Adding a home theater to your residence gives you a comfortable place to experience the films, television programs, and video recordings you love. Here are seven factors to keep in mind when designing and building a home theater.

• Install a suspended floor: Ensure the theater room has a suspended floor that does not touch the actual floor joists. Your contractor can add sheets of neoprene, rigid foam, or other materials to stop sound vibrations from coming through the floor.
• Put in a drop ceiling: At the top of the room, a drop ceiling with soundproofing acoustic tiles will keep unwanted sounds out and hold in the sounds of your movies and music.
• Install wall treatments and acoustic tiles: Putting acoustic tiles and similar material on the room’s walls help create a home theater with excellent sound. The wall will also help support the suspended floor and drop ceiling.
• Include a proper door: Use a pre-hung solid-core door for the entrance. Cover the door with soundproofing material to prevent any unwanted noises or echoes from the door.
• Use acoustic caulking: Standard caulking is not recommended for home theater rooms. Use specialized acoustic caulking for the best results in sound.
• Improve air circulation: Put heating and cooling vents low on the walls at the rear of the room. Add a low-velocity air changer that limits the sounds from the HVAC system and moving air.
• Tend to sound absorption and diffusion: Make sure the acoustic materials you use account for sound absorption (the trapping of unwanted sounds) and diffusion (the shaping and directing of preferred sounds).

Sage Builders LLC, a general contractor in Newton, MA, offers expert residential design, construction, and renovation services in Boston and the surrounding Massachusetts communities. Contact us today for more information on designing and building a home theater.