garage into a game room

How To Turn My Garage Into A Game Room?

You can easily convert your less used or unnecessary garage into a gaming room where you can spend some quality time with your friends and family. You have the freedom to decorate your garage into a game room as per your taste. 

For instance, you can design it as a kid’s gaming zone and paint it bright colours to make a good place for them. Besides, you can turn it into a video game zone for the family by including indoor golf simulators, play stations, etc.

Nowadays, game rooms are getting popular among house owners. A game room can create an opportunity for a family to meet, have fun, and open up entertaining guests’ choices. Still, if you don’t have an extra room, there is nothing to worry about.

Because you can choose one of the most popular ideas of turning your garage into a garage games room, a creative mind can see it as a good idea. We will present you with ideal steps to design your garage gaming room. And these steps can help you develop the best gaming room to level up your residence. You can read them to find some top ideas for sure!

FAQs About Garage Renovation

Turn an unused garage into an entertaining space. Add some paint to the floor, install a new door, add a mini-split system, and have the perfect place to hang out with guests.

You don't have to lose that storage when you turn a garage into a game room. Look beyond the floor and take advantage of wall and ceiling space. There are many storage options: cabinets and drawers, shelves, hooks, and bins. Mix and match to find the best combination for your organisation's needs.

A garage-to-rec-room conversion is a great way to expand your living space and put an underutilised room to better use. The best garage conversions make the garage feel like just another room in the house, not a garage with carpet and a coat of paint.

Living in a garage in California is only legal if the garage has been converted into a habitable space through the proper channels. Letting guests sleep in an unconverted space for a night can be a big enough violation to result in fines.

A garage conversion could add up to 20 per cent to the value of your home, while you'll gain valuable extra living space that's less prone to planning complications. So if the cost of the project is less than the extra value added to your property, this works out as a cost-effective way to add more space.

Plan, Plan, Plan

The secret to turning the garage into a game room lies in planning. Without planning, you will encounter some pretty serious issues that could completely derail your project. Here’s an outline of what you need to do, when, and why it matters.

  • Cars – If you’re using the garage for parking your cars, now’s the time to move them out. You probably have enough room in your driveway for them, and a new carport can be the ideal way to protect them from the elements. Before doing this, make sure to check your HOA agreement and any local ordinances to make sure that you’re not restricted from doing this.
  • Measure – How much space do you have in the garage? You need to know more than the basic dimensions. For this step, you’ll need to know what items are staying and which ones are going. Then, measure the amount of space left over. With your measurements in hand, get a piece of paper and sketch out your ideas for the soon-to-be game room, leaving space for things that cannot be moved, like your furnace or your garage door opener. Yes, you need to account for overhead space, too. Outline where windows are, doors are located, and more. Even the space over the garage door may be useful depending on the amount available.
  • Design – Now is the time to let your imagination run wild. Sketch out where things will go in the room. Where will the pool table be located? How easy is it to move? What about the other things that you want to include in the room? Roughout your idea and play with the layout to make sure that you’ve got the right flow, that you’re not blocking things like windows, and generally ensure that you’re ready to hit the ground running.

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Refresh and Renew – The next step is to give your space a little bit of TCL. You’ll need to freshen things up. Give the walls a fresh coat of paint. 

Consider the ceiling and window frames, too. What about the floor? Does it need a coat of epoxy? It goes deeper than cosmetics, though. Other things you might want to consider during this stage include the following:

  • Additional lights throughout the space, but particularly over gaming tables
  • Additional electrical outlets to limit the number of extension cords used
  • Higher‑output outlets and breakers to support air conditioners and other additions
  • Plumbing for things like wet bars

5 Cool Ideas To Turn Your Garage Into A Game Room

Garages aren’t just for cars and tools, man. For my family, we love to spend time in our garage game room.

We added our insulation, poured some clean concrete, and hung up the electric wires. After installing a window unit AC and putting in a pool table, dartboard, and a couch area with a TV, our garage became the entertainment hub of our home.

Check out what these DIY’ers did with their garage game rooms.

