building a new room

DemonTrich · Oct 21, 2014

I currently grow in a 5x10x6.5 tent. its too small for what I need to accomplish. so I plant on building a suitable room for my needs. tents are out of the question, as the ones I looked at are 2' too wide for my available space and are $$$$$.

what is the better option for building a room? pvc (3/4 or 1"), 2x3 studs, 2x4 studs? I plan on building a room that's 8'w x 13'l x 6.75' high. these are my MAX outside measurements, especially the height measurements as I only have a 7' ceiling (basement w/joists.

im looking to try and keep costs minimal, so also wondering whats the cheapest material as well.

this will be my 1st grow build w/o any help from my builder buddies who are currently slammed until the 1st of the year.

also, if there are any builders on here that can give me some blueprints with this id be more than appreciative. or can toss me a link to some software so i can give it a try.

DemonTrich · Oct 22, 2014

so I guess not too many builders in here huh?

anyways, decided on the pvc route. trying to keep it like a tent build, so its easily removable/taken down. either 3/4" or 1" tubing will be used.
my Q is this. whats the best way to wrap the panda film around, while still making it as close to air tight as possible? wrapped inside, outside, using tape, screws, zipties, ect?

warble · Oct 22, 2014

Just opinion, I use 2x2 studs and staple the panda paper to the frame, with the frame on the outside of the tent. I have a rollup entry that I made with some pulleys, nylon cord and panda paper. One inch tubing sounds sturdy enough, but when you tape to the tube and it gets hot the adhesive melts, so I'd use zip ties also. Eventually screws would rip through the panda, but if you reinforced it with some backing or even some duct tape, that would add some extra time to your wall's useful life. Just opinion.
Good luck.

Sand4x105 · Oct 22, 2014

1 x 1" with stapled or screwed Cardboard to it, then panda paper, cheapest, cardboard will breath as well, releasing the heat...

Heat will be your worst enemy in an enclosed box...

My basement rooms: 1/8th plywood attached to corner studs, hung from ceiling down [floor of floor one down]
I put the lights in the floor joices hung from...[which are the ceiling joice of basement]
You are the building inspector, do a good job...

First two rooms, I used 1/8th on walls...
Last added room, I just used double [inside, and outside] cardboard.
Used cardboard as plywood.... no cost, for I had saved the cardboard in basement...

Good luck

Hot Diggity Sog · Oct 22, 2014

How are your construction skills? What kind of tools do you have?

Hot Diggity Sog · Oct 22, 2014

What I would do is frame it out and use playwood to build a box...floor, walls and ceiling. Spray foam the joins so it's air tight. Frame for 1 or more doors...whatever you need.
A lot of work but that's what I would do.

Aeroknow · Oct 22, 2014

DemonTrich said:
I currently grow in a 5x10x6.5 tent. its too small for what I need to accomplish. so I plant on building a suitable room for my needs. tents are out of the question, as the ones I looked at are 2' too wide for my available space and are $$$$$.

what is the better option for building a room? pvc (3/4 or 1"), 2x3 studs, 2x4 studs? I plan on building a room that's 8'w x 13'l x 6.75' high. these are my MAX outside measurements, especially the height measurements as I only have a 7' ceiling (basement w/joists.

im looking to try and keep costs minimal, so also wondering whats the cheapest material as well.

this will be my 1st grow build w/o any help from my builder buddies who are currently slammed until the 1st of the year.

also, if there are any builders on here that can give me some blueprints with this id be more than appreciative. or can toss me a link to some software so i can give it a try.

1st, I would definately utilize the basement ceiling. Frame walls up to joists. You'll get max head height, and be able to hang lights, and other stuff from.
As far as what to use to frame this thing with: Are you needing to insulate this room(usually a good idea for R-value, and sound)?
If no insulation, i would use the 2X3 studs, and use panda film to cover walls.

Hot Diggity Sog · Oct 22, 2014

Aeroknow said:
1st, I would definately utilize the basement ceiling. Frame walls up to joists. You'll get max head height, and be able to hang lights, and other stuff from.
As far as what to use to frame this thing with: Are you needing to insulate this room(usually a good idea for R-value, and sound)?
If no insulation, i would use the 2X3 studs, and use panda film to cover walls.

