How to Build Flooring for a Home Theater

Planning and building a home theater involves more than simply closing off a section of your home for a dedicated movie-watching area. It also involves optimizing the acoustics in the theater room to provide maximum enjoyment while watching movies at home. Although most homeowners focus on walls and ceilings when considering acoustics, a home theater floor also plays an important role in providing optimal sound. Properly constructing the home theater floor can help improve your movie-watching experience.

Measuring tape
2-by-4-inch pressure-treated lumber
Circular saw
1-inch-thick sound-absorbing foam
Electric stapler
1/2-inch-thick plywood
Table saw
4-inch wood screws
Carpet

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the depth of the home theater room with a measuring tape. This determines the length of the joists that support the flooring. Cut 2-by-4-inch pressure-treated lumber sections to this length with a circular saw.
- 2
  Determine the seating area of your home theater. Stand cut 2-by-4-inch lumber sections on their 2-inch ends at 12-inch intervals along the seating area. Stand 2-by-4-inch lumber sections on their 2-inch ends at random intervals on both sides of the seating area.
- 3
  Cut sections of 1-inch sound-absorbing foam with a utility knife to fit between the joists. Staple the foam to the subfloor between the joists, using an electric stapler.
- 4
  Lay 1/2-inch-thick plywood sections on the joists, cutting sections as necessary to fit, using a table saw. Attach the plywood sections to the joists with 4-inch wood screws at 4-inch intervals, using a drill and a screwdriver bit.
- 5
  Cover the plywood with carpet to provide a comfortable floor surface and improve the sound-absorbing properties of the floor.

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