Home Basement Finishing to create the ultimate Geeky Gamer Man Cave

[Epyx]

When my wife and I purchased our home in 2008 the deal was that the main floor and the top floor were hers to design and the basement would be mine to turn into my dream man cave.  What is a dream man cave you may ask? It is a home gym with a large gaming room/home theater room with a full bathroom and wetbar.  My dream gaming room has the following:

• Dedicated Horizontal Mame Cabinet
• Dedicated Vertical Mame Cabinet
• Dedicated Virtual Pinball Machine

Here is a picture of how the builder's envisioned finishing their basement. As you can see the slant is towards a 1 bedroom suite whereas I want liveable space:



Here is how I want it to look:



A few things I didn't include on the picture are top of arcade 2 would be the virtual pinball machine.  You can also see that we have decided to enlarge the home gym by not walling it off...instead creating a mechanical room and building a wall around the hot water tank and heater. This has the effect of adding about 4 feet to the length of the home gym room.

[Epyx]

First order of business was emptying my basement of crap.  We are one of those rare families in my neighbourhood that actually uses their garage for their cars lol.  The reason being the basement is where we stored our crap. After cleaning here is a look towards the far end of the home gym room from the stairs on the pic above:



Here is a view from the gaming room far outside door towards the full bathroom:



Here is a view standing just at the doorway of the bathroom and looking towards the wall dividing the home gym and gaming room.



Next up Framing!  I should also add that I will be adding a sub panel for the electrical of the basement. I want to banish any chance of electrical capacity issues.

[Generic Eric]

Cool.  I'm taking over a 13 x 10 area in the basement.  I just finished painting early this evening.  I'm curious to know more about your game table.  Is it folding table?  What games do you game on the gaming table?

[jennifer]

   By the time you push games up and down the stairs you will have no use for a home gym.... and that leaves room for a junk food vender.

[javeryh]

Wow - we have virtually the same amount of space so I'm very curious to see how yours turns out.  I'm starting mine this month finally (and I had the same deal with my wife).  Anyway, my "arcade" area is 12'x12' unfinished and the theater area is 23'x16' unfinished.  Due to budget I'm planning to do most of the work myself which has caused a huge delay because I'm afraid to start so I'll be keeping an eye on your progress.

Good luck!   

[Green Giant]

Did I see THREE cardio bikes?
Are you teaching spin classes or something else crazy like that?

[jennifer]

Did I see THREE cardio bikes?
Are you teaching spin classes or something else crazy like that?

  I'm glad you saw that, I was all kinds of confused.

[BadMouth]

The family that spins together wins together.

[Le Chuck]

The family that spins together wins together.

Especially if only one has a seat. 

[Epyx]

Cool.  I'm taking over a 13 x 10 area in the basement.  I just finished painting early this evening.  I'm curious to know more about your game table.  Is it folding table?  What games do you game on the gaming table?

Game table will be for the following: Board games, D&D tabletop role playing, Magic the Gathering, Cards in general (least likely function).

   By the time you push games up and down the stairs you will have no use for a home gym.... and that leaves room for a junk food vender.

Lol...thankfully I was able to leave one arcade machine down there!  The gym is to just continue good habits...ive weighed more the last decade than in all the previous 3 so need to take my health more seriously!

    Did I see THREE cardio bikes?
    Are you teaching spin classes or something else crazy like that?

  I'm glad you saw that, I was all kinds of confused.

LOL...here is the scoop...we had one elliptical but wanted to have a 2nd piece of cardio so we could do our cardio at the same time...bought a stationary bike...then purchased a 2nd of the same bikes so can have up to 3 people doing cardio at the same time but mostly the gym is for free weights. 

    The family that spins together wins together.


Especially if only one has a seat. 

ROFL...that line there had me laughing so hard i spit up half a beer..../shakesfist

[Epyx]

Framing Update

Keep in mind as I type this the basement is almost done so its a bit of retro posting until I am caught up.

First order of business was framing and furring the strange spots which in the home gym is the heating duct...

[Epyx]

Here is a look at the new mechanical room:



And the bigger gaming room:

[Epyx]

One thing I wanted to ensure is that electrical capacity is NEVER an issue. So opted to go with a sub panel:



Overkill? Perhaps but I will be powering at any given time the following:

- 2 1000watt gaming pcs
- 2 Arcade Cabinets
- Stereo Receiver
- 75" TV (Gaming Room)
- 50" TV (Gym)
- Gaming Consoles
- Lots of lighting etc.

[Epyx]

The other MUST have important item for me is sound dampening so that the rest of the house only feels a bit of bass.  So while the foundation walls use only regular insulation the dividing wall and ceilings all use Roxel Safe N Sound.  I am really, really impressed with this stuff. If you have someone upstairs yelling you ONLY hear their voice through any open door NOT straight above you which is exactly what I wanted.

In this picture you can see the Roxel its the Grey looking stuff to the left...this is the dividing wall. Again, also use in the entire basement ceiling:



Here is the future wetbar area.

