Turning a Garage into a Man Cave

Even though times have changed and we’re not Neanderthals living in caves anymore, that doesn’t mean we’d pass up a chance for peace and quiet if it came along.

In recent years, the modern man cave has become more popular as men look for ways to get some of their freedom back and make space at home just for them.

For some, a man cave is the best place to hang out with friends and watch a game or play poker, while others might want to use it for their hobbies and interests. No matter how you want to use your man cave, if you plan your setup and purchases well, you’ll be able to stay on budget and get the man cave of your dreams.

Man cave in a garage – good choice and possible issues

So, you looked around for places to put your man cave and decided on the garage.

It’s a good choice because the most challenging and most expensive part of the building—putting up four walls, a roof, and a floor—has already been done.

At least a garage has walls and a floor, which is good news.

The bad news is that turning the space into a comfortable living area on a small budget is not easy. But you can win this design challenge if you have a free weekend, the help of a few friends, and a lot of hard work.

Furthermore, if you live in a housing cooperative or a building on the National Register of Historic Places, you may need to talk to the local planning committee.

Also, changing your garage into a living space without permission can cause problems if you want to rent it out or sell it in the future, so take the time to do things the right way.

With these basic building blocks, you can make a few more changes to the room and start having a poker night with your friends immediately. As long as you don’t make your garage bigger and all of the work is done on the inside, you shouldn’t need planning permission.

When the work is done, the garage, which used to be dingy, will look like a modern man cave that is both useful and inviting.

Here’s our guide on how to design a man cave out of a garage. It covers flooring, lighting, wall texture, shelving, storage, furniture, and decorations.

How can a garage be turned into a man cave?

Turning your garage into a man cave doesn’t take much work because it’s already built to keep out the weather and has a power source. Some garages are even insulated.

All you have to do is plan out the room and what you want to put in it. Then, choose the right furniture and other items to make the room more comfortable and inviting.

If you’ve always wanted a place to hang out called a “man cave,” now is your chance. With our expert help, we’ll show you how to make one. We have all the ideas you need to turn your ordinary home garage into a man’s paradise, and you don’t need much to make it happen.

We’re not going to pretend that there isn’t a lot of information, tips, and ideas out there about turning any room in your house into a “man cave.” Just type “man cave” into Google and you’ll get more than 430 million results.

The problem is that the information is more entertaining than useful because it is built around the features rather than from the bottom up.

So, with our knowledge and some research under our belts, we decided to break down how to prepare your garage for a man cave conversion with a range of options to consider based on your needs, time, and budget.

Don’t worry, there are also some fun ideas at the end.

What’s a man cave?

The term “man cave” was coined in the early 1990s, but it really took off in the last 10 years as more and more men looked for ways to be alone.

Different things, like stressful jobs that made people work longer hours, bigger families, and homes that could now afford some extra space, all came together to give the men of the house the perfect chance to get some alone time.

So, what exactly is a man cave?

The term “man cave” isn’t very specific, so it can be used to describe any place in the house where men go to be alone. Some people call them mantuaries, manspaces, or even manlands. They give men a place to get away from their daily lives and call their own.

The man cave has everything a man could want to make it more comfortable or fun. You could have video games and a big screen TV, a wide selection of books and a comfortable recliner, a full bar and mini-fridge set up for entertaining, or anything else that strikes your fancy.

These fully-equipped rooms can be found anywhere in or outside the house where there is enough room.

You can have a man cave in a spare bedroom, in a treehouse outside, or, most commonly, in the garage, as long as there’s enough space for them to decorate it how they want and have some privacy from the rest of the house.

Why is a garage the best place for a man cave?

Cavemen in the past probably wished they could have their own cave, but because there weren’t enough caves to go around, they had to share with their families.

Modern American homes already have a garage that can be turned into a man’s oasis. It’s the easiest way to get the peace you’ve been wanting.

When we look at the average American garage, we can see that it has everything a man cave could need.

There’s a lot of extra space, running water and electricity, protection from the weather, and it’s easy for your friends to visit. The rest of the family would rather not go there, though.

Even better, the garage is usually a blank slate that hasn’t been touched by the design of the rest of the house. You start with a blank page, so the whole planning and decorating process is up to you. This makes the satisfaction of building and having your own man cave even greater.

How to choose between a finished and an unfinished garage?

Before you start making plans for your man cave, you’ll need to decide if you want it to be finished or an unfinished space. This will have a big effect on how much you spend in the end. Having a professional finish in your garage can make your man cave look a lot better, but it can also leave you with less money to spend on other amenities.

