Room Mod!!! HELP PLEASE

Tman said:
thats the size of room that i have at my dads... :) but i have dial up there. (we live to far away form town that we cant get it and i useually have to do yard work there,, but i like it) and i only have a old 2.4 there.. so a bed and desk work fine.
Click to expand...

Yeah... I don't really need much of a bigger room... :) Just more to clean... :p
 
bobsaget said:
No man! I'm not saying that you were some "spoiled rich ass"... I just said that it was lucky for your family to have an extra 32" TV laying around... :rolleyes:
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No offence taked at all.. I just can easly understand if someone felt that way or thought that.
 
Woodix mentioned separating the power and data lines. I concur, but will also put forth an excellent place to buy cabling. Cabling System Warehouse. Fantastic prices, I bought several 25' and several 50' Cat5e Shielded for wiring my parents' place. They also audio cabling and junction boxes for audio and data lines. Definitely check them out.

I have no idea where you live, but my parents' basement gets really damp. The computers running constantly will offset this slightly, but in December you'll want a rug for the floor. Check Target/Kohl's (they seem to have similar selections) or the dealers that go to universities the first couple of weeks of school. All you'll need is an area rug.

Very often if you pick a slow time of day you can head to Home Depot/Lowe's and talk to someone in the building department to see what they'd recommend from what they have in stock and pricing.

I would strongly urge you to consider prefinished counter tops that are in the kitchen section for your table. I have one I built from plywood, and with monitors and so forth, it sags. The particle board they use for counter tops is much thicker, and the laminate is much more durable than stain and polyurthane.

You've got some great ideas, and gotten some great advice. Run with it and let us know how it goes!

J
 
You can find expanded polystyrene insulation board at Lowes and just about every major home improvement place. Here is a link to Lowes website http://www.lowes.com/lkn?action=pro...tegoryId=INSULATION.CATEGORY&topic=goShopping . I know that they carry a 1" thick also. The R value isn't as much as fiber glass, but in the basement you don't need near as much as you do above ground.

Here is a link to the floor system I was talking about. It is on the left hand page in the upper right. http://www.menards.com/menards?mm_dest=/flyer.jsp&currentPair=05-06&currentAd=20040905-20040912

As far as the metal studs, do check with your local building code, but even if you have to put in fire breaks, it is easy. They can be cut with tin snips and easily bent to 90 degrees. In fact, some people only use tin snips so they don't have to fool with power tools.
 
thanks again guys!!!

I looked at getting a table top form a home/lows but for the size and etc with out rounded edes it will be about 1500-2000 and im really really tying to keep the cost down.

And believe me with i say that the desk will not sag at all!!! it will have a cople of 2x4s upporting it...

ill post later.. out of time :(
 
Ah - its cheap you want then ...

Take two 3/4" sheets of ply, glue and join then together with 1" wood screws (from underneath. Order laminate from HD (special order desk) - check out laminex.com for some funky designs - everything from brushed metals to stone to smiley faces. Use contact cement to glue top to laminate. Run around edge with a straight edge laminate router bit. Trim out the edges with 1"x2" oak. Run 1/4 roundover router bit around edge (get a piloted one so it doesn't dig into wood). Estapol/poly finish the oak (stain first if thats your thing). Advantages - ply is cheap enough, and if you are going to laminate the top, you dont need high quality surface finish.

Even cheaper (and still a very cool look) ...
Get particle board (the sort of stuff they face houses with, they stuff with big chunk of wood in it), again, double it up like the ply above. Either put oak trim round the whole desktop, or just round over the edges and put a 2x2 support brace all along the back end and periodic legs along the front. Now comes the funky part - sand it dead flat, then apply a stain. Because this is made from different types of wood, at different angles, it takes the stain up at differetn rates, and really highlights the fact it is particle board (but in a good way). Be imaginative with the stain colour - wood tones (red wood, black walnut, etc) look good, but maybe experiment with blue or green (match in with the rest of the room. Seal it with a semi gloss sealer (I used to use stuff that had the picture of a girl on roller skates - cant remember the brand, but they used to use it on skating rink floors).

More ideas for you .... :)
 
Token User said:
Ah - its cheap you want then ...