[Epyx]

Media considerations for TVs

I find there is nothing less appealing than a TV mounted to a wall with cables hanging down behind it into a receptacle.  In this picture you can see where the 75" Samsung will be mounted.  I will have plugs for 7.1 (including rear speaker plug ins on opposite wall.  I also had a conduit pipe included for any misc cables that I may need in the future (USB, HDMI etc).  I also have a receptacle for both tvs up top. End result should be sexy!

Here is where the Gaming room tv will sit:



And here is where the home gym tv will sit. We are opting for a 42 to 50" in the Gym:

[HanoiBoi]

I love watching projects like this.  We finished our basement ~7 years ago.  I really enjoyed the planning process almost as much as the finished result. The whole family still enjoys it.

Good call on the soundproofing.  Be sure to share the results.

One thing that I see...be careful of the space, left to right, from the arcade machines to the game table to the wet bar.  Once you add chairs and stools that could be tight.

Also, a small mention...an additional TV above the bar could make TVs viewable from 3 sides of the game table, in case you're having people over to 'watch the game'.

I'm curious about the full bath.  Is the tub for showering after the gym activities, or more for possible future living space?

[Generic Eric]

Cool.  I'm taking over a 13 x 10 area in the basement.  I just finished painting early this evening.  I'm curious to know more about your game table.  Is it folding table?  What games do you game on the gaming table?

Game table will be for the following: Board games, D&D tabletop role playing, Magic the Gathering, Cards in general (least likely function).

Thanks for sharing.  I look forward to seeing the finished project!

[Epyx]

One thing that I see...be careful of the space, left to right, from the arcade machines to the game table to the wet bar.  Once you add chairs and stools that could be tight.

Also, a small mention...an additional TV above the bar could make TVs viewable from 3 sides of the game table, in case you're having people over to 'watch the game'.

I'm curious about the full bath.  Is the tub for showering after the gym activities, or more for possible future living space?

You are absolutely correct...I went back and measured the space and realistically I can do one computer desk with 2 arcade cabinets...not two desks. Which is fine I will plan another spot for the other pc.  Love the idea of a tv in the bar haha...overkill ? Perhaps but still fantastic for sporting events etc to always see the picture! Thanks for that!

The full bathroom is just to finish the space. IF we ever had an emergency and had to rent the space as a studio apartment we could but for now its just finishing empty space as an investment...the toilet will get used and maybe even the bath. I can see me waking up to go to work and working out and showering down there to keep from waking up the wife.

[Epyx]

Here is a look at the water lines for the Bathroom sink:



Bathtub:



Drywall in home gym room looking back to stairs and the new mechanical room. You can see it added about 3 feet of length to this room. The original plan was a wall 3 feet closer and for the water tank and heater to be open. I really like enclosing it and making the gym bigger with the added space:

[Epyx]

Drywall in gaming room where 75" tv will hang. Here you can see the conduit alongside the receptacle and speaker/cablevision panels:



Drywall where the wetbar will be:



Same gaming room looking at door to home gym (right) and bathroom (left):

[Epyx]

Another view from far end of gaming room back to bathroom and wetbar area (Left). Door to home gym is at far right:



A view from door to home gym back to where sectional sofa for home theater will be:



A look from far end of home gym to stairs. Door to gaming room at left and mechanical room far right. Stairs up at center left:



Look from bottom of stairs to end of home gym:

[Le Chuck]

You're making solid progress, great to see.  Keep it up!

[Epyx]

Ok after mudding/taping/sanding ad nauseum...painting!

I went with a primer and then two different colours for gym and gaming area. The home gym is an off white I believe called "Ice falls" and the gaming room a very neutral grayish tone.

Here is from between stairs and mechanical room looking into home gym room:



Here is from doorway to gym looking to exit of gaming room:



Near that far exit door looking back across gaming room to full bathroom and wetbar area:



And this time looking center across to wetbar and bathroom. Space along dividing wall to the home gym will be where the Arcade machines and virtual pinball will stand!!! CAN YOU SAY EXCITEMENT TO JUST TYPE THAT?!?!?! HELLS YA...sooo incredibly stoked...2 more weeks and then it becomes reality...well 1 cabinet...soon 2nd dedicated vertical will be finished and then a virtual pinball machine:



Next up are hardwood floor pics!

[05SRT4]

Great progress!
Are you doing actual wood or laminate for the flooring?

[Epyx]

Great progress!
Are you doing actual wood or laminate for the flooring?

Thanks and yes it's actually laminate...yes I know I hate that too when people say "hardwood" and really mean laminate lol.  So yes its "Distressed Maple Dark" laminate from King of Floors here in Vancouver.

Here is the Gaming room looking to exit door:



From stairs looking into home gym room:



Window corner of home gym back to stairs, mechanical room and door to gaming room:



And from far opposite corner of gym room back to stairs and mechanical room :

[Superfrog]

I'm just a jealous guy   

Great mane cave you are building here 
Nice and clean.
Would wander what type of games there will be in it to give the room THE arcade vibe.

