So, you’re thinking of sprucing up your man cave with a few renovations. The best place to start would be the floor. From the efficiency of your HVAC to the overall aesthetic of your little nook, the floors will have a significant impact on the livability of your space. So as with any other aspect of your cave, you need to make sure you put some thought into your flooring.
Now, if you’ve DIY’ed improvements around the house before, then you might already have an idea how to improve your cave floors. But if you’re new to the scene, then here are a few man cave flooring ideas you might want to check out.
1. Interlocking Flooring Tiles
If you want to achieve that greaser diner aesthetic in your cave, interlocking flooring mats would be a great choice. They work the same way that peel-and-stick tiles do, and you can match different colors and patterns to achieve a checkerboard look. They’re great for man caves with metal furniture since they provide great traction and are pretty much scratch resistant.
Interlocking rubber tiles can also be purchased in a vinyl material. They’re great for hiding cracks and stains on cement floors which a fresh coat of paint wouldn’t really be able to conceal. Keep in mind though that before you can install interlocking tiles, your original floor needs to be more or less flat.
An inexpensive option are the Sorbus Wood Floor Mats. You get a nice wood grain finish, they’re easy to lay and can be cut to allow a wall-to-wall finish.
- WOOD GRAIN FLOOR MAT (6 TILES, DARK) — Provides comfort and cushion to hard floor surfaces with classic faux wood finish — Includes 6 floor mat wood grain tiles to enhance the comfort and appearance of your space
- INTERLOCKING MAT WOOD PUZZLE TILES — Mats interlock with simple jigsaw puzzle connection for secure, seamless look — Detachable edge pieces allows any tile to be a corner, border, or center — Can be easily expanded with additional wood flooring tiles as your living or workspace grows — Install in specific areas or wall-to-wall — Combine multiple sets to cover larger areas
2. Roll-Out Vinyl Floors
Roll-out vinyl material usually come in various color designs. The wood floor pattern is definitely appealing, allowing you to achieve that secret underground lair look. Aside from their appearance though, roll-out vinyl floors also make a good choice for hiding unsightly sins on your original floor.
How are they installed? Simple. All you need to do is literally roll them out and cut off the excess material to custom fit the sheet to your floor. Other flooring is supplied as planks so they can be easily installed in a modular fashion. While they are easy to install, they can be a chore to repair. Unlike tiles that you can break off one by one to replace only the damaged pieces, roll-out vinyl may need a full replacement since it’s just one giant sheet.
Another inexpensive option are the CO-Z Vinyl Floor Planks. While these are made of vinyl, you get a nice wood grain finish, waterproof and fire-resistant, easy to lay and can also be cut to allow a wall-to-wall finish.
- 16 VINYL PLANKS: This vinyl flooring by CO-Z ships as a set of 16 3x36 inch planks with their gray oak finish giving a wooden look without the expense and maintenance of actual hardwood
- EXTRA THICK: The 0.08 inch planks are thicker than other standard peel and stick planks to provide a longer, stronger, and more reliable service life with a natural wooden feel
- SUPERIOR SAFETY: Our odor-free adhesive PVC tiles resist fire to ensure excellent safety; the smooth waterproof surface makes cleaning and maintenance a breeze
3. Paint
If you’re working within a limited budget, you may want to consider painting your man cave floor. Inexpensive and fairly easy, most people might already have exactly what they need to paint their floor. Of course, the process isn’t without its downsides. For the most part, the biggest drawback would be the amount of labor necessary.
For floors that have lots of cracks, you will have to smoothen everything up with concrete filler. Then there’s the need for primer. You may also want to consider the lifespan of a paint job. Depending on the kind of floor and furniture traffic happening on your floor, you may have to redo the process once every 3 years.
A quick and easy option when sprucing up a concrete floor is to simply paint. It’s important to buy paint that is suited to concrete floors. You need something that can handle foot traffic. The KILZ Over Armor Concrete Coating will hide many imperfections often found in concrete and can be easily applied with a roller.
- Over Armor offers an innovative solid color coating that brings old, weathered wood or concrete back to life with an advanced and durable 100% acrylic resin formula.
- This solid color, textured coating bridges cracks, hides imperfections, and gives a uniform look to old, weathered wood and concrete.
- Use on weathered or cracked horizontal or vertical wood and composite surfaces such as decks, porches, boat docks, railings or concrete surfaces like pool decks, patios and sidewalks. Two coats for optimal durability, 4-6 hours before recoating.
4. Epoxy Coating
For dudes who like hosting mini parties in their cave, floors that clean easy of spilled booze and food would be the best choice. Epoxy coating – much like paint – needs to be applied over a level surface with no cracks or breaks. On top of that, there’s the added challenge of time.