People often add a kitchenette and a bar to their finished man caves. If you’re worried about the final cost, you can save money by having your garage professionally finished without these more expensive additions.

Instead, you can compare prices online to find products with the same features that cost less.

You can get a stand-alone bar and a mini-fridge, which will do almost the same thing as a custom kitchenette but will be much cheaper and easier to set up. When deciding between finished and unfinished, you’ll also need to think about where you live. Depending on the climate and weather, you may need to finish your garage if you want to use your new “man cave” all year long.

You’ll also need to decide what kind of flooring you want in the room. If you like the look of industrial space, you can save money by leaving your garage floor alone or just adding an epoxy floor coating. If you want to add flooring like hardwood, certain types of tile, vinyl, or laminate, you’ll probably need help from a professional to put down the subfloor and then the flooring.

Putting a man cave in a garage – planning and preparation

Before you can start enjoying your new sanctuary, you need to do a little planning first. The garage is a great place to set up land in your home, but you need to do all of these things first before you can add the finishing touches.

1. Clean the garage out

If you’re like most people, your garage is a mess full of random bits and pieces, tools you never use, and old Christmas decorations from 10 years ago. The first step is to get rid of everything and clean up the area so there’s room for your new oasis.

There are two things you can do about that oil-stained, unfinished concrete floor in your garage. You can fix it up and give it a finish, or you can cover it up. No matter what you decide, the first step is to power wash the floor.

2. Get the floors ready

Most garage floors are made of concrete, and you’ll want to insulate them if you live in a cold place. To do this, you can add a subfloor and insulation under your final floor covering, or you can use some well-placed rugs to help keep the room warm.

When a garage is turned into a spare bedroom or living space, the floor is usually raised so that insulation can be put over the concrete slab. The extra insulation can make a garage-based man cave more comfortable, but it comes at a price, especially if you don’t plan to be in the doghouse all the time and sleep there.

The first step is to seal and refinish your concrete slab. Sealing the floor not only keeps the concrete from getting dirty but also gives it a clean, polished look.

But if you want a treatment that doesn’t just make your floor look like a garage floor, there are a lot of options for refinishing, from terrazzo or granite epoxy to acid stains with brighter colors and a mottled, highly varied color finish (color chips broadcast into the liquid epoxy with a variety of colors and combinations available).

Even if you don’t want to use insulation or carpet, you can still put down a few large rugs or pieces of leftover carpet to give you and your friends a soft, supportive floor that won’t hurt your knees after a game of darts.

Interlocking rubber floor tiles are the fastest way to cover a floor. They feel good on your feet and are easy to find, clean, or replace as needed.

Carpets can give you the feeling that your garage is separate from your living space. Putting down carpet padding and wall-to-wall carpeting will reduce noise, keep the temperature stable, and be more comfortable to walk on than bare concrete.

Instead of expensive woven rugs or traditional carpeting that traps dirt and is hard to clean, put down artificial grass rugs on the garage floor. Two grass rugs that are 6′ x 9′ and cost about $60 will cover a lot of floor space in your garage. Don’t be scared by the word “grass.” You can buy these rugs in many different colors.

You can also put in a subfloor if you want your renovation to look better and last longer. That gives you the choice of putting down wood flooring or composite floorboards that snap together.

Large area rugs are less work and work well, but you might want to seal the concrete and finish it first.

Even if you don’t do anything else to your garage floor, you might want to add a layer of stone epoxy.

Stone epoxy is durable, doesn’t get slippery, and looks great all at the same time. Best of all, it’s much cheaper than plush carpeting and just as comfortable over time.

This will cover up any flaws and make the existing floor look better. The best part is that it can be done by a beginner in just one weekend.

Here, you can see more ideas for flooring in a man cave.

3. Get the walls done

Now that you’ve figured out the floor, we can talk about the walls. How much time and money you spend on your walls depends a lot on what you have to work with.

Does your garage connect to your house?

Is it insulated already?

Let’s say, for the sake of argument, that you want to turn an attached, uninsulated garage into a room.

Insulation is more important in detached garages because they don’t get heat or air conditioning from the house next door. The best way to keep warm and save money is to put insulation between the wall studs and cover it all with drywall.

Take note of where the studs are as you hang the drywall because you’ll need them to hang things like neon beer signs, basketball hoops, and flat-screen TV wall mounts.

