wall and ceiling construction need advise

[fearforyourlife]

I'm about to begin building my house and need some advise from seasoned pros. It is a 4500 sq ft unit (3500 being used for the haunt build). It's a warehouse with an office in the front. The ceilings in the warehouse are about 20-25ft high. I'm going to build the haunt about 8-10 feet up.

1. What do you guys use to construct your walls and studs? (not what tools, but what type of stud and wall)
2. What do you use for your ceiling to ensure sprinkler systems above the unit are still effective? (my sprinkler will be 10-15 feet above the haunt ceiling)
3. How do you run wiring to pass code? Do you run wiring to a multi-outlet?
4. Do any of you use anything for the floor to have grip?
5. Lastly, how do you attach the studs to a cement floor? (tapcons or Hilti gun)?

Thanks guys. I'm about to start my build and need all the tips you can throw my way.

[Pennywise]

The easiest way to build modular walls is by using 4'x8' plywood or OSB and 2x4 studs. You screw one 8' 2x4 to each edge of the plywood, then cut 3 more to 45 inches and screw one horizontally across the top, middle and bottom of the plywood. I have been doing it this way and also using pallets screwed together. To brace the walls, I use 2x3 or ripped pieces of pallet planks across the top of the walls to hold them upright and support them. it makes them really solid. You can drape cloth or camo netting over the braces to create a ceiling. Hope I've helped some.

[BrotherMysterio]

I'm about to begin building my house and need some advise from seasoned pros. It is a 4500 sq ft unit (3500 being used for the haunt build). It's a warehouse with an office in the front. The ceilings in the warehouse are about 20-25ft high. I'm going to build the haunt about 8-10 feet up.

1. What do you guys use to construct your walls and studs? (not what tools, but what type of stud and wall)
2. What do you use for your ceiling to ensure sprinkler systems above the unit are still effective? (my sprinkler will be 10-15 feet above the haunt ceiling)
3. How do you run wiring to pass code? Do you run wiring to a multi-outlet?
4. Do any of you use anything for the floor to have grip?
5. Lastly, how do you attach the studs to a cement floor? (tapcons or Hilti gun)?

Thanks guys. I'm about to start my build and need all the tips you can throw my way.

I sent you a link in PM. Go to that page and download "How to Build a Portable Modular Dark Attraction.pdf". That's JB's classic book, and he explains everything in detail.

Btw, the one thing you don't want to do is use OSB. That's all he had available to him at the time, but it is really heavy, and what you save on cost per sheet, you spend on paint trying to make it look like anything other than OSB. Instead, Lowe's has a 5mil plywood (close to 1/4") that goes for about $10 a sheet. I would send you a link, but their website sucks and I can't find it. Anyway, that stuff is as light as OSB is heavy, and makes an excellent alternative. Everything else should be as the book explains.

He also gets into wiring, lighting, sound systems, all that.

As far as attaching the wall panels to the cement floor, you don't want to get too stud-happy with that, because you want to keep a certain amount of flexibility in case you have to jockey a few wall panels around.

Do you have your floor layout yet?

C.

PS. - This might be it as far as the plywood goes. My local Lowe's had it right next to the OSB.

[fearforyourlife]

The easiest way to build modular walls is by using 4'x8' plywood or OSB and 2x4 studs. You screw one 8' 2x4 to each edge of the plywood, then cut 3 more to 45 inches and screw one horizontally across the top, middle and bottom of the plywood. I have been doing it this way and also using pallets screwed together. To brace the walls, I use 2x3 or ripped pieces of pallet planks across the top of the walls to hold them upright and support them. it makes them really solid. You can drape cloth or camo netting over the braces to create a ceiling. Hope I've helped some.

Sounds easy enough. Thanks for the insight Pennywise

I sent you a link in PM. Go to that page and download "How to Build a Portable Modular Dark Attraction.pdf". That's JB's classic book, and he explains everything in detail.

Btw, the one thing you don't want to do is use OSB. That's all he had available to him at the time, but it is really heavy, and what you save on cost per sheet, you spend on paint trying to make it look like anything other than OSB. Instead, Lowe's has a 5mil plywood (close to 1/4") that goes for about $10 a sheet. I would send you a link, but their website sucks and I can't find it. Anyway, that stuff is as light as OSB is heavy, and makes an excellent alternative. Everything else should be as the book explains.

He also gets into wiring, lighting, sound systems, all that.

As far as attaching the wall panels to the cement floor, you don't want to get too stud-happy with that, because you want to keep a certain amount of flexibility in case you have to jockey a few wall panels around.

Do you have your floor layout yet?

C.

PS. - This might be it as far as the plywood goes. My local Lowe's had it right next to the OSB.

Many thanks for sending me that book! That will definitely help out a lot. I do have the floor plan drawn out and am in the process of finalizing it to bring to the county to get my building permits. I hear what you're saying about not getting too stud happy, but my real confusion is what to use to attach to the cement floor. Are you guys using tapcons, or are you guys renting Hilti guns and using those?

Flexibility is definitely important so good point on that.

How many haunts have you done so far?

