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Creating a Garden Man Cave Shed
Published: 23/12/2020
We all need somewhere to take a breather from everyday modern life – a place to kick back and relax, to invite your friends to, and to give yourself an oasis far away from work and other pressures and responsibilities. In other words, you need your very own man cave shed! A man cave can be for anyone, it can be filled with anything, it can be decorated just as you like it; your man cave can be whatever way you want it to be, but it must always be an escape, somewhere to enjoy a slower pace of life and somewhere where you can be yourself. That’s why garden man caves are the ultimate form of the man cave. Having a spot away from the confines of the house lets you stake out your own territory, carve out your own haven to enjoy your and your friends’ company without any interruptions. Got all that? Don’t worry if you haven’t! To help you out, we’ve written this handy and comprehensive guide to building a man cave shed in your garden.
What is a man cave?
Before we get stuck in, let’s pause for a minute and take a quick look at what a man cave actually is. The original idea behind a man cave is that it is a space in a house which is set aside for the male members of that household to do whatever they want with, to act as they want and to face no repercussions, admonishments or otherwise from anyone else in the home. The man cave could be in the garage, a spare room, a garden building, - basically any area that could be designated for the sole use of the men and boys in the household. Of course, the modern man cave isn’t just for men, but in this blog, we’re going to focus on the more traditional ‘masculine’ uses of the man cave. After all, we all need our own space to unwind, get some alone time and pursue our own interests and hobbies with our friends.
What are the benefits of having a man cave?
There are a whole host of advantages having your very own man cave can bring. It’s your own private place after all, a space that is just for you and your friends on which you can stamp your identity and have everything your way. Here are some of the best things about having a man cave of your own:
- Privacy – We all need to be on our own sometimes, to invest time in ourselves, our mental wellbeing and our passion projects. It can be hard to find that privacy and solitude sometimes, especially if you have a family in your household with you. Man caves are a neat solution to it all, giving you somewhere to retreat when things get too much.
- Space – So often, space is an obstacle when it comes to our hobbies and our free time. Setting aside some room for your man cave, especially out in the garden, gives you the freedom to indulge in your interests and personal projects, and better yet, it can become somewhere for you to host guests and put on parties.
- Storage – In a similar vein to the above point, your man cave can prove to be a handy storage option for your home. We don’t suggest you should use yours as a place to shove unwanted boxes of junk, but rather you treat your man cave as a place to display your prized possessions – trophy collections for example, or personal family heirlooms.
Those are just a few examples of what a man cave can bring to your home – above all, a man cave is great for what it offers you personally, and what it means for you as a person.
Why should I put my man cave outside?
For many, building a man cave in the garden, in a shed, log cabin or outdoor building is the obvious choice that just makes sense. Here are a couple of reasons why your garden or your outside area is ideal for constructing your own space away from it all:
- Space to yourself – A man cave is all about having the peace and quiet you need to not be disturbed and possibly more importantly, not to disturb anyone else. If you’re out in your garden, you won’t have to worry about noise complaints from your family, you won’t have to worry about someone wandering in absent-mindedly, and you’ll have your own slice of territory, all to yourself.
- Perfect for summer – There’s nothing more enjoyable than cracking open a couple of beers on a Saturday afternoon on a perfect summer’s day with your mates. If you’ve got your man cave in a well-ventilated shed outside, you’ll be able to soak in the sun in a few chairs on the doorstep, and then when things get a bit chillier, retreat inside to keep the party going.
- Ideal for hobbies – Thinking of equipping your man cave for hobbies? An outdoor option is great for this. If you’re doing something like carpentry or painting for example, all of the sawdust and paint will be kept far away from the house and all of the furniture. If you’re learning an instrument, you’ll keep the noise secluded and isolated. For hobbyists, outdoor man caves are a dream come true.
What can I use a man cave for?