Most attached garages that are part of the house already have insulation, but if they don’t, it’s important to add it. Before you can start putting in furniture, you’ll need to choose a color scheme for the paint and get that done.

Adding a coat of paint will make your man cave look better, but if you want to take it to the next level, think about adding texture.

Brick or stone veneer is easy to put up and gives the impression that the house is sturdy and well-built.

A dark, textured wallpaper adds an instant touch of class to any room. To make it feel like a lodge, you could also use pallet wood or wood paneling.

Make sure you don’t paint the walls in dark colors, which will make your man cave feel like a dungeon. Use light, neutral colors that you can highlight with other design elements.

Garage wall to separate

You can separate your man cave from the rest of your garage by putting up a wall of any height. You can buy and set up accordion walls and room dividers with little trouble.

Build a timber frame for a solution that will last longer. Put insulation in before you cover it with drywall to help control the temperature.

Cinder blocks are another option for walls between rooms. This is a good idea, especially in warmer climates, if you know how to work with concrete and have access to cheap cinder blocks.

If you live somewhere that gets cold, you might regret not taking the time to insulate your space.

4. Complete the ceiling 

To finish, the ceiling might need a layer of drywall, or if it’s already done, a fresh coat of paint. Make a plan of where you might need electricity for lights, fans, and other things, and have a licensed electrician put it in.

Skip this section if you don’t mind how the rafters look in your man cave.

But if you want to hang a cool lamp over your poker table or a ceiling fan to move cigar smoke around, you’ll need to drywall and paint the ceiling.

Take a look at this man cave ceiling systems if you want something different.

Putting together your garage man cave

Once you’ve decided on the main parts of your man cave, you can start to think about how to make it a place that fits your interests and personality. How you make your man cave stand out will depend on how much money you have, but if you think outside the box, there are always ways to make your man cave your own without spending a lot of money.

The best part about having a man cave is deciding what to put in it and how to set it up to make the most of the space you have.

Check out these tips to make sure that your mantuary has everything you want:

• Amenities: These are things that might not be so much fun to use, but they make your cave more useful. Think about things like toilets, sinks, and doors that make it easy to use your man cave.
• Appliances: You should have at least a mini-fridge for drinks and a big TV for watching sports, movies, or video games. From there, you can add whatever you want, such as a massage chair, microwave, or space heater.
• Entertainment: It’s up to you to decide how people will have fun in your man cave. A pinball machine, air hockey table, ping pong table, pool table, dartboard, and poker table are some of the most popular ideas.
• Furniture: Your man cave needs a comfortable place to sit and space for your friends. Some other useful pieces of furniture are a coffee table or dining table, extra chairs, shelves, and a benchtop for cooking.

1. Lights for a man cave garage

To make sure your space is functional and usable, you may need to replace the garage lighting that came with your home. You need to choose lighting that goes with the other things you’ve done in the room.

Most garages don’t have windows and only have bare bulbs for light, which makes them feel like interrogation rooms. One of the easiest ways to turn a space from a place to store things into a place to hang out is to change the lighting.

Hanging bare bulbs from the ceiling is a creative and cheap way to light a room. Attach bulb sockets to your wiring and plug the bulbs into surge protectors with multiple outlets that are mounted near the top of two opposite walls in your garage. Hang a row of these bulbs at the same height along each wall, or let them hang at different heights.

If you want the cheapest, most basic option, you can always just get LED garage lights, which will be brighter than standard fluorescent garage lights. But if you really want to take the style of your man cave to the next level, you can match industrial or modern lighting with the rest of your decor and furniture to create a unified look.

You need to think about three different kinds of lighting: ambient lighting, fill or task lighting, and accent lighting.

Start by putting a light fixture on the bulb in the ceiling. The most ambient light will come from a semi-flush ceiling light fixture in the shape of a drum that is made of clear glass and takes up the least amount of space above it.

If you have a choice, try to put this fixture in the back of the garage, away from the door, where it’s darkest. Add torchiere-style floor lamps to fill in any dark spots and make the room feel bigger.

Next, add task lighting. If you are adding a wet bar, you will need a light on the work area that is mounted on the wall. A pendant lamp hung over the poker table will make sure that everyone can see their cards.

Most likely, all you have in your garage is a light bulb hanging from the ceiling and the light from the garage door opener. You might not be able to change the light on the door opener, but a simple fixture can make the other light better. New lighting will make the space look less like a converted garage and more like a room. It won’t cost much to buy new lighting.

