Why build a Cigar Shed? You love your cigars, but you have no place to smoke them except outside. A cigar shed is the best solution to your problem. Also, a cigar shed can double as a man cave for your buddies to come over and watch the game with a smoke. How do you setup a cigar shed you might ask? You can convert an existing shed or build your own cigar shed but you need to make sure it is built with the right ventilation. Once your cigar shed is done you will have to outfit it with cigar accessories. Learn more below…
Why Build A Cigar Shed?
You have a bundle of cigars that you have properly humidified and are ready to enjoy. However, it is very had to enjoy them outside when the weather is bad. If only you had a place to smoke them inside without smelling up the house. Smoking outside in the cold will make you smoke them fast and not enjoy them as much. There is nothing worse than trying to smoke a nice cigar in a hurry as it will taste like hot ash.
You can smoke the cigar in your house but then you have to worry about the smell. Furthermore, if you have a family you do not want to fill the house up with smoke. You most likely don’t have the proper ventilation in the house to accommodate the smoke either. Furthermore, if you don’t have the right purification system, then your house will have a permanent cigar smell.
Cigar Shed Or Mancave?
There are many mancaves that are built in houses and some are very elaborate. A lot of those areas are typically an entire downstairs that has been converted to a mancave. However, it is still in the house and you still have to worry about the smoke and smell. Also, adding the proper ventilation in your home could be tricky.
The cigar shed is a great alternative. You can build a shed cheap and with the right plans you can make it just what you want. Depending on what you want inside your cigar shed you can make it a mancave also. You can go really big and have enough room for a pool table and chairs. The possibilities could be endless.
Where To Place Your Cigar Shed
It is nice to have your cigar shed away from the house because of the smell. Also, if you are going to have the guys over for the big game and smoke some cigars it is a good idea to be out of the house. This will allow the family to enjoy the house without the smell and enjoy the house without all the guys yelling about the game.
In addition, being separate from the house allows you to have your own quiet sanctuary for thinking and reading. Sometimes, just getting away from everybody and smoking a nice cigar putting your thoughts together is a must. Listening to some nice jazz music and getting some work done while smoking a Churchill cigar is also a nice retreat from the stress of life.
Cigar Shed conversion
If you have a shed already in the yard that is not being used, then you can convert it to a cigar shed. You will be limited on the size of the shed, but you can outfit the shed exactly the way you want and have your own little cigar smoking oasis.
The first thing to do is clean out the shed and get rid of things you don’t use. Did you know that on average 40% of things we store away are never used again?
Getting Rid Of Old Stuff
Go through your shed and find out what you do not need and throw it away. There is a great method called the PACT method to getting rid of clutter. Check it out on my previous post here. You need to make sure the garage has the right shelving to store the stuff that was in your shed.
Combustibles and Smell
Make sure you get rid of all combustible things out of the shed. You really do not want to blow up your cigar shed the first time you light up that cigar. Once the combustible stuff is removed, you want to make sure you get rid of the gasoline smell. There are many air purifiers that can accomplish this task and ionizers also. I have an ionizer and they work great! All smells gone quickly. Furthermore, you need to have great ventilation, which will be covered below.
Conversion Modifications
If you are going to make an elaborate mancave type cigar shed, then you may want to refinish the inside of the shed if the walls are bare rafters. You can hang some drywall and finish the ceiling with drywall if you want. However, I would recommend you make the ceiling as high as possible for the smoke to drift upwards. Don’t forget to insulate the shed walls to help keep the proper temperature throughout the year.
Then make sure you have the proper ventilation in the ceiling to exhaust the smoke. Sometimes a ceiling fan on reverse will help draw the smoke upwards and out of the middle of the room. You also need a good air intake and this can be a window opened slightly, vents or a portable air conditioner/heater.
Building Your Cigar Shed
You have collected a significant number of cigars right now that are humidified properly. At this point you realize that you want the cigar shed, but you do not have a current shed in your yard. Therefore, it is time to look at building the perfect cigar shed for your cigar smoking.
The Plans
The first thing that you will need to do is get a set of shed plans. I would recommend getting a significant number of plans to review so you can find the right shed to build. This will depend on the contents of what you have in your shed and how you will use your cigar shed.
Therefore, if you want to have a cigar shed with the pool table and seating then you will need to find a set of shed plans that are large. If you want to have a cigar shed that is suitable for two or three people to sit in a comfortable room that is ventilated, then you will need a smaller set of shed plans.
Permits and Ideas
Once you have the proper shed plan you will need to get the permits for your area. You can find out some zoning laws in your area here. Once you have your plans you will need to find the area in your yard that would be perfect for your shed. Certain things to consider would be the terrain of the yard and the distance from the house.
You will need to choose a spot that is not too far to walk from the house, but it is manageable in the winter time. You also want to consider how loud the shed will be if you’re having a bunch of guys over to watch the football game. If you think it will be loud most of the time, then you need to look at placing your shed a good distance away from the house, so you do not disturb the family.
Foundation
When it comes to building your shed the first thing you will want to work with is the foundation. There are a number of options depending on the terrain. Check out my shed foundation post here. One of the easiest options would be a gravel foundation, which would be good for a small to medium-size shed.
However, there are other options including a wood pier foundation as well as a cement block shed and the concrete slab. If you were going to have a pool table and heavier furniture, then you will really need to look at a more sturdy foundation like cement foundation. However, most foundations will work just fine.