[Jim Warfield]

Anticipate where the customers might be hitting those walls hard and build those pieces of your wall thicker than 1/4 inch if that is to be your norm.
Also the walls should be stronger if you are mazing and have a scare in a dimmly lit area because they might not see the wall and run into it full speed.
I have gotten away with very thin maze walls but I had nothing happening to propell them into any of those thin walls.
Another possible problem to think about. If you have lax security, gangs as customers, or just a rough crowd, they will be punching walls, kicking walls trying to leave their "Mark" Thicker plywood all a round if this may be what might be happening. Some will just punch and kick for exercise, many more will do this if they become bored or frustrated or think they deserve to do such things because you are not providing them with enough of a show for what they just paid you.
A time consuming method to make something as thin as 1/4 inch withstand a max. amount of abuse requires blocking in the wall 2by 4;s even 2by 2's will do alot when placed at average punching and kicking levels, and of course screw everything together, fill in the screw holes with Elmer's wood putty, make it smooth, then paint.
I love bulding but I don't love repairing. Make it strong going in and free up yourself to enjoy your haunt more.

[BrotherMysterio]

Many thanks for sending me that book!

Personally I've never had to deal with cement, per se, but usually if the rest of the structure is rigid, then the whole maze works as a unit, and is quite durable and won't move too much. That requires a lot of top-bracing. However, that said, if you know you have key-juncture points where several of the wall panels will join together, then you can put a few bolts into the concrete at those spots.

Greg Chrise works with concrete in his day job, and would be the expert when it comes to that. Of course, he's built haunts for 20 years, so he could tell you straight up.

C.

[fearforyourlife]

Anticipate where the customers might be hitting those walls hard and build those pieces of your wall thicker than 1/4 inch if that is to be your norm.
Also the walls should be stronger if you are mazing and have a scare in a dimmly lit area because they might not see the wall and run into it full speed.
I have gotten away with very thin maze walls but I had nothing happening to propell them into any of those thin walls.
Another possible problem to think about. If you have lax security, gangs as customers, or just a rough crowd, they will be punching walls, kicking walls trying to leave their "Mark" Thicker plywood all a round if this may be what might be happening. Some will just punch and kick for exercise, many more will do this if they become bored or frustrated or think they deserve to do such things because you are not providing them with enough of a show for what they just paid you.
A time consuming method to make something as thin as 1/4 inch withstand a max. amount of abuse requires blocking in the wall 2by 4;s even 2by 2's will do alot when placed at average punching and kicking levels, and of course screw everything together, fill in the screw holes with Elmer's wood putty, make it smooth, then paint.
I love bulding but I don't love repairing. Make it strong going in and free up yourself to enjoy your haunt more.

Yes very good points. I am doing a lot of mazing with walls in near zero lighting. I definitely need them to withstand someone running directly into it. So what is the best route for that?

As for damage If my calculations are correct there should always be eyes on people regardless of where they are in the haunt so I'm hoping that will keep vandalism at a minimum.

Personally I've never had to deal with cement, per se, but usually if the rest of the structure is rigid, then the whole maze works as a unit, and is quite durable and won't move too much. That requires a lot of top-bracing. However, that said, if you know you have key-juncture points where several of the wall panels will join together, then you can put a few bolts into the concrete at those spots.

Greg Chrise works with concrete in his day job, and would be the expert when it comes to that. Of course, he's built haunts for 20 years, so he could tell you straight up.

C.

That's good to know. How do I get a hold of Greg Chrise? Does he frequent this board?

[BrotherMysterio]

How do I get a hold of Greg Chrise? Does he frequent this board?

He's on here a lot. I'll give him a shout out.

C.

[savageroad]

This year we are using the material for our ceilings that you would find on the bottom of your sofa or chair. We found a local upholstery shop that gets the stuff they use for under the seats in small airplanes. It is flame retardant, lets air and water through but keeps out a lot of the light. We get a 36" x 300' roll for about $60 bucks. We should be able to do most of the rooms in our 8,000 sq ft haunt with about 3-4 rolls.

[Greg Chrise]

Once all the wall panels are screwed together and top bracing in place, the wall system will not move on concrete. As the walls square up to each other you will have the occasional hanging wall, to remedy this you have wooden shims and pound them under the walls to insure they have wieght on the floor.

Each wall single sided wieghs about 45 pounds, if double sided about 85 pounds and putting them together becomes one big multi ton mess. The absolute best is if it does fit your theme to have carpet lid down first and then walls. So many places you set up are not intended for construction to be done, putting nails or things into the floor, so you do it with weight. You also put props in areas and hand rails so the walls are not where 6 heavy framed customers do a rhino dive. Customers can become like the football defense line and so those particular areas you might even get crazy into 55 gallon plastic drums with water as weight or sand. The occasional raised stage that is also attatched to walls helps.

A heavy central corridor that everything is built off of adds to the structure.

The one point not mentioned is that the top 2x4 should go on top of the verticle lumber so it can carry weight of various things, from walking the walls to how the overhead bracing is attatched and does have some weight, cable bundles with lots of connections can become heavy. The bottom two horizontals can be inside the lumber.

Use screws instead of nails and figure out how these all attatch together properly.

Over head bracing is more than just a corner here and there, it may actually end up being an entire grid of lumber every 8 feet or less or totally free style but a lot more weight and amount than you would think. You literally go through and wiggle and test things once it is all up.