Here’s the great thing about having your own man cave – you can do whatever you want in it! Man caves are where you can be you. From the decorations to the fittings, the furniture to the amenities, you’re in full control to create a space where you can share your own identity and pursue your own interests. This is especially true for the garden man cave, where you have complete freedom away from the house. You might already have your own vision in mind, but if not, here are few man cave shed ideas for how you can use yours:
- Games room – From table tennis to games consoles, pool tables to arcade machines, turning your man cave into a games headquarters is a great idea. Ideal for hosting guests or enjoying on your own, having your own games room where you can keep entertained for hours without disruption is a perfect use of your man cave space.
- Hobby space – Hobbies are great – a chance to explore your creativity and to see projects come to fruition outside of the confines and pressures of your day job. Your man cave can become a hub for your hobbies, giving you the space and undisturbed peace to tackle everything from carpentry to musicianship without getting in anyone’s way.
- Private cinema – With things like televisions, projectors and screens becoming more and more readily available, it’s never been easier to turn your man cave into a private cinema that offers quality viewing of not just films, but also regular TV and sports coverage. Invest in a decent sound system, get some comfy chairs, get your mates round and enjoy!
- In-house bar – Talking of inviting your friends over, a fun and popular choice for a garden shed man cave is to add in your own bar! It doesn’t have to be too complex – start small by adding basic shelving units and a makeshift bar counter and just build from there according to your budget. Once you’re done, you’ll have a full-on pub to enjoy with your pals.
Remember, if you’re planning to add electronic or multimedia equipment to your DIY man cave shed, you’ll to make sure your outdoor building has ready access to power and WiFi if you need it. For more information on connecting your shed up to your power supply, check out our blog on the subject here
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What size is best for an outdoor man cave?
The size of your garden man cave depends on what you're looking to do inside.
The full-scale man cave shed
If you want the in-house bar, private cinema, arcade machines, pool table and other mod cons described above, we'd recommend you go for a large garden building, such as the Delta, which is available in sizes of up to 20x18 feet.
Man caves on a budget
If you're looking at building a man cave on a budget, you'll obviously need to be more discerning with your choice of mod cons, or at least choose a smaller building. The Workman Apex and Heavyweight Workshop offer the same benefits as their larger counterparts, but in a compact and cosier size. If you want a space that isn’t too big, but can fit the household in for family movie or games nights, then these two options are just what you’re looking for. But what if you don’t have the space in your garden for the sheds described above? Well, the good news is you can still get yourself a smaller more compact shed. If you'd like to use your man cave for yourself and your hobbies, our TigerFlex Apex 8x6 sheds are the most popular size shed in this range. When choosing your man cave, you need to figure our what you intend to use it for most. Before you buy, make sure to sit down at a table with others in your household to work out your man cave shed plans, what you want your man cave to be and how much space you have to make those plans a reality.
How much does it cost to build a man cave shed?
The cost of your outdoor man cave depends on many different variables - including size and what you intend to use it for (see above). If you want to spend a lot of time there, or even use it as a shed bedroom from time to time, you may wish to think about insulating your shed, which will cost more. Obviously, you'll also have to factor in the cost of the equipment you intend to use inside (assuming you don't already own it). And as long as you follow the rules on planning permission and building regulations [1], you won't experience the same issues as the millionaire who faced ruin after his local council fined him £30,000 for building the 'ultimate' six-bedroom man cave in his back garden (at a cost of £200,000) in 2014 [2].
Value for money
The good news is that the Tiger buildings we mention above will cost you as little as a few hundred pounds (TigerFlex Apex) to a few thousand pounds (the Delta) in the UK - all bargains when you consider their size, ease of construction and impressive build quality. We hope you found this guide to creating your own outdoor man cave helpful. And remember - ultimately, your man cave is for you and there are no rules with what you can do with it. Be creative, be adventurous, and build a space where you can be yourself above everything else!
References
[1] https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/43/outbuildings/2 [2] https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/millionaire-faces-ruin-after-legal-13634905
