Learn How To Draw A Floor Plan
Even Bob Vila needs a plan. See how a floor plan can help you visualize your project and help save you time and money.
A floor plan is like a blue print that shows the location of walls, doors, electrical outlets, furniture, and anything else you may want inside a new room. You'd draw one to help you visualize what your new home theater will look like when its done. Its a great way to preview certain design aspects of your theater and make changes before you even start to build.
It isn't super critical that your plan be drawn to scale, but it really helps if it is. You get a better sense of how much space you'll end up with and it'll help you better plan your layout.
For example, if you want to wall-mount your surround speakers
Lets take a look at a floor plan
This image shows the room's walls and doors including the direction the doors are going to swing. The electrical outlets are placed about every 8 to 10 feet to allow enough coverage for your electrical gear. Cable TV, satellite hook-ups, and telephone jacks are also shown.
The light fixtures look like they're in the middle of the floor but thats just where they're going to be when installed on the ceiling. A CRT rear-projection TV backs against the far wall with two floor-standing speakers. The subwoofer is tucked off to the side, and the surrounds are mounted to a low-ceiling soffit behind the audience.
Notice how most things have a measurement. Not so much dimensions, but distance in relation to say, the edge of a wall.
Other articles in this section
- Introduction to Wall Framing for Home Theater Builders
Are you putting your new media room in your basement? This easy tutorial shows you how to build new walls to turn that empty space into a cool get-away. - Things You Learn When Building Your Home Theater
A funny look at stuff most of us have done or can relate to during our quest for home theater goodness. - Mind the Gap: Improve the look of your home theater by fixing baseboard gaps
Uneven walls can cause small gaps in your baseboard trim that make your new home theater look unprofessional. Fix it with this handy tip. - Drywall 101
Even a do-it-yourselfer can hang and finish drywall like a pro. Here's some info to get you started. - Learn How To Build A Soffit
How can you hide piping and ductwork you just can't move or get rid of? Just build a soffit around it. Here's how... - How To Draw A Floor Plan
Even Bob Vila needs a plan. See how a floor plan can help you visualize your project and help save you time and money. - Get The Proper Building Permits
Building permits are the law. Protect your home's resale value with this important information. - Protect Your Gear By Controlling Humidity
Protect your expensive home theater gear from humidity with these easy tips. - Make Your Basement Home Theater A Comfortable Place With Proper Ventilation
Avoid making your new basement home theater an uncomfortable place by following these common sense ventilation ideas. - Ideas For Building A Media Closet
Add a degree of sophistication to your home theater by building a media closet. - Drywall Pros and Cons
Are you thinking of doing your own drywall? Find out the pros and cons before jumping into something you might regret later. - Tips On Building A Home Theater Stage
A home theater stage isn't just a wooden box covered with carpet. It has a specific function that can enhance your theater's speakers and sub woofer. It can also mess up your theater's acoustics if it isn't built right. Follow these easy tips and you'll build a great home theater stage.