2. Shelving and storage for a man cave garage

Clutter is the main reason why you can’t relax in your garage. If you don’t have any other options, buy some cheap storage, like wire shelves, paint them, and get everything off the floor.

You’ll be surprised at how quickly the area goes from being a “storage space” to a “living space.” If you don’t have a lot of stuff lying around, well-organized open shelving is fine.

You can also buy storage that stands alone and use it as a temporary wall. You can hide your tools and gardening supplies in a lot of places if you have a lot of large cabinets or wardrobes.

Try to get rid of any signs that you’re in a garage as much as you can, given your space and other factors.

Adding storage to your man cave will make it more useful.

Even though the main purpose of most man caves is to be a place to hang out, you may also need to use them to work on personal projects or store extra stuff for the rest of the house.

To keep all of these different things and activities in order, you’ll need to add storage that keeps your man cave looking good and working well, so it doesn’t turn into a big, messy mess you can’t enjoy.

Using a garage locker, storage rack, or stackable utility shelving to store things will keep them from taking up more space than they need to. If you need to store a lot of things, you might want to use an overhead ceiling rack. Even though it’s not the most attractive choice, it will keep your stuff out of the way and give you more room for your man cave.

You can also hang things on the wall, like a pegboard, wall hooks, or tool organizers, to keep these things off the floor and away from your play space. If your yard and garden tools take up too much room in your man cave, you can always get a small outdoor shed to store them. This will make your man cave less cluttered.

You can build custom shelves for your man cave that can also be used to store your tools and other garage items. For example, you could build a wall-to-wall set of cabinets to hide everything you don’t want people to see in your man cave.

Then, you could use the top to hold your TV, movies, beer keg, or whatever else you want in there.

Try to build a shelving system that you can use in both a man cave and a garage to make the space as flexible as possible.

3. Garage furniture for a man cave

When it’s time to set up your man cave, your motto should be “seats and surfaces.”

Are you going to have people over to your man cave?

You’ll need a place to sit where all your friends can fit in. A couch and a few chairs should be enough, and you’ll get extra points if you add a comfortable recliner.

Most likely, you’re going to drink something in your sacred relaxation space. No matter where you sit in your man cave, you should always be able to reach a surface to set your drink down on. This will also keep your guests from putting their drinks on the floor, where they could get kicked over and ruin the new carpet you just put down.

If you don’t have enough room for a living room set, you might want to think about getting a poker table instead. If the chairs are soft and comfortable, you might not miss the couch at all.

Depending on how the beams on your garage roof are set up, you could even hang a hammock or swing chair.

Here are some more ideas for garage living rooms.

4. Bring in accessories

The second thing you need to think about for your man cave is the entertainment and/or electronics you’ll need. This might seem like a strange way to go about things, but if you take care of this part of your plan before you buy furniture, you’ll save time, money, and stress when you convert your garage.

No matter if your garage is finished or not, there will only be a few power outlets there, so where you put electronics can have a big impact on where you put big things in the end.

If you want to save money on any professional work that needs to be done in your garage, you should add things like a TV or sound system as close as possible to an existing power source.

This will change where you can put certain pieces of furniture since you’ll usually want to put sofas, coffee tables, and recliners in the middle of the room around the main entertainment system. Before you pick out your final furniture, planning in this order will help you figure out if you need to buy extension cords or other cord management tools to make your layout work better.

Once you have at least a general idea of where the main pieces will go, you’ll know how much space you have left for things like stools, side tables, floor lamps, rugs, and storage furniture.

Add game tables, electronics, couches, and any other furniture and accessories you need to your man cave to finish it off. If you pull the manual lever on the garage door so it won’t open with the remote, you might want to put curtains or a room divider in front of the garage to hide the door.

Make the space your own and show off your creativity. You will soon be able to enjoy a great room in your house.

5. Garage man cave decorations

If you have things that don’t go with the style of your main house, the man cave is a great place to show them off.

This room should make you happy and calm, so choose things to put in it based on those goals. If you frame posters before you hang them, the room will feel more finished and permanent.

If you’re going to buy decorations or paint, choose one main color and one or two accent colors for the room. Try to make sure that any design element you add has at least one of these colors.

If you’re putting up wire shelves, get a can of spray paint in your accent color and make it look like it was done on purpose.

Should you buy a new sofa or paint the walls? That’s where you should use your main color.

Need more pillows for the couch? Even small details can help tie the room together.

Using one of the garage design software programs on the market right now can help you picture your man cave garage better. These let you try out different parts of the design, like flooring, wall paint, shelves, and decorations, before you buy anything.