Once epoxy is prepped and mixed with a hardener, it will only be viable for 2 hours. If you’re working on a large space, then you might want to consider coating smaller floor areas at a time. Once you’ve coated an area, scatter around some color chips to achieve your desired aesthetic. When it’s all dried up, you’ll have a polished floor that’s easy to wipe clean of spills and stains.
For an attractive finish, the SUPERCOAT DecoEffects Epoxy Floor Coating is a great product. While not being the cheapest pick in this list, the result will definitely be worth money. Just be prepared to put in the work to get this floor option done.
- Decorative floor kit containing epoxy coating, flakes with reflective particles, urethane glaze coat and nonslip additive
- Professional grade floor system, Everything needed for 400-500 square foot area, Unique multicolor chips with holographic reflective particles that are scattered into wet epoxy coating
- Low odor, Low VOC, Water base, Decorative, Eight color combinations, Excellent adhesion to concrete
5. Concrete Sealer
If you’re really tight on a budget and you have some good looking, smooth concrete floors to work with, then sealer might be more than enough to spruce up your space. Use a solvent-based sealer to improve the smell of the room after fixing up the floors since other formulations tend to let off a pretty strong chemical odor. Keep in mind though that solvent-based formulations tend to last a little shorter than most other picks.
What’s nice about sealing your floors is that it can leave behind a nice, grey sheen that works off of the shade of the concrete underneath. This reduces the risk for stains, making it much easier to clean your floors after those stag parties you plan to throw.
If your concrete flooring is in pretty good shape then it may just need a good sealer. The ToughCrete Concrete Sealer will do just that. This sealer won’t change the look of the concrete but it will extend the life of it for many years. It’s a lot easier to apply than an epoxy too.
- INDUSTRIAL GRADE CONCRETE SEALER- NOW AVAILABLE TO HOMEOWNERS! ToughCrete is a SAFE & Eco-friendly siloxane, penetrating sealer approved by the Department of Transportation. ToughCrete concrete sealer is the top siloxane penetrating sealer for protecting your driveway, sidewalk, garage floor, patio, or any other concrete surface.
- DON’T FALL VICTIM TO RESEALING YOUR CONCRETE EVERY FEW YEARS - DON’T BUY WATERED DOWN, “READY TO USE” PRODUCTS. ToughCrete is a high-solids, water based microemulsion designed for years of protection from things like deterioration, spalling, water, and salt damage making it the best penetrating sealer.
6. Concrete Stain
For cave dwellers who might want to cover up the boring gray color of their concrete floor without having to spend a fortune, there’s concrete stain. Unlike paint or epoxy, stain leaves a very thin layer that lets you see the natural texture and appearance of the concrete underneath. The difference is that it can change the initial look of the floor, allowing you to use the patterns on your concrete to make it look like stone.
If you’ve got a bunch of cracks throughout the surface of your floor, stain can make your entire flooring look like marble. Of course, if there are splatters and other imperfections, they may shine through as well. On the topic of applying stain, it’s really fairly easy. Floors that are already smooth can be stained straight away, making it one of the simplest and fastest ways to update your cave’s aesthetic.
If you’re not happy with the look on your concrete floor but it’s in pretty good nick then a concrete stain may be the option for you. The VIVID Acid Stain is an easy to apply solution and will give you some pretty cool effects on your concrete floor, something you can’t get using paint or epoxy. Some prep-work is required to your concrete before using this product. You may even choose to use a concrete sealer after using this product to further protect your concrete.
- From Drab to Fab: Transform any ordinary concrete surface into a luxurious and marbled look with Concrete Coatings Vivid Acid Stain. It creates a one-of-a-kind weathered, mottled, and antiqued color, which adds beauty to concrete surfaces and creates various looks.
- Easy to Apply & Maintain: Concrete Coatings Vivid Acid Stain is easy to apply, creating professional results in no time. When applied and sealed correctly, the concrete surfaces require very little maintenance! To remove dirt and debris, a simple sweep and mop will do.
- Durable & Long-lasting: Unlike regular paint, Concrete Coatings Vivid Acid Stain penetrates deep into the surface, making it long-lasting and durable. It will not fade, chip, peel or wear out.
Final Thoughts
Just because it’s called a man ‘cave’, doesn’t mean it has to look like a prehistoric shelter. Give yourself a space you can truly relax in and factor in all the little details. Start out with your floors and improve them with these simple and inexpensive recommendations to lay down the foundation for a snazzy cave you can be proud of. Why not turn that boring garage into a place to be proud of.