Take two 3/4" sheets of ply, glue and join then together with 1" wood screws (from underneath. Order laminate from HD (special order desk) - check out laminex.com for some funky designs - everything from brushed metals to stone to smiley faces. Use contact cement to glue top to laminate. Run around edge with a straight edge laminate router bit. Trim out the edges with 1"x2" oak. Run 1/4 roundover router bit around edge (get a piloted one so it doesn't dig into wood). Estapol/poly finish the oak (stain first if thats your thing). Advantages - ply is cheap enough, and if you are going to laminate the top, you dont need high quality surface finish.

Even cheaper (and still a very cool look) ...
Get particle board (the sort of stuff they face houses with, they stuff with big chunk of wood in it), again, double it up like the ply above. Either put oak trim round the whole desktop, or just round over the edges and put a 2x2 support brace all along the back end and periodic legs along the front. Now comes the funky part - sand it dead flat, then apply a stain. Because this is made from different types of wood, at different angles, it takes the stain up at differetn rates, and really highlights the fact it is particle board (but in a good way). Be imaginative with the stain colour - wood tones (red wood, black walnut, etc) look good, but maybe experiment with blue or green (match in with the rest of the room. Seal it with a semi gloss sealer (I used to use stuff that had the picture of a girl on roller skates - cant remember the brand, but they used to use it on skating rink floors).

More ideas for you .... :)
Click to expand...


WHAT YOU SAID IN YOUR FIRST PARAGRAPH IS PERFECT.. AND ALMOST EXACTLY WHAT I WAS THINKING... PLEAE IF YOU OR ANYONE ECLE HAS SOME MORE HELP IN THIS AREA PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFO..


THANKS GUYS.. I'LL BE ON TONIGHT A LITTLE LATER
ALSO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT ME
AIM tmanbasketball32 ;)

thanks again guys...
 
Tman said:
thats the size of room that i have at my dads... :) but i have dial up there. (we live to far away form town that we cant get it and i useually have to do yard work there,, but i like it) and i only have a old 2.4 there.. so a bed and desk work fine.
Click to expand...


Thats why they made Wireless Internet aka Sateillite you'll dk at 3-60 k on average gaming is so so.
 
On the desk, What I did in the past was take 2 old doors cut 1 in half and use the other one as the top, use the one you cut in half for the legs, and just take some 2x4's around the base for support. Real cheap if you can find the doors for cheap as I did, less then $35.00 fot the whole desk... Just a thought as for I live in FL. and since the last 2 hurricanes, ply is exp. as hell, and just waiting on Ivan to roll by and screw us up some more.....
 
Token User said:
Take two 3/4" sheets of ply, glue and join then together with 1" wood screws (from underneath. Order laminate from HD (special order desk) - check out laminex.com for some funky designs - everything from brushed metals to stone to smiley faces.
Click to expand...

Just realised that I gave you a dud URL - go to www.formica.com ... to get a feel for how the samples look, right click the image, save it, then tile it on your desktop as a wallpaper.
 
I'm with EGGO, unless you need the table for work or something it's just wasting space... Frankly I'd move the TV to where the table is and the main computer to where the TV is. What this allows you to do is twofold, first it lets you watch TV directly from the bed without having to turn it (which may not always be possible in the future if you upgrade it, etc.).

Second it lets you watch TV by only turning slightly from your computer (instead of having to do a 180, it'd just be 90 degrees). The other reason is that I usually like to have my computer facing in such a way that I can see the door of the room without having to turn too much... call me paranoic, I dunno, just a thing I have.

One other thing this would allow you to do is have the computers more spaced out (if you end up setting a desk/table space at the upper end anyway), that way you can game on a LAN if you have friends over. I'd probably set up a desk or whatever only at the bottom wall, leaving the left wall that's perpendicular to the bed free for a sofa or fouton (which would also be in viewing angle of the TV, good for when you have company as well).

Not sure if I explained that last part well... If the top wall in the picture was the N wall I'd have a simple table there with the extra computers and some free work space or whatever...

On the left or west wall I'd have the entertaiment center (largest wall, it fits the center, can place movies and whatever else around it in shelves). Bed would remain in the same place, sofa or fouton on the east wall perpendicular to your north bed wall, and main rig on the south or bottom wall. It may cut down on noise to have the computers spread out as well.

