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  • well/celing speakers

    This summer I picked up an older house so I have not had the luxury of being apply to decided what I want to do in the house before building started (as it was built before I was born). I am thinking of doing some ceiling speakers. How hard/safe is it to get up into the attic and do this house 'mod' ?

    Note I am not putting them in a 'well' but a wall (can't edit title for typo's)
    Last edited by Russell; 10-15-2007, 03:07 PM.
    2001.5 Audi S4


    Originally posted by James
    My engine may be a solid 4 liters smaller than yours, but i have a HUGE penis

  • #2
    Re: well/celing speakers

    How old is the house? I just did this in my "new" house which was built in 2005...as long as you are carful where you step, it's very easy/safe. Obviously you don't want to walk around between the beams (ie. right on the drywall) or you'll be pulling a Chevy Chase from Christmas Vacation and falling right through the roof!
    Kyle
    2000 Audi S4

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    • #3
      Re: well/celing speakers

      I 'think' the house was built in 1960 something maybe
      2001.5 Audi S4


      Originally posted by James
      My engine may be a solid 4 liters smaller than yours, but i have a HUGE penis

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      • #4
        Re: well/celing speakers

        Hey there Russell this should help you out a bit. First you will need to stick some screwdrivers up into the ceiling space to use as markers for your speaker can locations when you are in the attic. Next in the attic make sure you walk across the joists and NEVER on the actual drywall. You will find the markers now make sure the cans will fit there. Might have to move a bit if a joist is in the way. Next issue is to get down the wall, if it is an outside wall you need to get the wire down you will need a cordless drill and a long auger bit to get into the wall space. Find the location you want to use and there will probably be some 2x6's or 2x8's as a top plate that supports the roof. Drill into them with the auger bit to get into the wall below. Here is where it is good to have 2 people because you will have to stick a chunk of fishtape down into the wallspace once the hole is complete and have somebody try to find it at the box location on the wall. Sometimes can take a while with a lot of cursing and swearing but eventually they will get it, now tape on the speaker wire take it up and into the ceiling to where the cans will be, and leave enough extra for splicing to the speaker. Now you can get out of the ceiling cut your speaker can holes from below and voila that should take care of any issues you will have.
        2002 996TT
        2011 S5
        2004 S4 Avant

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        • #5
          Re: well/celing speakers

          the 1960's house i was in was plaster, not drywall. could make it a little more fun. wear a mask....
          Stefan
          -> '19 Deep Black Pearl Alltrack
          -> '05 Urban Grey Passat Wagon TDI.
          -> Past rides: '14 Allroad, 06 Mazda5, '98 Jetta K2, '01 Jetta TDI, '91 Mazda B2200, '81 Toyota Cressida
          -> FutuRe Ride...??!

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          • #6
            Re: well/celing speakers

            You can buy a Greenlee hole cutter at Home Depot in the electrical tools location come with a clear plastic bowl type device that the cutter resides in. Really helps to keep the mess down to a min. and it's only about $30ish, I highly recommend it, you can use it later if you decide to do potlights as well.
            2002 996TT
            2011 S5
            2004 S4 Avant

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            • #7
              Re: well/celing speakers

              I hulled the largest piece of plywood I could fit up into my attic, that way when I found where I wanted to work I could lay it across the joists and not have to worry about falling through when I was working. You just have to re-fluff the insulation when you are done. I have thought about putting speakers in my upper bathroom where the backs would be to the attic. I am starting to think it would be a bad idea unless you seal the back end of the speaker somehow. For one there is vapor barrier that keeps the moisture out of your house, then the attic is also a cold zone. So unless you seal over and insulate the crap out of it you are doing to damage the speaker. I would look on some of the home theater forums to find the right speakers for your application.
              Name: Brent
              His: '04 TDI Golf Mods: None If it's smoken it ain't broken
              Family: '15 Jetta Sportwagon
              Fun car: '92 Blue Karmann Crabby Cabby Mods: Coils, front and rear swaybars, LED interior lights and some other old things.

