The subject of the Man Cave has been hashed over on the internet for years. As this was a "special request" blog subject from one of my friends, I thought I would come at it from a slightly different angle. Instead of showing you some awesome Man Caves, I am going to show you some of the cool individual items you can have in your space and what size room you need for it to function properly.
1. The Pool Table
A pool table has a rather large space requirement for it to function properly. When measuring for a pool table you must know the size of your tables play surface plus the length of your pool cue x2. Assuming you have purchased a 4' x 8' pool table (44" x 88" play surface) with average size pool cues of 58" each, your room needs to be a minimum of 17'-4" x 13'-11" to function properly. Pool tables are available as small as 3'-6" x 7' up to the 4'-6" x 9' tournament table. There is a perfect table for any size man/game room.
2. Foosball table
Your search for the perfect modern Foosball Table is over. Your average size Foosball Table is 2'-6" x 4'-8". As you pull the players from side to side to protect your goal, you need plenty of space to pull your arms in and out and move from one end of the table to the other. Minimum suggested play area for a Foosball Table is 7' x 8' however if you are a more competitive player you may want to add an additional foot to each side for a little more elbow room.
3. Ping Pong Table/Table Tennis
Speaking of a competitive sport, I think Ping Pong ranks near the top of the list! Ping Pong requires a large table and a lot of space at each end for the player to move back and forth as needed to keep the ball in play. Though you may need 43' x 23' of space if you are a world champion table tennis player, the average home table can be placed in a space as small as 28' x 13'. You may look at this number and say that is still a really large room and I totally agree with you on that. Ping Pong is a game that can be adapted into a much smaller space when it is required. The average table is 9' x 5'. Keeping that in mind, any smaller space then what is recommended will only require you to be more creative with your strokes and adapt your style. With this particular table if you have a disagreement about the the ball being in or out of play, just ask the table...she will tell you.
4. Darts
Do you fancy yourself to be an awesome dart player? No doubt you are. Darts is a game of skill...as not everyone has this skill, make sure to place your dart board on a cork board or felt lined board to protect the surrounding walls. Don't forget your chalk board for keeping score as well. There are a couple of rules and regulations to hanging your board and marking your throw line. When hanging your board, the center of the bullseye should be at 5'-8" high on your wall. Make sure the board is mounted completely flat to the wall, not angled like a picture, with the 20 at the top. For metal darts your throw line is 7'-9.25" from the wall. Though some people say you can use a piece of tape to mark the line, I say NO! If you are planning to have a dart board make a little extra effort and plan ahead. If your room has wood flooring, have the installers place a special board at this line, slightly higher than the rest of the boards to mark your throw line, aka "hockey". For concrete floors, place a tile line or paint a line in the designated area. For carpet, have a "hockey" installed in the designated area and carpet all around it or install a different color carpet in your play area to give it a visual marker so others won't accidentally wander through your space. One more thing, if you have a hard floor surface, you may want to consider a rubber mat of some sort at the bottom of the board to catch any darts that may not stick firmly in the board when thrown. This will protect your darts and flooring at the same time.
5. Video Games
The needs and possibilities are endless when it comes to the modern day game console. What is your game of choice? Since we ARE talking about a Man Cave, we can assume the room will need a minimum of a 60" HD TV with a killer surround sound system (all hidden in cabinets and the walls, of course). Game consoles can provide everything from your morning exercise routine and teaching you the latest dance moves to killing aliens in the jungle and racing jet skis. If you are a proud owner of an XBox One you will need approximately 4'-6" to 6' of clear floor space in front of you and even more behind you depending on the game/activity. Another important action item for this game, make sure your room/play area has bright, even lighting
6. The Kegerator!!!
When my husband reads this blog he will be the first to tell me that I should have STARTED with the kegarator, rather than ending with it. Having a bar or kegarator in your Man Cave is an awesome and somewhat expected thing. There are many ways you can express your individual taste and personality with this item. Everywhere from the refrigeration unit that you choose to the beer you put in it. My suggestion is to not be afraid-- be creative. Don't go out and modify a freezer and throw some spouts on the top, take it to the next level. Another more extensive option includes creating a bar space to house all of your beverages of choice along with glasses and other bar wares. Space for this will vary from the 24" wide under the counter unit to the double and triple units. Make it fun by using multi-colored LED tape lights to back light your glass shelves and put a mirror behind the shelves to give the appearance of a larger space.
If you would love a Man Cave in your existing home or would like to create one in your new home, we would love to help. Our goal is to help create that perfect masculine space your buddies never want to leave. If you are in envy of all of your neighbors, we have done our job.