There is a small alcove in our garage, about 10X6 that looks like it was designed as a workshop are or laundry room. At one point I had my workbench there and used it as my work area. While that was fine, I am in a house filled with females and I needed a place where testosterone was the ruling hormone Hence the creation of the Man Cave!
Like anything else in life, this project was a whole lot more than just making the decision. The west and south walls were largely unfinished and there was exactly one outlet in the whole garage. Also, there is a small breaker box that was added (sloppy) to run 220 for a dryer. The first steps were to get that silly box turned the right way otherwise it would stick out of the wall and be inaccessible. From there I ran a new wire all the way to the end of the west wall adding six new outlets.
After that, insulation was added to the walls and then covered with 7/16 plywood. Why plywood and not sheet rock? Two reasons, 1) I mostly work alone and moving sheet rock without breaking it requires two people. 2) the plywood will be much tougher and take more abuse which I think is needed in the garage. An with that, stage one is completed.
The lessons I learned during this phase. It’s ok to ask your buddy to come over and help lift the very heavy plywood pieces to the top. Like all other houses ever made, the construction is less that square, multiple fittings and cuttings are required to get the piece to fit. Next, 2 pm during one of the hottest summers on record might not be the best time to install outlets. I’m not dumb enough to have connected the power before doing that, but I am dumb enough to not be wearing safety glasses. Sweaty hands slip and I did a few times drawing quite a bit of blood. Once was even a slip that put the tip of my needle nose pliers in my eyebrow, missing my eye about 2 inches and leaving a 1/4″ cut.
I am looking forward to stage two where I will get the Cave looking more like an actual room and add some sort of furniture and a/c device.