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              • #8
                Re: well/celing speakers

                My installer ran the wire through the basement then up the wall from below. Much easier in that case. Is this the ground floor or 2nd?
                Geoff
                Fear is the element that unites all losers.

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                • #9
                  Re: well/celing speakers

                  Originally posted by Stonewall View Post
                  I am starting to think it would be a bad idea unless you seal the back end of the speaker somehow. For one there is vapor barrier that keeps the moisture out of your house, then the attic is also a cold zone. So unless you seal over and insulate the crap out of it you are doing to damage the speaker.
                  You just have to get vapour hats to go over the exterior of the cans up in the ceiling space then seal it up with tuck tape. Yo can also just use poly and tuck tape to the same effect, causing a moisture proof seal for the speakers. This method is reqired in any exterior wall or upper ceiling space area. Running wires up through a basement into your main floor walls is great if it is a unfinished basement but in the case of ceiling speakers it does no good cause ultimately it is the ceiling space where the wiring for the speakers has to get too, and the only way to do that is to get up in to the ceiling space and do what is nessessary. Unless they are going in the main floor of a multi-story house then you will have too just rip out the ceiling. (not worth it just for speakers)
                  2002 996TT
                  2011 S5
                  2004 S4 Avant

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                  • #10
                    Re: well/celing speakers

                    So where do you get poly vapor hats that big? I don't think I have ever seen them, but I would like to get some.
                    Name: Brent
                    His: '04 TDI Golf Mods: None If it's smoken it ain't broken
                    Family: '15 Jetta Sportwagon
                    Fun car: '92 Blue Karmann Crabby Cabby Mods: Coils, front and rear swaybars, LED interior lights and some other old things.

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                    • #11
                      Re: well/celing speakers

                      Originally posted by Stonewall View Post
                      So where do you get poly vapor hats that big? I don't think I have ever seen them, but I would like to get some.
                      I don't know where to get them but they've been using them in all the new houses in our area (lot's of people getting their whole house wired), so they can't be that hard to find.
                      Jay

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                      • #12
                        Re: well/celing speakers

                        I had some come with speakers I installed for a customer once apon a time but usually they would just be fabbed up out of poly. Try some of the suppliers in town (Wesco, Eecol etc.) and I'm sure they could hook you up with some large hats or point you in the right direction anyways.
                        2002 996TT
                        2011 S5
                        2004 S4 Avant

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                        • #13
                          Re: well/celing speakers

                          get a couple or more wide planks up there and put them across the beams so your not balancing only on beams when your trying to work coz if you lose your balance you or a tool your using is gonna hit between the beams.

                          punch through the ceiling where you wan to put the speakers then get someone to shine a torch through the hole while your in the attic, real quick way to find it. the screw driver idea mentioned earlier is also good.

                          If you up in the attic wear a good well fitting mask so you dont breath in all the insulation fibres you disturb, give yourself an extra couple of years to enjoy those speakers.

                          If the walls are plaster I think thats easier than trying to run down behind a board wall without disturbing it!

                          Good luck, and give yourself plenty of time to do it
                          Eric..

                          Nobody knows everything, but everybody knows something you don't!

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                          • #14
                            Re: well/celing speakers

                            why not get wireless they work great.

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                            • #15
                              Re: well/celing speakers

                              Originally posted by Stonewall View Post
                              So where do you get poly vapor hats that big? I don't think I have ever seen them, but I would like to get some.
                              You can get all different size vapour barier "hats" at Rona/Home Depot in the Electrical Department. I have seen sizes from single light switch boxes to large ones that are for your electrical panel. You can also make your own with poly and tuck tape.... they don't have to be anything fancy... just enough to seal the moisture out.
                              Chris

                              2018 Audi S5 Coupe Technik - Florett Silver Metallic
                              SOLD: 2011 Audi A4 Quattro 6 Speed MT - Brilliant Black
                              SOLD: 2001 VW Jetta Wolfsburg Edition - Galactic Blue

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