Nice updates, Thanks

[SlammedNiss]

Brings back memories to when we gutted and refinished out basement 8 years ago. Tore everything out from floor to ceiling. Removed a trio of fluorescent lights and installed pod lighting, and wired the thing for 5.1 surround. Proud to say I did most of the work, including hanging all the drywall and all the electrical myself, until my motorcycle accident left me unable to complete it. Hired out to mud/sand/finish the drywall, carpet, and trim. Went from pic on the top to pic on the bottom over the course of a few years. One thing I wish I had done was insulate the walls and ceiling to keep the sound nice and quiet down there.

Additional pics can be seen on my FB page. Don't know if they are viewable or not. Facebook Linky

[Epyx]

Great mane cave you are building here 
Nice and clean.
Would wander what type of games there will be in it to give the room THE arcade vibe.

Haha thanks, appreciated!  Well the first machine is my signature machine the dedicated horizontal alien themed cabinet. Next one is being built but will be a Taito shaped cabinet called "Satans Hollow II" both are Mame machines but will have vary in terms of So the Green and Black aliens cab and a Red and Black Taito style. The 3rd machine will be a virtual pinball machine...so while 3 machines MAY not qualify as arcade it will at the very least (due to standing next to home theater area) resemble a modest theater arcade of the 80s that I grew up with!

Brings back memories to when we gutted and refinished out basement 8 years ago. Tore everything out from floor to ceiling. Removed a trio of fluorescent lights and installed pod lighting, and wired the thing for 5.1 surround. Proud to say I did most of the work, including hanging all the drywall and all the electrical myself, until my motorcycle accident left me unable to complete it. Hired out to mud/sand/finish the drywall, carpet, and trim. Went from pic on the top to pic on the bottom over the course of a few years. One thing I wish I had done was insulate the walls and ceiling to keep the sound nice and quiet down there.

Awesome and thanks for sharing!  So cool to see it go from before to after!  Unfortunately I cant say I did it myself but it has had my input every step of the way just not my elbow grease LOL.  Either way it shall be my tranquility base!

Do the Facebook pics show it furnished? I will take a look shortly so no need to answer was just thinking out loud!

[kellyahlers]

Probably a bit late, but what I did in my basement was put in 2 - 2000W electric baseboard heaters on a wireless thermostat.  I find in summer when the AC is running as well as spring/fall when the furnace doesn't run much it gets a bit cool in the basement.  The 2 heaters can heat up my ~550sq ft in about 15-20 minutes.  They are on 240V so they don't use too much amperage and for what it's worth, you'll never feel cold in the basement.

http://www.homedepot.ca/product/2000w-linear-proportional-convector-white/963206

[Epyx]

Probably a bit late, but what I did in my basement was put in 2 - 2000W electric baseboard heaters on a wireless thermostat.  I find in summer when the AC is running as well as spring/fall when the furnace doesn't run much it gets a bit cool in the basement.  The 2 heaters can heat up my ~550sq ft in about 15-20 minutes.  They are on 240V so they don't use too much amperage and for what it's worth, you'll never feel cold in the basement.

Ya this basement unfinished was always within a certain range temperature wise year round.  The back half by stairs and full bathroom is fully underground whereas 3/4 of other side is.  Temperature during our winter in Vancouver, Canada (Usually pretty mild and averaging 5 to 10 degrees celcius (41 to 50 farenheit) will see the basement at around 15 degrees (59 farenheit). During our summer temps are usually in 20s (mid 70s to 80s F) and sees the basement at around 20 celcius (68). So really ranges from about 60 to 68 year round.

However, we do have 3 air vents for air heating one in home gym, one in bathroom and one in gaming room.  I had contemplated baseboard heaters but decided to just stick with what it was unfinished with.

I REALLY like your solution...very cool and will look into that thanks for the link!  THe problem with air heating is it tends to really dry the room out and promote static electricity so again love your solution and it seems very cost efficient.

[HanoiBoi]

Ya this basement unfinished was always within a certain range temperature wise year round. 

Ours too, but not now.  Once you add all the goodies and people, it gets hot.  It might not sound like it, but it does.   Think about the 3 PCs for your machines, TVs, monitors, receivers, cable boxes, gaming consoles, etc., then and friends and family.

We didnt add heat or air, but could still cut into the drywall ceiling where the ducts are.  We just break out fans if absolutely needed.

Its never so cold that we wish we had heat, just A/C sometimes.

[Epyx]

Yep AC is likely going to be a necessity. I had 2 AC only receptacles put in for portable units "Just" in case

[Epyx]

Wow - we have virtually the same amount of space so I'm very curious to see how yours turns out.  I'm starting mine this month finally (and I had the same deal with my wife).  Anyway, my "arcade" area is 12'x12' unfinished and the theater area is 23'x16' unfinished.  Due to budget I'm planning to do most of the work myself which has caused a huge delay because I'm afraid to start so I'll be keeping an eye on your progress.

Good luck!

Missed this post Javeryh.  Congrats on finally starting as well...it was  a 7 year wait for me lol.  Ill try to keep things in order as I post and please link yours when you get underway!