Yep...and another option instead of plywood would be to get 1" XPS foam board and use that on the interior with panda on that. Its light-weight, has an R value of 5 and is plenty rigid enough but you certainly cannot hang lights from it. Going floor and walls and tie into ceiling is definitely a possibility.

Hot Diggity Sog · Oct 22, 2014

If you do connect walls to ceiling and you have fiberglass insulation inbetween the ceiling joists, then you better reconsider that. Will all of the air-flow that will be in the room, you don't want that shit floating around. Terrible on your lungs and you dont want that crap settling on buds. I'd rip it out *or* put a covering over it. Plastic...foam board...something.

Aeroknow · Oct 22, 2014

Hot Diggity Sog said:
If you do connect walls to ceiling and you have fiberglass insulation inbetween the ceiling joists, then you better reconsider that. Will all of the air-flow that will be in the room, you don't want that shit floating around. Terrible on your lungs and you dont want that crap settling on buds. I'd rip it out *or* put a covering over it. Plastic...foam board...something.

Yeah, good call on the foam board.
Personally, i would frame them walls up with 2X4's, insulate, then rock(both sides) and tape it. But thats probably because i'm a 20+year drywall/lather(metalstud framer) by trade :bigjoint:

DemonTrich · Oct 22, 2014

I can kinda build shit. lol I currently grow in a basement with a dedicated a/c unti for the grow room. I already run 2x600hps and my temps are 73-75* lights on year round. so im not worried about the heat in the least bit. I will be adding another 600hps after the rooms build (3x600hps).

1x1 are out of the question, as they would not hold up my scrubber. my hoods (45lbs (iirc) each) are already hung on the joists.

plus I want ease of taking down like a tent.

insulating im not too worried about either. none of my tents are insulated and they work just fine. you guys are getting me into a 1000.00 room build when I need to be in the 400.00 +/-50.00 range. or ill just buy the 120x120 tent and try to make that work.

no insulation under the floor joists.

Hot Diggity Sog · Oct 22, 2014

When I built my room (which I can post pics if anyone wants to see), I sectioned off a 13' x 17' area in my basement and built a wall with a steel door on it.
The building materials I chose working from outside of the room in is:

5/8" drywall
2x4 studs with pressure treated bottom plates
Roxul Stonewool insulation. Note: Fiberglass is garbage and why people still but that shit is beyond me.
1" XPS foam board.

The room is reasonably air tight and inside the room I have my tent. Tent has odor control and the room has a 750 CMF fan and filter to exhaust. I have a passive intake. The odor control in the room is a secondary level of protection...like when you have to open the tent and work.

Hot Diggity Sog · Oct 22, 2014

Here are a couple of shots. I'm pissed I did not take more photos as I built this...would have been handy right around now.

Inside of the room. Ducting you see on the left used to be an active intake. It is now passive. Steel door on the right and you can see the blue 1" XPS foam board on the interior of the room.
The foam board then roxul then drywall turned out quite nice. Can't really hear any of the fans on the outside of the room.

Picture from the outside. Vent on the left is the exhaust vent.

Vent on the right is the passive intake.

Aeroknow · Oct 22, 2014

DemonTrich said:
I can kinda build shit. lol I currently grow in a basement with a dedicated a/c unti for the grow room. I already run 2x600hps and my temps are 73-75* lights on year round. so im not worried about the heat in the least bit. I will be adding another 600hps after the rooms build (3x600hps).

1x1 are out of the question, as they would not hold up my scrubber. my hoods (45lbs (iirc) each) are already hung on the joists.

plus I want ease of taking down like a tent.

insulating im not too worried about either. none of my tents are insulated and they work just fine. you guys are getting me into a 1000.00 room build when I need to be in the 400.00 +/-50.00 range. or ill just buy the 120x120 tent and try to make that work.

no insulation under the floor joists.

Well, if needing to take this thing down as quick as a tent: I would get that tent :-)

I'm having a hard time imagining this room being built out of pvc pipe. It would be a straight rigged up job. Not really something a "builder" could do better than you.
I would either suck it up and buy tent, and be done with it. Or frame(up to joists)with wood framing, to staple black/white poly onto, and to give you some thing strong enough to hang shit onto.

