DIY Projects

Five Simple DIY Projects for Your Man Cave

If you’re lucky enough to have a space you can call your ‘man cave’ then you probably take great pride in ensuring it looks as good as possible while reflecting those interests that are unique to you. Should DIY be one of such interests, then why not craft some of your own furniture and decor for your personal space?

 Sure – it might not sound too practical when you’re a busy man with a limited budget. That’s why the following ideas are straight-forward and possible to do on the cheap! Get creative and enjoy the rewards of your DIY endeavours when you end up with an impressive talking-piece on display for when your friends are over.

Neon-style Sign

A lot of men view their man cave as their own personal bar, even equipping it with a mini fridge full of their favourite beer. To further establish that bar-like atmosphere, introduce a neon sign to your man cave. Put your own name is electric coloured letters, or design your own logo to have light up on the wall. Buying a neon sign – particularly a personalized one – is very expensive, which is all the more reason why you should make your own neon-lookalike sign using some basic supplies.

All you need is some EL (electro luminescent) wire, normal wire, string, a hot glue gun, wire cutters, a large piece of paper and tape. First, draw your design the way you want on your piece of paper. Then take some string and trace it along the design. This is to to measure how much of the wire you will need to make sure you have enough before you start. Now take your pliers and start bending the wire according to the design. Since you will be using one continuous piece of wire, don’t cut it until you’ve completely finished shaping it.

Once you have the wire outline of your neon sign, stick the EL wire over it with a hot glue gun. You have to have a lot of patience at this stage. If your EL wire doesn’t have an attached battery then you can buy one separately to connect – otherwise you should have a functioning sign ready to put on display!

Poker Table

If you like to host the occasional poker night then you should treat your guests to the real deal. High quality cards and chips are all very good, but the game’s not the same without a round felt card table. While you could buy a collapsible, plastic one – a wooden table is far classier, not too mention sturdy and durable.

It may seem like an overly ambitious project (there’s more to it than building a regular table after all) but this video by PokerListings shows how you can build your own poker table for under $300. The best thing about making your own poker table is that you can choose a size which best fits your man cave, and even give it a unique twist with unconventionally coloured felt or LED lining.

Car Tire Table

Whether you’re into motorsports or not, a car tire coffee table is a pretty awesome (and unusual) piece of furniture to own. There are many ways you can use one or several tires to create a practical and cool table, the most common typically involves placing a glass above the tires (that may need to be cut according to size dimensions beforehand). The tire should be cleaned first, or else you can use a newly bought one. Alternatively, hoist the tire up with a metal or wooden stand, to fit your prefered height.

Pallet Bar

Would you believe me if I told you it was possible to create your own stylish 10 foot bar with just $135? That’s what DIY blogger Rebecca Farrant did, using just a couple of pallets, wood and basic tools. Not only is it a cheap and simple way to get an awesome place from which to pour drinks at your next party – if you use recycled pallets then you’re also being eco friendly!

 Beer Coasters

Celebrate your favourite beers with these easy-to-make aluminium can coasters. Using a pair of thick gloves, cut into the beer can to remove from it a precise square encompassing the logo. Now flatten it gently. You’ll be using a set of plain wood or plastic coasters as the base. Before you attach the aluminium square, make sure to get the size dimensions such so that the aluminium does not extend beyond the coaster, as its edges will be very sharp.

Instead, make your cut-out a little smaller than the coaster base, and the outside of it will create a frame of sorts. Next, superglue the aluminium onto the coaster, and then go over it with a varnish. If you like, you can attach a few small felt pads to the bottom of the coaster. That’s it – now you have awesomely thematic coasters for your man cave!

Let us know in the comments if you have any other ideas for simple and cheap DIY man cave accessories!

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