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Without a doubt, you've heard of a man cave. A place where you can get away and chill out for a few hours in your own space. However, not everyone has space at home to dedicate a full room to this.
Some people, however, are getting creative and turning areas of their home into their very own man caves. One place you've probably overlooked is the shed. A great space to build the ideal man cave, you're probably wondering how to do it.
From planning and getting the tools to electrifying it and even weatherproofing, below, you'll find everything you need to know about making the ideal man cave.
What you'll need
Aside from the shed, there's a number of essential items you'll need to help you transform your shed into the ultimate man cave.
- Ground support to protect against water
- Anti-mould protection for the inside
- Outside waterproofing
- Lighting
- Furniture
- Electrical equipment
- Your own accessories
If you don't have a great shed, buy a new one, but make sure it comes weatherproofed to cut some time and with fully fitted electrical sockets to also help cut down your work time. Also check out here for more shed design tips.
Clear the shed
If you aren't getting a new shed and your old one works just fine, the first thing you'll need to do is clear it of all the contents. Chances are, your shed has become the dumping ground for all the things you don't really need anymore, which give you a great chance to have a clear out too.
Anything that's a necessity can be stored in smaller, outdoor shed spaces.
Get measuring
Once everything has been cleared out and you have a blank canvas to work with, you'll need to measure the space. This will let you know what area you're working with while allowing you to understand the layout and how you'll go about creating your ideal space.
Weatherproofing
Now it's time for the big job - weatherproofing. This will most likely be the most time-consuming part of the whole project, but it's the most important, which means you shouldn't cut corners.
Helping to conserve energy and protect against wind, rain and mould, this will transform this space from a garden shed into a home outside the home for you.
A concrete foundation is usually the best start, where you can place the shed to protect from groundwater. If this is too expensive, cinder blocks or other stone supports to raise the building are just as effective.
Following this, roof felt will help to keep the roof protected while the use of fence paint or patio and floor latex paint will help to protect the outside of the building
Finally, coat all of the insides of the shed with anti-mould paint. This should help to protect the inside from the dangers of mould. However, ventilation will help keep mould fully at bay.
Electrifying
Once the outside is done, next comes the fun bit, electrifying your shed.
If you don't have electric built-in as previously mentioned, an old shed can easily be adapted by hooking it up to your home. Once this is done, it's time to get those fun electrics, like lights and even a fridge, installed.
Conduit tubing is a great way to keep cables protected in environments like this, which can be purchased from RS Components. It's also extremely tidy looking too, which helps give the man cave the ideal finish.
Once you've done all this, you'll finally have the ultimate man cave where you can relax, unwind and escape everyone else.
