If you’re looking for quick answers to you man cave questions, you’re in the right place. Most answers will have one or more articles linked in them so you can read a more in-depth answer there.
Table of Contents
1. What is a man cave?
A man cave is a space where a man can be alone or with some friends. It can be any space in the house or sometimes outside. In here, a man can participate in many different activities like playing poker, watching sports, reading, etc. It’s usually decorated the way the man likes.
2. What’s the purpose of a man cave?
A man cave has more than one purpose. The most important are to have a private space for alone time to do whatever the man likes or a room to hang out with some friends. This time can be used to get back in touch with their identity and masculinity or just to relax and work on some hobbies.
Suggested article; Common purposes of man caves.
3. How big should a man cave be?
Obviously that depends on what you want to do there. Here are some suggested dimensions for different activities.
- Pool table: 13’4” x 17’
- Darts: 7′ 9 1/4″ from the board
- Foosball: 12′ x 5.5′
- Poker/card games: 9′ x 9′
- Bar area for 4 people: 112″ x 105″
- Pc gaming: 4.5′ x 4.75′
- Console gaming: 7′ x 9′
- Working on motorcycles: Single garage 12′ x 22′
- Working on cars: Single garage 12′ x 22′
Keep in mind; these are minimum suggested dimensions.
For a more in-depth explanation of these dimensions, read; What size should my man cave be?
4. Who wants a man cave?
Everyone is different and has different reasons. There is not just one type of man that wants a man cave. If you look at the purposes of a man cave, that should give you a good indication. Men who are missing the alone time or private space to do what they want are more likely to want their own man cave. Those are not the only reasons however.
Suggested article: What type of man wants a man cave?
5. What’s the best room to convert into a man cave?
The best spaces to convert into a man cave are the garage or the basement. If those are unavailable, the bedroom, attic, or a separate structure are great alternatives. If you’ve got hobbies that are loud, smelly and/or dirty, you’re probably best off in a garage or separate structure since you don’t want those in the house.
Suggested article: The best room for a man cave
6. How much does a man cave cost?
A normal man cave with nice appliances and decorations will cost about $5500. There is a wide range though. A man cave can cost anywhere from $350 to $23000 to build, depending on what you can and want to spend and do. In the end you get what you pay for but, more money doesn’t equal more fun.
To see how I got to those numbers, read this man cave budget guide.
7. What are man cave necessities?
While it depends on what you want to do in your man cave, I’d say there are a few necessities that every man cave should have.
- Place to sit
- Fridge
- Decorations
- Personal items
- Bar or table
- Entertainment
- Lockable door
- Bottle opener
If you’ve got those eight things covered, you should be good to open your man cave. Of course you can always add more later but, if you don’t need them immediately, they’re not necessities.
Suggested article: 8+1 Man Cave Necessities
8. Are there any rules for man caves?
It’s your space, you set the rules. Don’t let me tell you what to do in your own space. That’s the whole point of a man cave. Any rules you set for yourself or others, should be conducive to the goals of your man cave. This can be different for everyone.
Suggested article: A look into the Man Cave Rulebook
9. Should I have a man cave?
It’s up to you. If you don’t want one, for one reason or another, you don’t need one. In the end it’s a luxury. Look at the purposes of a man cave and see if that applies to you. If it doesn’t, don’t bother. If it does, give it some thought. Do you have the space, money, time etc? If you can do it and you want to, great! If not, there are other options to do what you want to do.
Suggested article: Why you shouldn’t have a man cave
10. How long is this man cave thing going to last?
Since spaces where males can be males are constantly getting attacked and invaded by all kinds of people, the man cave thing is going to become more popular and last for quite a while. The need for men to have things for themselves does not diminish by taking away those things. They will have to find different outlets. Don’t worry it will only improve the man in your life if the man cave is used correctly.
Suggested article: Introduction to the Masculine Mindset
11. How much time is normal to spend in your man cave?
As much time as you need without hurting other aspects of your life. The balance between taking proper care of yourself and taking care of the other people and things in your life is quite difficult to find. It’s different for everyone. People have different personalities, abilities and responsibilities. Sometimes you might have to take more time temporarily to take care of yourself. You can’t help others without helping yourself first.
There are some obvious limits to what is normal. Living in your man cave for several days is clearly not normal and/or healthy. But, if spending 3 hours vs. 4 hours in your man cave is normal depends on your personal situation.
12. Are man caves masculine?
This question can’t be answered one way and it doesn’t matter. The space itself isn’t masculine or feminine. The decoration might make a space more or less conducive for masculine or feminine energy. What you use it for is much more important. Running away from your problems? Not masculine. Solving problems and working on yourself? Could be masculine.
Suggested article: Are man caves masculine?
13. Why does my man retreat into his man cave?
While there can be a plethora of reasons for a man to want to spend time in his man cave, here are the four biggest reasons in my opinion.
- He needs alone time. This has nothing to do with you.
- He wants to get away from you or something else.
- He needs time to think about something. This doesn’t have to be related to you.
- He wants to work on something in peace.
If you’re wondering, why don’t you ask him? And don’t get angry if you don’t like the answer. This will be very counterproductive.
14. What are some man cave decor options?
There are countless decoration options for every budget and interest. Take a look at some of the following articles;
- Motorcycles
- Cars
- Game of Thrones
- PC gaming
- World of Tanks
- English pub
- Irish pub
- Rustic
- Tiki bar
- Maps
- Neon signs
Feel free to mix and match one or more of these categories.
15. Do you have a checklist to see if I got everything for my man cave?
Glad you asked! Yes I do. Check this article for the whole list and explanations. Here is a quick summary of the steps. I would suggest still checking out the linked article since it contains a lot more information and it has a neat infographic to make things nice and clear.
Here are ten steps to go from nothing to your perfect man cave.
- A plan
- A space
- A budget
- A reality check
- Remodel
- Furniture
- Decorations
- Appliances
- Accessories
- Enjoy!
16. Does a Man Cave have to be in the house?
No, you can make a man cave wherever you have the space. Creating a man cave is not restricted to the garage or basement. For some people with a big garden, a man shed is a great solution. This gives you the opportunity to have a whole structure as your man cave. Alternatively you can also have a man cave outside. If this is practical depends on your local climate.
Suggested article: Man Sheds Guide
Suggested article: Outdoor Man Caves
17. Do you have any gift recommendations for a man cave owner?
Someone in your social circle just got a man cave? Looking for a birthday/Christmas/cave warming party gift?
A good gift is personal. Follow this guide to find a nice gift for anyone.
Hi there. I’m BetterDaily. I’m a man in his early thirties that likes to travel, ride motorcycles, work out and write. Usually I write about men, things related to masculinity and things men like. Teacher by day, blogger by night.