A few notes on the details:

• Since the garage probably doesn’t have the best airflow, you’ll want to use paint that blocks moisture. When it’s rainy outside, you might want to run a dehumidifier if you want your man cave to be clean and dry.
• You can get an old fridge for less than $100 at a thrift store or garage sale near you. Even if the freezer stops working, which is common with cheap refrigerators, you still have a cheap place to store cold drinks for the guys.
• Put the fridge in a corner next to a dry bar you made from things you didn’t use in your attic.
• You can put your Scotch collection on display and hold beer steins in an old bookcase that you hang on the wall. Put a piece of plywood that is 18 inches deep and the same length as the table as a place to mix drinks.
• Your friends can donate old couches and chairs to your man cave. A patio set that has seen better days is easy to turn into a poker table set—without the umbrella, of course.
• Even though big-screen TVs from the 1980s aren’t as popular as they used to be, you can still find plenty of working ones at yard sales for less than the price of a newer, smaller flat-screen TV. Place the TV so that it can be seen easily from anywhere in the room.

To make your room feel more like you, add posters of your favorite movies or sports teams, or display cases for your most valuable memorabilia or collectors’ items.

By adding these unique touches to your man cave, you’ll make it a place you’ll be proud to use, show off, and talk about. This will make sure that the money and time you spent turning it into a man cave won’t go to waste.

6. Adding fun stuff to your man cave

Last but not least, you should think about how your man cave will be used for fun. This is what makes it a real man cave instead of just a simple room.

There are so many ways to move forward from here. One of the most common is to put a TV, gaming system, and surround sound speakers in there. This gives you hours of fun when you’re by yourself.

If you still have space, you can add a pool table, table tennis, air hockey, or foosball table for more fun.

We already talked about the walls, which are great for putting up a dartboard.

Another popular idea is setting up a poker table so you and your friends can play card games.

Choose some entertainment options that you’ll love and enjoy the most, no matter what.

Also Read:

• Paddle Tennis vs Pickleball
• How to Play Foosball Better

Improving and making the most of your man cave

You may be looking for something to add to your man cave that will take it to the next level and make it a place you’ll be proud of. This could be something beyond the basic furniture and decorations. People often want a “man cave” so they can enjoy their hobbies and interests and have a place to hang out with friends.

If you’re looking for high-end upgrades, there are a few popular man cave design trends that you can try for yourself. A projection system is often used in place of or in addition to an entertainment center. If you want it in addition to your regular TV, you can mount a pull-down screen above and slightly in front of where the TV sits.

When you’re ready to use the projector that’s on the ceiling, all you have to do is pull down the screen. Another popular choice is to use a permanent projection screen on a whole wall instead of a TV.

No matter which one you choose, don’t forget to add fun extras like a popcorn machine, movie theater seats, a surround sound system, acoustic tiles for the walls to improve the sound quality, and ambient lighting to make the viewing experience better.

If you’d rather play games than watch TV or movies, you might want to save your money for luxuries like a TV with a better picture, a gaming chair, a large computer desk with an adjustable height, or a powerful gaming PC.

Focus on what you like to do most, no matter what extras you add, and you’ll end up with a man cave you love.

What not to do in a garage man cave?

At the very least, you should get rid of any chemicals that are toxic or dangerous. If something leaks or spills, it could be dangerous.

Don’t smoke in your man cave unless all the fuel is gone and there are no cars around. If you want to grill, you’ll have to open the door and go outside. You might want to add an awning or something else to keep you dry.

Even with the door open, you should never use propane, kerosene, butane, or charcoal inside. Gases that are harmful or even deadly can build up and become dangerous. It’s better to deal with the weather than go to the emergency room.

Frequently asked questions 

Many men’s dream is to turn their garage into a man cave. If you have the time, it’s surprisingly easy to do.

Whether your garage is already insulated and ready to go or you have to put in some work to get it ready, the results will be worth it. We’ve answered some frequently asked questions about man caves to help you learn more about them.

Conclusion

The best man caves are all about one thing.

When you mix a Western-style saloon theme with a love of Formula 1, the result is a man cave that looks more like a place to store things than a place to hide from your wife and kids.

Think about the things you already have, like photos, furniture, and games, and then think about where you want to go. This will help you figure out what you can use and what you need to buy for the man cave.

So, go out and plan, build, and make the man cave of your dreams, or keep coming up with ideas from a list of a few that we thought were really cool.

Image credits: Pixabay, Unsplash and Pexels