Simple Game Room

Very little had to be done to this precious space to turn it into a clean, bright backdrop for various hands-on games (such as foosball, air hockey or even a pool table).

With a classic, three-shade pool table light fixture and white painted interior, there’s plenty of light for hands-on action.

With a classic, three-shade pool table light fixture and white painted interior, there’s plenty of light for hands-on action.

Tough epoxy garage floor paint stands up to heavy traffic and an occasional flying cue ball.

And the good news is that this room will readily revert to a garage if needed.

Masculine Man Cave

This garage game room/bar is the ultimate man cave and is just teeming with masculinity.

A little bit of tinted concrete, insulated wood panel walls, and a few electric lines can turn any boring garage space into the ultimate bar and game room.

Crafting She-Den

Garage spaces aren’t just for men. Check out what this crafty mama did to turn her manly old garage into a bright, fun space for crafting in her shed.

Think of all the DIY’ing you could do in your own crafting space.

Racing Fan

Now this man cave is definitely for the person that likes models, miniatures, and cars. You can have them on display for your friends to see, and when you bring out the gaming table, you can bring out the miniatures for fun.

Creative and unique garage lighting ideas can bring both better lighting and help add the right feel to your garage “room”.

Many people love having a space like this to build models. A man cave is all about having space where you can do the things you love. For most people, a man cave is a place to explore your hobbies and hang out with buddies.

This one has been designed for you to enjoy your hobbies while having space for a few friends to come over. What collection would you like to display in your garage museum?

Simple Bar for Small Space

This is a very cool way to use some available space in the garage. Even if this is the extent of the entertainment space in the garage, it is still great.

This would be ideal for folks that are smokers and need to have a space to smoke and have drinks. But even if you do not smoke, this sort of addition to the garage invites hanging out with beers and cocktails.

Now what could be a cool addition to this space might be a poker table and some comfortable chairs. That could make for some pretty fun evenings with friends. Don’t you think?

Size Should Be The Garage Game Room Be

Before converting a garage into a game room, it's important to consider two main things: 1) what you want to put in your game room and 2) other space functions. 

For example, will you still need to store items that are currently in your garage? Do you want to park your car in the garage as well? If so, you need to plan for storage or put up a wall or divider to separate your garage into an area for your car and an area for the game room. 

The average single garage is about 12 feet wide and 20 feet deep, so you could comfortably fit a pool table or four arcade games. A double garage is typically about 20 feet wide and 22 feet deep, giving you plenty of room for a game like a table tennis. 

While some games like pool or table tennis require dedicated space, many other games can fit on a regular table. Grab a tape measure and use these general dimensions of some common game room staples to know if they will be a good fit.

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Pool Tables

Pool tables come in several sizes, but the most common range from 7 to 9 feet long and 3.5 to 4.5 feet wide. Don't forget that you need plenty of clear space around the table to play a game comfortably.

Table Tennis

Table tennis also requires significant game room space. The tables are nine and a half feet long and 5 feet wide. You will need more space at each end of the table for players to have a rousing game without bumping into walls or other furniture.

Foosball

A foosball table is about 5 feet long and 2.5 feet wide, with another foot on the sides for the handles players use to control the figures. Make sure to allow for ample elbow room.

Other Game Tables

Round, octagonal, or hexagonal game tables have diameters in the 4-foot range. Then factor in the space needed for chairs. This might be a good option for a corner of your game room.

Pinball

Pinball machines vary quite a bit in size, but if you plan roughly for about 2.5 feet wide and a depth between 4 and 5 feet, you should have a good idea if it will be a comfortable fit. Don't forget to give a few feet of space in front of the machine with elbow room.

Arcade Games

Arcade games don't take up a lot of floor space but put them near an electrical outlet, usually against a wall. Arcade game sizes vary from 2 to 3 feet wide and just as deep.

In addition to the space your games require, consider seating, storage, and any other furniture (such as a TV stand) you want to put in your game room.

