When I recently built a man cave in my backyard from a used shipping container, I didn’t realise at the time just what a profound effect it would have on my daily life. Saying it “saved my sanity” might sound melodramatic, but it’s definitely given me a lot of peace, and loads of benefits. I’ll outline some of the major benefits below, as well as discussing why I chose to construct a man cave from a shipping container.
This is why I used a shipping container
You save so much money when you repurpose a good quality, used shipping container. Even when brand new, shipping containers don’t cost a lot. Second-hand containers are even cheaper. This means that for a bargain price, most of the construction is already in place before you even start the conversion into a man cave.
Another key point is that containers are built super tough, so there’s no fear of your man cave crumbling down around you. The framework, the walls, floor, and ceiling are all made from rigid steel. It really is the perfect building material for a man cave.
Rather than bore you with drawn-out details, I’ll list a few more benefits of building a man cave out of a shipping container:
- Remodelling is very quick and cost-effective
- Many shipping container companies have a crew on board that do shipping container conversions
- Cargo containers are extremely secure
- Your man cave really only needs some windows, a door, insulation and electricity hooked up to it
- The conversion can be done off-site and the finished container delivered to your home
- You just deck it out according to what you want to use it for
My man cave gets me out of the house
When you live with other people, whether it be your family or co-habitation, no one wants to see you hanging around inside the house excessively.
The beauty of my shipping container man cave is it gets me out of the house without me having to leave home.
One thing I really love doing is watching sport on TV. I watch sports from all over the world. You could call me a fanatic. My wife doesn’t hate sport, but she’s not crazy about it like I am. With a comfortable couch and big screen TV in my man cave, I can watch all the sport I like—as loud as I like—without annoying her or anyone else.
When there’s a big football game on, all the guys like to come over so we can have some beers and watch it together. Being out of the house, we can do this regularly without intruding on anyone else’s space or being too noisy. We can scream and yell and jump up and down all we like without bothering anyone.
Sometimes when I’ve spent a lot of time out in the “cave” and I do eventually find my way back inside the family home, my wife has actually missed me, rather than wishing I would get out of the house and go and do something.
It’s a place where I can chill out
After a long and tiring day at work, it can be hard to wind down and chill out in a house full of people. It doesn’t matter how much you like or love those around you, a guy needs some moments of solitude to fully relax and level out.
For myself personally, being able to escape to my man cave for just half an hour is often enough time to shrug off the stresses of the day and actually become a more pleasant person to be around.
Use your man cave for indulging your favourite hobby
I don’t have many hobbies like woodworking or building stuff, but a man cave is a perfect place to indulge your hobby without being disturbed or disturbing anyone else.
One thing I do enjoy is playing electric guitar. My man cave isn’t soundproof, but being out in the yard instead of in the home, I can crank up the volume a little more. Anyone who plays an electric guitar understands that louder is definitely better.
A shipping container man cave is an asset
If I ever decide to sell up and move elsewhere, I’d leave the man cave set up in the backyard, as it’s now become a more permanent fixture. The good news is, it’ll add value to the final sale price of the home, likely considerably more than what I spent to have it converted, set up and decked out.
Essentially my man cave has become an asset
Use it as a guest room
There is no actual bed in my man cave, but there is a very comfortable couch that’s great to sleep on for a night or two. Mine is basically set up for watching TV and having beers with the boys, but you could deck it out like a spare bedroom.
Many people convert shipping containers into home extensions or stand alone granny flats. It really just depends on what you want to use it for. Even a man cave can have a bed in it.
Mine is made from a 20 foot container, which is enough space for what I do, but you could go double the size (if you have the backyard space), build a man cave from a 40 foot container and divide it up with a bedroom down one end and the “living area/man cave” at the other.
There are a lot of options. Buying and converting a 40-foot container isn’t that much more costly than a 20 footer, so it’s worth looking into.
The takeaway
My man cave made from a humble shipping container has not only benefitted myself enormously, but I think it’s helped save my wife’s sanity as well. There are so many positives to building one out of an old cargo container and many benefits to having your own personal space.
Every guy should have some sort of personal space, and a man cave in the backyard is the perfect solution.