Edit: These comments were made from the POV that you'd have a relatively large TV screen and would do most of your TV viewing there, I read you plan on having a TV tuner on your computer so this may not matter much at all ('specially if your TV is not very large or w/e). Personally I still haven't caught the whole HTPC bug and even yanked out the old tuner I had on my PC after I got a TiVo+DVD-R so I was coming from there.
 
well guys!!! I am currently moving stuff out of the room so that it is totally clear of any obstacles so that i can really get the dementions and exam the whole room,

ill post picutures somtime, so that you guys can really see what im dealing with.... :)


but if you have seen some really cool room mods please post them. so that its not to late to change my thinking...
 
Well, if you're gonna need shelves, I suggest making them embedded into the wall.
 
thanks.....


here are some more pictures that i am tinking of to either get a idea and etc form:
desk area
th_newdesk.jpg

th_newdesk2.jpg


moniors if i had the money... :( (but would really like to do this to the HP 23" if i have any money left or not to bad into debt!!!
th_desk2.jpg

th_top2.jpg


also for my computer TV views conserns... this is why i love the HP 23" monitor :rolleyes:
th_cs_nbc_hd_pip.jpg


if anyone has any more please post.. I greatly apreciate them!!!!
 
Yeah. bigger images please. I say embedded shelves and drawers because, you won't have to allocate more room for these objects, only when they open.
 
that area looks a little cramped if you have a big chair. or maybe its just me.

(lol watching tv while playing cs?, thats great :D )
 
on my comuter are setup- i will have plenty of space to play with.. the deask wil be about 35" deep
 
Whoa, that's alot of space. I am thinking of doing something similar. I have been thinking of such for a long time.
 
Tman, sorry about my previous flippant remark.

I'll share some money saving ideas & experiences here with you. I used to do these kinds of renovations like you're looking for here all the time when I was a sub-contractor for a GC.

*** Desktop ***

One thing you may consider for a desktop is this. Check the local smaller mom & pop type cabinet shop and counter top shops, sometimes they end up with cancelled orders, then they have to eat the cost of the cancelled order. I've gotten quite a few good deals on complete countertop sets from these types of businesses, since they are more than happy to sell the completed project to you at a lower cost, lower than the retail chains sometimes.

Also if they have an a dumpster outback have a quick look in there, don't laugh at it, you can easilly paint over the formica with epoxy paint. It works. I've built small desks and shelves that way before.

You can actually make a very slick looking antislip surface on the reclaimed desktop by using a brand of paint called "Hammerite" IIRC. It looks like Rhino liner for truck beds and it's hella tough, "hammered finish".

MDF or K3? both are good, K3 is weaker, anything else is junk, like the cheap stuff that premade build yourself furniture from walmart is made from. Also some K3 board smells like dog crap, must be the glue they use I guess.

Make sure your walls are fairly straight if you attach the desktop to the walls, nothing looks crappier than gaping holes at the back of the desk where it butts into the wall, no worries though, if it gets to bad you can run some "bullnose" trim along the back and clean up the appearance, it is easilly made too, 1/4 or 1/2 router and some 2x2 or 1x2. Paint as you like to match the room.

*** Paint ***

Also, when you look for paint, go to the local paint store and ask to see the "off tints" these are screw ups that the paint store makes and the customers don't want, I used to get 5 gallons of paint for $8...often the will retint the off tints for you, it's a great way to get a lot of paint for cheap.

A good paint for concrete is epoxy or architectural coating, similar to the hammerite I described above...and they do screw that type up too and put it in the "off tints".

The epoxy paint will also work as a moisture barrier.

For the floor around you computer area, you can use concrete sealers, some are tintable and will actually make the floor look like a faux marble finish..swanky and cheap, just make sure you have plenty of ventillation though, they usually contain Xylene...ever get a whiff of a jifyy marker, multiply that by about 50-100x strength...I used to seal wharehouse floors with it. Or go with the epoxy.

*** Electrical ***
EMT, conduit, are you using plastic or metal?

for electrical you can probably get away with surface mounted "BX" or armored cable and fittings.

This is bx:

hws_bxc_1_large.jpg


Plastic conduit is also easier to work with, no special tools et...but may cost a bit more than metal. With metal you need a bendix bender, takes a bit of practice to bend it right also. Not sure what one costs, havent bought one in some time.

