Building A Man Cave On A Budget
BUILDING A MAN CAVE ON A BUDGET: SEE HOW WE USED AFFORDABLE IDEAS AND CLEVER DIY’S TO CREATE A RELAXING, MASCULINE SPACE.
It’s time for part 2 of our DIY basement renovations. If you missed our small basement bedroom makeover, you can check that out. This next room we wanted to make more of a dedicated space for my husband to have as is hang out space, aka his own man cave.
So we set out to build him a man cave on a budget. Fortunately, this was not a totally unfinished basement. We already had heat and electric so we weren’t starting from scratch. It just needed updating.
While this area is great for storage space, we have enough room overall in the basement that we could dedicate this room to more usable space.
It’s a long, narrow room, and here is what it looked like once we had finished the renovations upstairs. The construction crew had been down here often, working on plumbing and electrical, so it was a mess.
basement man cave before
This room had the original 1970s paneling and old faux brick linoleum floors. This was definitely on trend for the 70s, but it really needed a good cleaning up and refresh for today.
Here is the view from the other side. We had this desk that I made over a few years back stored down there. The plan was to keep this in the back corner as office space.
As you can see in that photo, we had just begun removing some of the drop ceiling in this space. Just as we did with the basement bedroom, my husband wanted to replace this drop ceiling with beadboard. This would give several extra inches of headroom, which helps with the low ceiling height.
Basement flooring
The first step in this space was to replace the flooring. The old linoleum was glued down, so we chose to cover it rather than remove it.
We used the same vinyl plank flooring from Allure flooring as we did in the bedroom. They are so easy to clean and so durable that it made the most sense to go with vinyl planks.
My husband chose the color, Honey Butter Oak. We had those installed first; we hired out rather than do it ourselves this time. Installing vinyl plank flooring is a relatively easy DIY project that only requires basic tools. However, due to my husband’s health limitations, we thought it best to leave it to the professionals. We have to choose carefully which diy projects we want to tackle ourselves these days.
I can (and do) drag heavy furniture around on these floors, and they don’t show it. If you’re looking for durability, vinyl planks are the way to go!
basement ceiling
Then we got to work replacing the drop ceiling with beadboard paneling. We installed the beadboard just as we did in the small space basement bedroom. First, we built a frame with 2×4’s, then we attached the panels to those. As you can see in the very messy progress picture below.
We also added insulation to the ceiling. We wanted a sound barrier between the basement and upstairs. Eventually, my husband will have some kind of sound system here that we won’t want to hear from upstairs.
When it came to the finishing details on this ceiling, we did it differently from the bedroom. When installing beadboard on the ceiling, seams are inevitable. Especially for DIYers. Rather than spackle and sand them all, we used wood to cover them.
Because the ceilings are low, we used 2X4’s so they wouldn’t hang down much lower than the actual ceiling. I stained them all before installing. The stain I used was English Chestnut by Varathane.
Where the ceiling meets the top of the wall, we used half-round molding to give it a finished look. While the peg railing was a great way to finish off the bedroom ceiling, that look wouldn’t have worked in here.
How to paint paneled walls
Before painting the paneled walls, I cleaned them first. I used a homemade mixture of dish detergent and water to clean and degrease them. On past projects, I’ve had problems with grease stains bleeding through the paint, and that is the worst. That can happen with kitchen cabinets and old furniture, so cleaning them first can save a lot of headaches later.
Next, I went to Benjamin Moore and spoke to someone there about the best primer for paneling. They recommended Benjamin Moore multi-purpose primer, and that worked great. I’ve had issues in the past with cheap primers, so I prefer to invest in good-quality primers now.
For the walls, I went through far too many sample paints before I chose one. Ironically, it was one of the first samples I had bought. It’s called Pigeon by Farrow and Ball, but I had it color-matched at Lowe’s.
I wanted a moody look in this space, but my husband does not love dark rooms or dark paint colors, so this was a great option. It’s manly enough without being too light or too dark.
I cannot tell you how much I love this wall color. It’s the perfect gray-green. The color is so good, it even made the old beige furniture look better. I think the whole color scheme is earthy and works with my husband’s personal taste.
man cave furniture
Building a man cave on a budget is all about making smart choices that maximize comfort and style without overspending.
When it came to the furniture, everything we used here was something we already had stored in the basement from our old house. Except for the recliner, which was my father-in-law’s. It’s all super comfortable seating. The couch was from our old living room, as well as the ottoman that we use as a coffee table. The ottoman is a great place to put your feet up, making the space more comfortable to hang out in.
On the opposite side of the room, I fit a small office space. I really love this huge desk and have been storing it for a long time in hopes of using it somewhere one day.
It fits perfectly in this corner.
We also kept an old wooden filing cabinet we found in the basement to use in this little office nook. It’s the perfect man cave office.
Back on the small man cave side, I hung a few things on the wall. Again, this was all things I already had. I kept this gallery wall small so that, as my husband finds things he wants in here, he can add his own personal touch.
man cave decor
Considering I largely control the interior design around here for obvious reasons, this is the perfect place for him to create his ultimate man cave. He’s a big sports fan, so whether he wants to add sports memorabilia or any other man cave decor, that’s up to him. I was aiming to make his space feel sophisticated, so hopefully his personal style doesn’t include any neon signs!
It’ll give him something to shop for when he attends flea markets with me. It’ll be fun to see what he chooses for this space.
Additionally, I wanted to include a bar section for him, but since we are only using what we have for now, I was only able to fit a small mini bar using a whiskey decanter set on this dresser.
That dresser is a piece I started sanding about 3 years ago and never finished. Eventually, I will bring that out of here to finish and use in our bedroom. For now, it’s a good placeholder.
On the opposite side of the couch, we stacked these old chests that you may remember from our last house. Those are great for storage.
Even with the partially sanded dresser, I do like the way this little area is coming along.
On the window wall, we kept the two deer mounts that were originally hung by my father-in-law, a meaningful touch we wanted to preserve. Eventually, that back wall will also be home to a large-screen TV or a simple home theater setup.
Under the window, currently three stacked vintage ammunition boxes that I had gotten years ago at an antique store. My husband loved them!
affordable man cave ideas
Creating a man cave doesn’t require a massive budget or a full basement renovation. With a little creativity (and a willingness to hunt for deals), you can design a space that feels personal and comfortable. Focus on high-impact changes, things that set the mood, define the space, and reflect your interests.
Here are a few small man cave ideas that we used to keep costs down.
- Use What You Have – We repurposed our old furniture, so we didn’t have to buy any.
- Thrift Store & Marketplace Finds – Shop secondhand to find furniture and decor that suits your style, such as: leather chairs, a well-cushioned recliner chair, lamps, or manly decor like vintage signs. You never know what you might find.
- Paint for Instant Impact – Paint will always be the easiest way to transform a space on a budget.
- DIY What You Can – Take on some of the work yourself to save the most money. Hiring out will be the biggest expense.
bringing it all together – building a man cave on a budget
I was going for a very masculine vibe down here, and I think we pulled it off. With the paint color scheme, old wood tones, and the deer, the entire space feels very woodsy. I ended up loving this room as much as he does.
We didn’t have the luxury of a basement in our last house, so we are very appreciative of this extra space! It’s such a great addition to the rest of the house. Now he has his own space to relax, have a drink, play video games, watch football, or even take a nap.
By prioritizing function, comfort, and a few meaningful details, building a man cave on a budget can still result in a space that feels finished and inviting.
If you’re still gathering ideas for your own space, browsing other budget-friendly man cave designs can be a great way to spark inspiration and narrow down what you really want.
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