Man Cave, Ceilings, Renovations...

Tim

Tim

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Just went under contract to buy a house that has this as my future gun room/man cave.

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It's 14' wide by 17 or 18' deep. The entry to this room can be secured and hidden fairly eassly.

I'm thinking the wall on the left (plywood) gets the "gun wall" treatment to display / store 8 hand crafted muzzleloaders horizontally with nice display racks and spot lighting. The ARs, bolt guns and handguns will likely continue to live in the safe, or may get a display treatment.

The bench along the far wall will host a Dillon 550, a single stage press and a vice. The safe will likely go in the corner to the left. That wall will either get covered in slat wall stuff, cabinets or a combination.

I'm not sure about the right hand, cinder block, wall. That white bench will go and I'll build one with cabinets underneath and shelving (gun cases, bulk items, etc.) on the wall. that bench would be for staging range trips, maintenance, just general counter space.

Center of the room will get my desk for work, so this will be my home office as well. That will face the camera in this shot. Then, a couch, comfy chairs, end tables, etc. facing the camera for a TV on the wall behind the camera.

All will get painted some deep manly color. Adjustable spot lights and recessed lighting in the ceiling. I don't really want a 'drop ceiling', but I also don't want to pay for someone to put up sheet rock. So, not sure on the ceiling just yet.

OH....heat/air....this is an interior room, that block wall on the right is NOT an outside wall. So, I'm not sure what I'll about heat/air. It is bone dry as is, so no humidity concerns.

ANYWAY....Suggestions welcome!
 
Basement?

Epoxy the floor.

Gladiator Gearwall is awesome, but expensive.

I really enjoy my Seville Classic benches and Cabinets.

You need lighting. Indirect light is neat of you have a ceiling to bounce it off, but think about hanging track lighting and pointing cans at your guns on display on the slat wall.
 
Hey if you are getting a new safe and you have a corner for it look into a corner safe. I saw on years ago and it had the most usable room in any safe I ever saw.

Oh and pictures (especially of the muzzle loaders) is a requirement.
 
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Drop ceiling wood panels. Add acoustic insulation above it.
Mitsubishi mini-split for heating and cooling.
Track lighting.
If it’s a basement ceramic tile or epoxy. No carpet for sure.
 
Looking a little more I notice there's hardly any power. You're going to want to add a few circuits so you can run your tools, lights, computers, man cave home theater, tumblers etc.
Don't hang sheet rock on the ceiling. There's what looks like a toilet drain running through on the right side and I see lots of wires for cable tv etc strung through there. You're never going to need access to that until you cover it up and paint it perfect. Then you'll get a drip or have some other issue. Drop ceiling maintains access. They're a little ugly, but in a basement they make more sense.
 
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For the ceiling, I'd think about scarfing some 2x to the joists to clear the obstructions and then sheath it in luan or bead board plywood and paint it.
 
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Do you have outside access? If so do your self a favor and put a mini-split in as mentioned above.

As big as that room is you could make a secure fireproof combo tornado/gun room. Would not want to open display your prize possessions.


Also as said above:

Drop ceiling, you'll thank us later. They make some nice tiles now. Would recommend 2x2 rather than 4x2. Mostly eliminates sagging tiles. Lay in LED fixtures dimmable.

Would consider furring out that block wall.

Would run at least a 50amp panel.
 
I'm not a fan of acoustical tile drop ceilings...aesthetically. But I have one in the lower floor because it gives me ready access to all the utility lines. If you don't have much you'll need access to, drywall is relatively sound-insulating, not to shabby to look at, and you can get fire-rated 1/2" now (used to be 5/8", and heavy).

Hanging sheetrock isn't hard; finishing it is a PITA. If you can find someone who can finish it & have it done while it still looks like a storage room, then you don't have to let strangers into your gun room.

When I hung the vaulted ceiling in my house, I bought a drywall lift at Harbor Freight for <$200, used it, and sold it on craigslist for $160 in like 2 days. It held 12' sheets no problemo.

Oh, and I'm jealous as hell! I miss my shop...

Looks like a great project that'll be a great man cave.
 
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Check out the systems that mount onto floor joist directly and use standard ceiling tile or inserts like one below. Lowes had info on one but had to ordered it was not stocked.




Couple diffrent companys make them from what I found and plan to pick one for mine when I get to that point but looks much easier than standard drop ceiling install and you do not lose the headroom. Only issue would be if you do not have pretty flat floor joist to work off or things sticking down below them.
 
You don't have to go with just plain white tiles anymore.

You can get some nice printed ceiling tiles these days and go with a painted grid to give it a fake skylight look.
https://ceilingscenes.com/product-category/scenes/

One or two of the brighter 2x6 grids of sunny skies and clouds would really brighten up the space and make it feel more open.
 
Slat wall for the gun display IMO
I have a similar ceiling situation in my shop. Ill be going with white metal roofing material, clean, waterproof, easy to put up, no mudding/finishing/painting.
 
As far as the floor, poly coat it, if you're going to be reloading in there you don't want to have carpet, eventually you're going to spill some powder no matter how careful you are. You said man cave, so I'm guessing a couch, or recliner or two is going to end up in there with a tv, so you could always do an area rug where they are.
If you're a sports fan I've seen people buy some of those fat heads style wall clinger, put a layer of colored epoxy down, let it dry, buff it, put the wall clingers down on the floor and then cover with clear and come up with some pretty awesome looking floors.
 
this is the mood I'm going for...

 
As to the ceiling insulate the crap out of it for sound and at least install some drywall to semi-finish it and keep dust and crap from falling on you and your stuff

  • Overall appearance ... DO NOT paint or “decorate” it much ... then the wife will start “visiting”
  • Outlets ... if think think you have enough add a couple more.
  • Lighting ... you want to see stuff so good lighting is good.
  • Flooring ... seal the concrete and then use a good garage mat or mat system for cushion and keep you off the cold floor in winter.
  • Comforts ... tap into the HVAC for sure ... two vents at opposite ends if possible.
  • Amenities ... 1st the little “kitchenette” area ... a small fridge ... not a dorm fridge (10-12 cubic foot refrigerator with proper separate freezer), a good coffee maker and microwave oven. Then a flat screen TV ... along with proper a couple comfortable chairs
  • No phone or intercom ...
Lastly, a double keyed deadbolt door that does not match any other lock in the house ... and you have the only key!
 
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myst173 said:
go with a painted grid
Click to expand...
Get a Poncho Villa theme like at Mexican restaurants.
Si! Es mui bien!

eta- If you do that, I'll come over and install some crappy lighting.
 
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Friday said:
Get a Poncho Villa theme like at Mexican restaurants.
Si! Es mui bien!

eta- If you do that, I'll come over and install some crappy lighting.
Click to expand...

is lighting your trade? Who should I use for a decent electrician around here?

I’ll want to add far too many outlets and install good lighting.
 
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