Thats all I've got for now. Good luck!

MD
 
Willington has a good point. Might make me want to do that myself then building the desk. :D
 
MD_Willington said:
Tman, sorry about my previous flippant remark.

I'll share some money saving ideas & experiences here with you. I used to do these kinds of renovations like you're looking for here all the time when I was a sub-contractor for a GC.

*** Desktop ***

One thing you may consider for a desktop is this. Check the local smaller mom & pop type cabinet shop and counter top shops, sometimes they end up with cancelled orders, then they have to eat the cost of the cancelled order. I've gotten quite a few good deals on complete countertop sets from these types of businesses, since they are more than happy to sell the completed project to you at a lower cost, lower than the retail chains sometimes.

Also if they have an a dumpster outback have a quick look in there, don't laugh at it, you can easilly paint over the formica with epoxy paint. It works. I've built small desks and shelves that way before.

You can actually make a very slick looking antislip surface on the reclaimed desktop by using a brand of paint called "Hammerite" IIRC. It looks like Rhino liner for truck beds and it's hella tough, "hammered finish".

MDF or K3? both are good, K3 is weaker, anything else is junk, like the cheap stuff that premade build yourself furniture from walmart is made from. Also some K3 board smells like dog crap, must be the glue they use I guess.

Make sure your walls are fairly straight if you attach the desktop to the walls, nothing looks crappier than gaping holes at the back of the desk where it butts into the wall, no worries though, if it gets to bad you can run some "bullnose" trim along the back and clean up the appearance, it is easilly made too, 1/4 or 1/2 router and some 2x2 or 1x2. Paint as you like to match the room.

*** Paint ***

Also, when you look for paint, go to the local paint store and ask to see the "off tints" these are screw ups that the paint store makes and the customers don't want, I used to get 5 gallons of paint for $8...often the will retint the off tints for you, it's a great way to get a lot of paint for cheap.

A good paint for concrete is epoxy or architectural coating, similar to the hammerite I described above...and they do screw that type up too and put it in the "off tints".

The epoxy paint will also work as a moisture barrier.

For the floor around you computer area, you can use concrete sealers, some are tintable and will actually make the floor look like a faux marble finish..swanky and cheap, just make sure you have plenty of ventillation though, they usually contain Xylene...ever get a whiff of a jifyy marker, multiply that by about 50-100x strength...I used to seal wharehouse floors with it. Or go with the epoxy.

*** Electrical ***
EMT, conduit, are you using plastic or metal?

for electrical you can probably get away with surface mounted "BX" or armored cable and fittings.

This is bx:

hws_bxc_1_large.jpg


Plastic conduit is also easier to work with, no special tools et...but may cost a bit more than metal. With metal you need a bendix bender, takes a bit of practice to bend it right also. Not sure what one costs, havent bought one in some time.

Thats all I've got for now. Good luck!

MD
Click to expand...


thanks a ton!!!! And i mean that

Im really going to talk what you said into account!!! Also that wire you showed me will be perfect!! thanks...

ill be on later today
 
Finsta said:
Tman, post pics of the room empty to show what you're gonna be working with :D
Click to expand...

That is what i am going to do... but right now i cant clean out the room totally. hopefully this week i can get most of that done!!!


but i can post some picuters of the room full :D
 
an update on the pictures!!

i am curently cleaning the room.. so it should be to much longer!!! thanks for all your help again guys ;)
 
Tman said:
can you psost pictures and etc.... also give me more advice LOL
Click to expand...

So your cleaning now, well we need some pics to see what you've got to work with...every good contractor will need to do a site survey..

:D

MD
 
Talked to tman the other day. He said he'll have to get back to his mom's house before we see any pictures.
 
Hey for the desk not sure if you've decided or anytin but ive got an idea thats really cheap.

What my mom did for mine was went to our local lumberville and bought a big sheel of 8' by 4' thing of malamime or sumtin forget what its called exactly, and u can choose the top.

We were able to choose the size so u should be able to get a custom one. it was a hell of a time to cut, because its a bunch of stuff glues together, we had to go through 2 blades on a jigsaw, but its probly better to make it yourself.

Just some advice. Oh yes and i forgot to say the 8" x 4" thing was only $50 CAD
 
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