Walls and Roof
After your foundation is constructed you will need to construct the walls and roof for your cigar shed. You will build the walls and depending on the shed plans that you are working with. I have included a video of a simple shed wall construction and there is a whole video series I found on building a shed from start to finish here.
Next you will decide whether or not you want a shingle roof or a metal roof. I would recommend a shingle roof as it will be quieter during the rainstorms. However, eventually you may have to replace the shingles whereas a metal roof may last longer. Another alternative that some have used would be a rubber roof. This is a good roof and it is a quiet roof also. You can check out my previous post on roofing materials here.
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Cigar Shed Ventilation And Air Flow
The most important part of any cigars shed would be the ventilation. Any cigar shed needs to have a proper ventilation and that means proper air intake as well as proper exhaustion of air. You cannot only put in an air exhaust system as you have to replenish the bad air with good air. This can be accomplished many different ways. This is a nice schematic I found for an inside cigar room ventilation system.
Exhaust System
The first thing that I would recommend would be to get an adequate exhaust System that can move the proper cubic feet of air quickly. Check the CFM rating and noise rating. You do not want a great exhaust system that is so loud you cannot have a conversation with someone in the room. This will primarily depend on the size of your shed. However, once you decide on the proper exhaust system then you will need to decide how you will build your shed to allow proper air intake.
Turbine Vent
You can move a lot of air with a turbine vent, however you are dependent on the outside flow of air to turn the turbines and exhaust the cigar shed. I would not recommend this due to the possibility of cigar smoke buildup within your shed because the outside air is not turning the turbine fast enough.
Power Exhaust Fans
I would personally recommend a power exhaust fan. There are many options for this type of the exhaust system. One that is really interesting is a solar gable fan. This is an exhaust fan that runs on solar power and therefore there is no electrical cost with clearing out the smoke from your cigar shed.
Another option would be powered wall vent. I believe these are a good exhaust system for a cigar shed as you are not dependent on solar power or wind power. I believe it is more trustworthy to have an exhaust system that is with electricity rather than dependent on the outside elements. You will need to find the right size of the exhaust system depending on your shed. Just remember to check the CFM and noise rating.
Air Intake
The air intake for exhausting smoke can be accomplished on many fronts. One way this can happen would be with floor vents or a cracked window that would allow air to go into the shed. However, you would be in trouble in the colder winter months as that air would be quite cold. An alternative would be to have a portable air conditioner/heater that can ventilate the shed by providing air conditioning in the summer months and heat in the winter months. Here are a few with good reviews on Amazon.
Cigar Accessories & Cigars
Now this is where it becomes really exciting to have a cigar shed. Getting the proper accessories for cigar smoking we’ll make it that much more enjoyable. The most important things that I recommend is seating, television and audio system, air purification system, humidors, wall ornaments, ashtrays and as well as lighters and cutters.
Seating
Every great cigar smoking space has wonderful leather chairs. You will need a minimum of three chairs, so you can allow more people to enjoy your cigar shed with you. You will also need to have some individual side tables as well as a main coffee table in front of the chairs.
The main coffee table would be great to house a humidor as well as your accessories of lighters and cutters. The side tables and be good to allow for individual ashtrays as well as drink holders. Below is a listing of chairs and tables that would look nice.
Television and audio system
Any great cigar room would require a television to enjoy watching the football games or sporting events while smoking your cigar. If your shed was big enough then you could have a big enough television to have a guy’s night out for cigars as well as football or whatever sporting event you would like to watch.
My recommendation, as per my other posts also, is to buy the best television that you can afford so you do not need to replace it soon. As with all technological gadgets they become outdated quickly. This would be the same for audio systems. Above is a sampling of both televisions and audio systems that would work fine in a cigar shed.
Air Purification Systems
There are many options for an air purification system. I do recommend a number of them and my recommendations are primarily with the rabbit system as well as a good ionizer. The air purification systems allow you to eradicate the smoke as well as the smoke byproducts from the air. The exhaust system removes smoke from the room quickly. The air purifier cleans the air. The ionizer is a wonderful invention that will remove the cigar smell in your shed. Here are some great products noted on Amazon. I own these and can attest that they do a great job.
Miscellaneous
There are many options in regard to the accessories with lighters, cutters as well as ashtrays. Two main cigar cutters are a V cut and a double guillotine cut. Some lighters have a cigar punch in the bottom of the lighter. Also, you can buy cigar punches by themselves to carry on a key chain.
There are great lighters that are available, and I would recommend a torch lighter. Colibri makes a great lighter but also there is one by Vertigo that has a lifetime warranty.
Don’t Forget The Cigars
Once you have your cigar shed completed you need to make sure that you have cigars to smoke. The only company that I use, and they are the largest company selling cigars is JR Cigars. They have a great collection of most brands of cigars. The cigars are shipped well humidified, secure and quickly. However, there are many different companies that you can search for and don’t forget to find you local tobacconist.
Conclusion
If you are a cigar lover and you need to find a place to enjoy your cigars, then why not a cigar shed? If you have an existing shed, you can make some simple modifications to convert the shed, so it has adequate airflow and exhaust. However, if you do not own the shed then you can build a cigar shed easy with the right set of plans. You will need proper air intake and exhaust as well as air purification. There are many accessories to purchase to make it your personal retreat for cigar smoking, but they are all worth the time, effort and money.
Cheers,
JB
