6 steps to creating a home cinema in your garage

The garage is a perfect room to convert into a home cinema. It’s dark, isolated from the rest of the house and generally underused. Are home theaters worth the expense?

Home theater systems are great for watching movies in comfort and style and are well worth the time and cost of setting up if you like to experience films and TV shows in the best quality possible. They can be considered to offer surround sound, high definition video, and other features that make them perfect for entertaining guests.

Best of all, you don’t have to put up with noisy strangers rustling packets of food or lighting up the area checking their mobile phone.

If you have a neglected garage and want to turn it into a cosy home cinema, a den you can retreat to binge-watch box sets, scare yourself rigid with thrillers or invite your friends for big football games, then read on.

Start by fixing a budget for the project. Garage renovations or extensions are generally a lot cheaper than other home renovations, but it will depend on what electronic equipment and furniture you buy for your home cinema. If your wallet allows, you can even go all out and install a bar fridge and popcorn maker!

Even though you don’t need a window for your home cinema, it might be worth putting one in and fitting blackout blinds to allow for later changes of use. It will also help ventilate the space in warmer weather.

Check your garage structure and planning permission

Your budget may blow out if your garage roof is leaking, the floor is damp or new wiring and plumbing are needed, so first check whether your garage is structurally sound.

A recent home survey may contain useful information or get a builder or surveyor to take a look.

The key elements to consider are:

• Ventilation
• Heating
• Insulation
• Power
• Access

Remember that many garages were designed to give your car some protection from the elements. If you’ve got a garage where the only access is via a large garage door you’re going to need to have some work done to replace that with a more fitting entrance.

Replacing the large door has the added benefit of helping improve the insulation of your garage. If you’re concerned that the garage will still be too cold for the cosy-cinema experience you’re looking for, you can also look into investing in a garage heater. 

You will not generally need planning permission to convert your garage into a home cinema, provided you keep the same building footprint. However, if you live in a listed building or your council has restrictions on reducing parking, different rules may apply.

Have a big garage clear-out

Once you’ve decided to create your cinematic dream in your garage, you’ll need to get tough with yourself and chuck out some of the junk that seems to accumulate in all garages.

When I had a clear out it amazed me how much stuff was stored there just because there was space. I’d kept loads of things I’d forgotten about and didn’t need any more.

You won’t miss that tatty table tennis table when you’re watching a brilliant blockbuster film on the big screen.

Not sure what to do with all the clutter? You could:

• Offer it for free on social media
• Try and sell it at a car boot sale
• Give it to charity
• Take a trip to the tip

You may find there are some things you want to hang on to, so calculate any surplus space you have in an attic, spare room or shed (or build a small shed) to cram the keepers into.

Time for a deep clean

If your garage is in a total state, you could think about hiring, borrowing or buying a pressure washer and blast out dirt and dust, though it’ll probably end up being stored in the garage if you buy one. Either way, deep cleaning is an important step if you are planning to do up the interior and get handy with a paint brush.

Here’s a handy tip for removing oil stains:

• Sprinkle cat litter onto the stain;
• Grinding it in with a brick or old shoe;
• Sweep the residue away;
• Repeat a few times;
• Scrub the stain with oven cleaner and hose down.
• Repeat, if necessary. Magic!

Tackle the floors and walls

One of the cheapest, quickest options is to use a concrete sealer, which is easy to apply. You can also use concrete stain, which is effectively the same thing with added pigment.

Alternatives for garage floors use epoxy paint, which comes in a number of colours, or easy-to-install durable rubber tiles.

For the walls, wash them first, then allow to air dry, put dust sheets down and then apply paint using a spray gun or roller.

Keep a large paint brush handy too. You can use cheap masonry paint or emulsion and you’ll probably need two or three coats.

Make sure to use dark colours which will create a darker experience, after all, you never see luminous yellow walls at your local cinema do you?

Pick your furniture

The classic choice for a home cinema is a leather armchair, sofa or recliner. Some come with a fold-down central backrest that turns into a tray for drinks and snacks.

There are quite a few dedicated companies who specialise in luxury cinema seating – but it will cost you.

Alternatively, there are lots of people also going through the decluttering stage who offer items for free or to local charities.

Check local shops and car boot fairs for second-hand cinema seating, sofas and coffee tables, or try online via sites such as Ebay, Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace.

How can I create a home cinema in an empty property I claim as my own?

To acquire vacant properties as yours, start by converting them into a home cinema. Install a projector, surround sound speakers, and comfortable seating. Consider soundproofing the walls and adding blackout curtains to enhance the viewing experience. Add a popcorn machine and movie posters for a true theater feel.

Home cinema screen

Last but definitely not least, you’ll need to kit your cinema out with the proper equipment. For the complete experience you’re going to need:

• Projection screen
• Projector or TV
• Speakers (ideally 7.1 surround sound with a good subwoofer)

When it comes to projectors, consider if you want a high quality fixed in place option, or one that is portable, allowing you to take it on holiday, such as this Anker option.

Which? has an online guide to setting up your home cinema system and surround sound experience, as well as reviews of different systems but you’ll have to pay for the latter.

Depending on your budget, you can choose a flat screen TV mounted on a wall, with hidden cables and a modest surround sound speaker system; a larger screen and fuller sound with speakers hidden in the ceiling or a whizz-bang dedicated home speaker system with a projector and screen and up to 11 speakers.