Convert a Garage into a Game Room

Some may want to hire a contractor, but many people find that converting their garage into a game room is a satisfying DIY project. If you want to modify the wiring or plumbing in your garage, those tasks may still be hired out while you do other parts yourself. Here are some steps to get you on your way.

Step 1: Evaluate Your Space

Walk into your garage and take a look around. Imagine what you want to put in your game room and envision where it will go. It's a good idea to take some measurements rather than just eyeballing and guessing.

Another thing to decide is whether or not you want to use the garage door. Some people remove it entirely and put up a wall. However, if you don't plan on staying in the home for a long time, making it so your game room can be converted back to a garage is appealing to new homeowners who may want that feature more.

Step 2: Clean Out Your Garage

It's likely your garage holds clutter that will need to be cleared out. But more importantly, you've probably been storing toxic chemicals like automotive fluids, pesticides, fertiliser, or paint in your garage. 

You don't want to be breathing in lingering fumes from these chemicals while enjoying your game room, so thoroughly clean up any spills and scrub the concrete before laying down the flooring.

Step 3: Consider Comfort

Determine what steps you need to take to make the room comfortable. Follow these tips, so your new game room is as welcoming as possible:

Paint

A quick way to make a huge difference in painting the walls. Make sure to clean and prep your garage walls before painting.

Climate Control

Not only do you want to be comfortable in your garage game room, but any equipment in there also needs to have some temperature control. A good step is to finish the garage walls and add insulation. You can also have an energy assessment done, which will identify which areas need to be sealed to regulate temperature and keep pests out.

Lighting

If your garage has windows, capitalise on those by cleaning the glass and removing outside obstacles that may block the light. If not, you can either add some or get creative with lighting options. 

Often garages are dingy and dark and usually have only a single light bulb. That's not enough to comfortably light a game room. Consider adding fluorescent or side lighting or string some hanging lights right over a pool or game table.

Electrical Needs

If you are putting in accessories, appliances, or games that must be plugged in, then you'll need to take a look at the electrical needs of your garage conversion. You may need to rewire to handle the load, add new outlets, etc.

Step 4: Decide on Flooring

A cracked, dirty cement floor is not the most appealing for a living space, so determine how you will improve your garage flooring. The most common options are to paint or seal the floor with an acrylic sealer, install an epoxy floor, install durable mats, or lay down the carpet. All these are possible DIY projects.

Step 5: Plan for Storage

Most people use their garages for extra storage space. You don't have to lose that storage when you turn a garage into a game room.

Look beyond the floor and take advantage of wall and ceiling space. There are many storage options: cabinets and drawers, shelves, hooks, and bins. Mix and match to find the best combination for your organisation's needs.

Step 6: Get the Proper Permits

You may or may not need permits before getting started on your DIY game room. Make sure to visit your jurisdiction's Zoning or Community Development office to find out if you need some permits in your area. 

If you are adding carpet, you probably do not need a permit. However, you will likely need one if you are adding heating, changing anything structural (like removing the garage door), or doing any electrical or plumbing work.

How Much Does a Game Room Cost?

The cost of converting your garage into a game room depends largely on how much you want to change. A simple game room that seals the cement floor keeps the garage door as is, and adds a little more lighting will cost significantly less than a more elaborate garage remodel. According to HomeAdvisor, the typical garage conversion, including all renovation projects (bathrooms, bedrooms, home offices, etc.), costs between $6,000 - $20,000. 

Converting your garage to a game room is likely on the lower end of the price range, and it's a relatively easy and affordable home renovation project compared to converting a basement or building an addition. 

Use these garage game room ideas to extend the usable space in your home, get the gamers out of your living room, and enjoy time with friends and family with your own DIY garage game room.

Conclusion

If you want to turn your garage into a gaming room, start evaluating the space. Start decluttering the garage and get rid of useless possessions. After decluttering, clean the garage and use a surface disinfectant to sanitise it. Renovating is the next step. You can paint the garage walls to give them a new look. 

Seal all the cracks in the floor and either paint them or use a carpet to cover them. You could also contact a siding contractor for siding material. Start decorating your new game room but make sure there are enough to store items that were in it before.

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