Building a Man Cave Game Room

The best game rooms aren't the biggest. They fit one centerpiece game, a dartboard, somewhere comfortable to sit and a cold drink within reach. Plan the space before you buy anything big.

1. Measure and sketch

Measure the room. Mark the doors, windows, outlets and posts, and sketch it on paper. Then place the tables using the clearances below, which include room to play, not just the table's footprint.

Game	Rough room size or lane
Dartboard	A lane about 3 ft wide and 11 to 12 ft deep
7 ft pool table	About 12.5 x 16 ft with standard 58 in cues
8 ft pool table	About 13 x 17 ft with standard 58 in cues
Foosball	The table plus about 3 to 4 ft on each rod side for players
Ping pong (casual)	About 11 x 19 ft is comfortable
Shuffleboard	The table length (often 9 to 22 ft) plus walking room at both ends

These are common rules of thumb, not exact specs. Short cues can rescue a tight pool room. Check each maker's specs before you buy.

2. Pick one centerpiece

A pool table, shuffleboard table or big foosball table usually anchors the room. Smaller games like darts, cornhole and cards fill in around it. Darts fit well along a short wall because the lane is narrow. Browse bar and table games.

3. Lighting and power

Use warm, dim light for the room and bright, even light on the games. A billiard light over the table and a ring light on the board make a big difference. Plan outlets for a beverage fridge or kegerator, an electronic dartboard and a neon sign.

4. Seating and the bar

Bar-height stools around a high-top let people watch the games. Measure before you buy, because bar height and counter height are different. See our man cave bar and decor picks.

5. A sensible buying order

Dartboard, surround, throw line and light. They're inexpensive and give the most fun for the money.
Seating and a fridge.
The centerpiece table.
Decor, neon and glassware.

Safety

Keep the dart lane clear, keep drinks off the throw line and keep steel-tip darts away from small kids.