DemonTrich · Oct 22, 2014

the 1" pvc would be an exact copy of the 8x10 tent I have now. including all the structural crossbraces. I would put them 36" separation on ceiling and all walls. the floor would just be panda film x 2 layers, and I would use 2x 5.5'x5.5' mylar floor pans from 2 previously used tents I have in a spare room (unused). layed flat and taped with hvac tape.

all the tents in this size are not what im looking for. I plan on putting in 3x600hps in big kahuna hoods (these hoods are massive). 3 BK hoods in a 10x10 wont really work, as im already working in a 8x10. im looking for a longer tent, wider is just a bonus (ex 8x13, 8x12, 7x12, 7x13). longer tent would take the 3x BK better and allow me to run an additional 5 plants.

Aeroknow · Oct 22, 2014

DemonTrich said:
the 1" pvc would be an exact copy of the 8x10 tent I have now. including all the structural crossbraces. I would put them 36" separation on ceiling and all walls. the floor would just be panda film x 2 layers, and I would use 2x 5.5'x5.5' mylar floor pans from 2 previously used tents I have in a spare room (unused). layed flat and taped with hvac tape.

all the tents in this size are not what im looking for. I plan on putting in 3x600hps in big kahuna hoods (these hoods are massive). 3 BK hoods in a 10x10 wont really work, as im already working in a 8x10. im looking for a longer tent, wider is just a bonus (ex 8x13, 8x12, 7x12, 7x13). longer tent would take the 3x BK better and allow me to run an additional 5 plants.

If you did the walls with pvc, i suppose that would work, just for some backing for the panda(don't know how you would attach the panda though ;-)

As far as hanging shit off of the pvc overhead, i wouldn't do it. Pvc has practically zero rigidity.
If your stuck on trying to duplicate the construction of a tent: How about if you lay some 3/4 ply on top of this contraption? That should be able to support the lights, filter.

Someone had recomended to someone before, to use 1/2" galvanized pipe as the framing(Snaps i think), great idea, just expensive.

DemonTrich · Oct 22, 2014

gonna just run with the 2x2's for the build and panda/reflective film only, no insulation or backer board. after searching and a lot more of that, it seems its the easier and cost effective way to go.

now to get the prints made up and build this sucker. im harvesting this sunday, so time is of the essence. even tho I cant move my current flower room until I harvest and have room.

white/reflective on the inside, 6ml contractors black plastic on the outside. stapled.

DemonTrich · Dec 9, 2014

getting the last few things squared away before the build happens. all the wood is pre-cut, using 1/2" osb on the floor and 3x white panda film over it, 2x panda film on the ceiling, R-Tech foam board insulation on the 4 walls, 36" door with casement, and a 10x100' 6ml roll of black contractors plastic.

I have a couple last questions. since im using foam board insulation, should I wrap the room on the outside or inside. I plan on wrapping the entire room (all 4 wall will be 1 continuous sheet, then the ceiling, then floor under the osb). im thinking if I put it on the outside, and use the foam board on the inside, im going to create a pocket that may produce moisture and other bad stuff down the road (mold, mildew, rot) between the outer black plastic layer and the inside foam board. also, which might be better 1/2", 3/4, 1" foam board insulation. I have the space available, and the cost is only about 75.00 between the 3 sizes.

Hot Diggity Sog · Dec 9, 2014

DemonTrich said:
getting the last few things squared away before the build happens. all the wood is pre-cut, using 1/2" osb on the floor and 3x white panda film over it, 2x panda film on the ceiling, R-Tech foam board insulation on the 4 walls, 36" door with casement, and a 10x100' 6ml roll of black contractors plastic.

I have a couple last questions. since im using foam board insulation, should I wrap the room on the outside or inside. I plan on wrapping the entire room (all 4 wall will be 1 continuous sheet, then the ceiling, then floor under the osb). im thinking if I put it on the outside, and use the foam board on the inside, im going to create a pocket that may produce moisture and other bad stuff down the road (mold, mildew, rot) between the outer black plastic layer and the inside foam board. also, which might be better 1/2", 3/4, 1" foam board insulation. I have the space available, and the cost is only about 75.00 between the 3 sizes.

If using the foam board, what is the purpose of the black plastic then?

DemonTrich · Dec 10, 2014

for added sealed room protection.

now back to the question, wrap the exterior or the interior then apply the foam board?

building a new room

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