Hey all !
Back again with a special blog that I hope will inspire you!
Everywhere we turn we hear about Man Caves. A place where you can go to relax, by yourself or with your buddies . A place you can put your own personal stamp on.
If you are like me and live in a seasonal climate , when the cold weather of old man winter arrives, you can be hard pressed to find a warm place to enjoy a cigar, unless you smoke in your home , which we don't .
After years of sparsely smoking during the winter , I decided it was time we needed a space just for that.
We had purchased a storage shed some years ago that I had made it into a woodworking shop. I installed electricity and lights , and had used a kerosene heater to warm it up in the winter. It was not insulated but kept at a comfortable temperature to work in .
Late spring the wheels began turning in my head to create our personal Man Cave/Cigar Lounge . Looking to the shed, I began thinking that I didn't need all that room for a shop, as it started collecting non shop items like a catch all room. We all have all been there . Oh look, lawn chairs, an outdoor heater, an old trunk, lawn ornaments , and what is this bag of clothes doing here?
So as summer began to start, I got on my laptop and started using Google Sketch. A wonderful free program I might add. After a few physical measurements I began to plan my creation in 3D. I had to make sure I had enough room in the woodworking portion to work and for my tools and equipment .
We had an old leather couch in a spare room of the house that became the focal point of the design . It's important to use leather or similar material ,and not fabric covered furniture, because fabric will absorb smoke and your room will end up smelling like an ashtray!
I designed the room to be just wide enough to fit the couch . The small room was 8 foot by 12 foot, a good size to entertain a few friends, (3 or 4) at a time , and be easy to heat quickly and efficiently.
After cleaning out the space, I started with putting up stud walls to separate the shop from the lounge . I left a good opening to the shop so I could get large stuff in or out if needed .
Next, using my basic knowledge of installing electric , I put in outlets and switches. If you don't have any electrical knowledge you can find plenty of info on the internet or just have someone who knows what they are doing take care of it , if you're not comfortable doing it . It was at this time I figured in a switch for some kind of vent fan, to be able to expel any smoke accumulating. This is important to do as you don't want to be in a small enclosed area with tons of smoke.
After installing some extra ceiling braces I installed the vent fan. I vented it via inexpensive duct work out to the back of the building as that side doesn't get hit with the wind, and I wouldn't have to worry about back draft . When choosing a vent fan be sure to get one that is designed for the size of your room usually measured in Cubic Feet Per Minute (cfm). This is a good website to help you calculate it.
If you look close you can see the outlets and wiring in the wall.
My room ended up being 117 cfm so I bought a fan rated for 120 cfm which works perfectly removing the smoke quickly.
Next came insulation. I used R13 insulation . I went over the ceiling too as to hold heat as best I could, so it would heat fast and evenly, so I wasn't wasting fuel.
Here is the insulation around the vent fan.
I used OSB (chip board) for the walls mostly because it was more economical. The fact it was going to be used inside dispelled any worries of moisture damaging it, especially when I was going to paint it.
I gave it 3 coats of paint. It sure suckered up the first couple coats!
Cutting the holes for the outlets and switches was not fun or perfect. But luckily a friend of mine told me how to use Lauan to fix a too large opening .
I trimmed out the window with pine then stained it.
To give it a more rustic Adirondack look I used tongue and groove pine for the ceiling and gable ends. I finished them off with a satin Spar Urethane to protect the wood from smoke discoloration. Spar urethane also would expand and contract with the wood, during the different seasons and temperature changes. I strongly recommend that you put the urethane on before you put the tongue and groove up. I didn't and what a pain in the ass to do over your head ! I tried using a special flat pad to put it on but found not only was it messy but the pads gummed up and became useless. I had urethane all over myself for a week! I ended up putting in the extra effort and used a brush for 2 coats.
Using left over tongue and groove pine I built a set of double doors going to the woodworking shop . They aren't perfect but serve their purpose . I added a couple cabinet door handles I had laying around then urethaned them.
Finishing off with flooring, I invested in some linoleum . First I made a template of the floor using sheets of paper , then I put it on the sheet of linoleum and cut around it. It was fairly easy to put in and would be easy to clean . I finished around everything with stained molding to give a bit of contrast in color .
I added a shelf for an old surround sound system and TV with built-in DVD player . Throw in the couch, heater, and some personal decor, and there you have it, the Cigar Moose Lounge!
The Cigar Neons I picked up from a Tobacco shop for a good price as they no longer used them.
I air nailed cigar boxes to the wall for decoration that I had collected over the years.
Take a look at the lowest cigar box on the wall.
I even made a fold out drink stand from the wall as space was limited . You can get creative as you want to be.
And I recently added an old ashtray stand I picked up at a local auction. A little sanding and some textured spray paint later, Tadaaaaaaaaa!
It took me late summer and into November to finish, as the money would allow, but now we have a nice cigar sanctuary to retreat to anytime of the year. We can throw an air conditioner in the window during the summer if it gets too hot!
Don't forget to get yourself one of those smokers candles to get rid of odors . There are many on the market today in different scents to please anyone's preference and in my experience inexpensive for around $10. If budget isn't an issue , you could invest in an air purifier .
If your going to keep temperature comfortable all the time, even when you are not there, I would suggest keeping a humidor and smoking accessories like lighters, cutters, and punches in the room. You can even add a mini fridge ! The possibilities are endless !
Well there you have it ! Maybe you will get the itch and make your own Cigar Lounge / Man Cave . Hopefully I have inspired you. Even if it's just to turn that old spare room in the garage or cellar into a place to get away from it all, with a lawn chair and an old 12 inch black and white TV.
Every man deserves a Cave to call home .
Till next post..............PEACE !
