How To Convert Your Garage Into A Home Cinema
Garage into a Home Cinema
A cinema experience is a great way of taking time out from our hectic routines and giving ourselves a break. But not everyone has the time and money to go to a cinema every time they want to enjoy quality family time.
The crowd further kills the privacy element that is imperative for couples who want to spend some romantic time together. It is, therefore, an interesting idea to convert the garage into a cinema.
You won’t only be able to enjoy the family time once you are done with the project, but it is one of those DIY projects that promotes quality family time throughout the process.
Careful with the planning though, a lot of people give it a shot but end up wasting a lot of their money. Not because the idea isn’t worth it, but because they are not familiar with how to go about it.
To prevent you from making the same mistake as you attempt to create a movie theater from your garage, we have written this step by step process.
Start With Making The Space
To turn your garage into a movie theater, the first thing that you need to achieve is to make the space.
It’s understandable for you to have a range of stuff in your garage since the majority of us use it as a storage room as well, however, before going on with your DIY project, you need to ensure that you clear everything out of the garage. Completely empty it.
You can store your stuff in the attic, put whatever you can in the rooms, but the garage needs to be empty before it can be turned into a home theater. No way around that.
Let’s Clean This Place
Remember that your garage is no longer going to be a storage room for the stuff that you seldom use. Once you convert the garage into a cinema, you are going to be using it often. So, the next rational step would be to make the place inhabitable for humans and not just cars and tools and junk.
If your garage is anything like an most people’s, it is not only going to be dusty but will also be greasy with a few oil stains here and there.
You will need to dedicate a day for cleaning the garage thoroughly with warm water, soap, and special detergents to remove all stains. If you have a concrete floor, you may also want to put a good quality carpet over it just to give it a fine, homely appearance.
You can sand it down if you really want to get it clean (if you are going to use an acid stain for example).
Consultation Won’t Hurt
Since you have opted to go for the DIY option, you might be wondering why would you need consultation. But you need to realize that there is a reason why experienced individuals are called “Professionals”.
Even if you go about it all by yourself, consulting with the professionals will get you the guidance that you need as well as a few tips which can help a great deal in saving the money. For instance, you’ll have to consult with an electrician to see if the wiring is compatible with the kind of home theater equipment that you are going to be using. Such guidance can prevent accidents, save money, and ensure that the project will run smoothly.
Also, which garage doors are suitable. Not all will be easy to insulate against the weather
Soundproofing Is A Must
The entire point of this project to create a movie theater from your garage is to have the same experience as you would in a cinema. Let’s be honest. Would you like to watch a movie with your family or have a romantic night with your loved one in a home theater where you are constantly disturbed by one of your neighbors honking his car or a random dog barking through the night?
This is a lesson in the importance of soundproof planning. When it comes to insulating, it is always a better idea to loosen the budget a little and opt for premium quality.
As per the experts, it is recommended to make use of the eco-friendly products; you are expected to alternate standard insulation and the fiberglass, and then use drywall to cover it all up.
A simple search on our site will help you with the step by step process of soundproofing your garage.
Time To Put The Home Theater Equipment
The overall experience matters. Keep it in mind, repeat it in your head through the process of converting your garage into a home theater. Think about it, if you are taking your partner for a romantic evening at the beach, wouldn’t it be so much better if you hired a convertible? Similarly, you can always go to a ‘Supermart’ type place and purchase the largest flat screen TV that you can find. But for a lavish experience that mimics the essence of cinema, opt for a projector and a movie screen.
If you are into convenience, you can always opt for the LCD projection screen where the LCD connects with your laptop or multimedia device and projects the image onto the screen. You will further need premium quality speakers with woofer and surround sound compatibilities. Placing the speakers at each corner is recommended for best surround sound experience.
To further enhance the experience, you could also add black felt, or paint the garage walls black to make it darker.
Don’t forget to consider using smart home technology to enhance your experience.
Furniture – The Last Addition To Your Garage Theater System
Last but not least, you are going to need great furniture for an optimum cinema experience. Choosing furniture is entirely a matter of preference. Some would opt for a comfortable sofa, some would want a bed right in front of the screen, while others would go for the recliners to mimic the exact experience of a commercial cinema.
The point being, you need some furniture to make your project whole. Keep a small wooden shelf at one end as well where you can store your movie collection and maybe a few books. Looking for a more lavish experience? Throw in a microwave to satisfy your appetite and perhaps a coffee maker as well.
The options are endless once you start to get excited. But plan ahead to make sure space is available for each item
Wrap
Now that you are aware of the process of converting a garage into a cinema, you are in a much better position to start this DIY project and complete it without wasting your time and money.
Remember, if done right, the idea to create a movie theater from your garage is one that you and your family will relish for years to come.
It also adds value to our property.
