paste with a grout float held about 30 degrees horizontally from the surface and move in a wiping motion at an angle to the gaps.
3. Work in a consistent pattern and avoid haphazard smearing.
4. Carefully and evenly spread the mix while compacting it into the gaps. Add more grout and spread until the spaces are well compacted.
5. Use the edge of the float to scrape off the excess grout from the floor or walls and wait for 20 minutes (or whatever time is stipulated on the package). During this waiting period, clean all messy grout from the edges of the walls or floor in case there has been a bit of smearing whilst grouting.
6. Sponge-clean the tiles. Cleaning with a sponge removes the thin film of grout from the tiles without affecting the grout within the gaps. It is important to keep to the stipulated waiting time or it will become difficult to remove the tile grout film.
7. Rinse the sponge often while cleaning, ensuring the water is wrung out well. Always wipe gently but firmly.
8. After about 40 to 45 minutes, again depending on the stipulated drying period on the package, clean the faint residue of grout off the tiles using a simple paper towel. At this time the grouting has hardened, though not thoroughly, but enough to give a good clean a chance.
9. After the application, give your finished work a spray of misty water twice a day for three days after grouting.
10. After curing, apply the grout sealer to prevent the growth of mould and mildew, and prevent staining, yellowing, or darkening.

Ceramic tile grout mix comes in a variety of colours so there is something in the market that will suit each individual need. There are also the un-sanded and the sanded varieties which contain some sand, great for those who want a special effect grout finish. The sanded type can be used for wider gaps because the sand serves as a filler, while 'un-sanded' grout is used to fill very thin gaps in mosaic tiles, marble tiles and granite tiles.

How to sponge-clean excess floor tile grout.

How to Maintain Ceramic Tile Grout

Occasionally, clean your tile grout by applying a baking soda paste on the grout, leaving it on for some time, and then washing it off. Alternatively, you can use a solution of water and hydrogen peroxide to clean grout, especially if it is stained, or yellowing. You can also use a commercial grout cleaner and let it sit for about 15 minutes before scrubbing the dirt away with a sponge and rinsing it with clean water.

Another way to clean and maintain grout lines is by adding oxygen bleach powder to your mop water (for floors) or your cleaning water (for walls). Apply the solution liberally and on the grout joints. Leave it on for about 15 minutes, then clean thoroughly with clean water.

For a homemade cleaning solution, mix together a half-cup of baking soda, a quarter-cup of hydrogen peroxide, and one teaspoon of dishwashing liquid and apply onto the grout/ after about 10 minutes, scrub off the mixture from the ceramic tiles grout lines and rinse well.

(Originally published by the author on Discover.HubPages in 2009)

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