Building my own Batcave -- transformation vid 10-7-11

[SuperheroDIY]

So I don't know if this is the right area to post this, but thought I would show the RPF what I've been working on, since I shared it with the BOTB so far.

I'm finally building my own batcave.

This is going to be in what was a bedroom in my basement. Here is what the room looked like before:

You can see the ugly carpet and the drop ceiling -- basically a lack of any coolness at all!

I worked out my basic plan for the cave using Google Sketchup:

I ripped out both the carpet and the drop ceiling, then dismantled and widened the area where the closet was.

In the newly recessed area will be a couch:

I'm using chicken wire (poultry fence) as the base structure for the shape of the rock.

I'm painting the floor joists (on the ceiling) all flat black:

For the rock face, I'm going to use builder paper all crumpled up and painted. Here's a WIP of that:

After I've done the ceiling and the walls, I'll install some track lighting on a dimmer switch and paint the floor to look a lot like the floor that was in the "Batcave-thing" in The Dark Knight. Then I'll be ordering a couch and a TV and whatever else I need! And there we go!

So what do you think, RPF?

 

[ONEYE]

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I really like it! Extremely cool!

 

[ob1al]

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Great concept!

Will the paper you are using for the rocks be strong enough?

 

[SuperheroDIY]

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I think the paper will be strong enough to hold the paint, but that is all that it'll be holding. Anything else that will be on the wall will at least be secured to the drywall behind the chicken wire.

I also have an idea to use the window openings as places to put lit symbols in. Like put a piece of frosted plastic in front of a batsymbol and then a light behind that. Like a batsymbol shining INTO the room -- but not very bright.

 

[ob1al]

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You could make the rocks from simple paper mache. They would be a bit more rigid and robust that way.

 

[Onkelpsycho]

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Nice... What are the other two doing in the cave?!? :lol

Throw em out, the Batmobil needs room... :lol

 

[SuperheroDIY]

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LOL well Captain America is next!

 

[JLeezy23]

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This is gonna look great! I wanna make a small garage/workshop and fill it with el lights to make it into the Grid one day

 

[leach145]

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Sounds great. Just be a little careful with your lighting. That much paper and heat will not be a good mix!!! If you are using a dimmer make sure it is away from the paper.

Looking good and cant wait to see final result!

 

[masterstumpy]

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Very, very cool!!!!

 

[Apollo]

Re: Building my own Batcave [PIC HEAVY]

Very cool!!


Can't wait to see it finished!

 

[MrGzilla]

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That's awesome! I'd make the walls out of something stronger and less flammable though, I've seen some awesome cave walls made out of insulation foam (though I don't remember where I saw it)

 

[Funky]

Re: Building my own Batcave [PIC HEAVY]

That's awesome! I'd make the walls out of something stronger and less flammable though, I've seen some awesome cave walls made out of insulation foam (though I don't remember where I saw it)

I have to agree. If it's for a movie set it doesn't have to last, just look good. For your home, I don't know. The first time you bump into it could be a disaster.

 

[Etewaf]

Re: Building my own Batcave [PIC HEAVY]

I took a kind of behind the scenes tour of one of those Halloween haunted houses that my moms friends husband owns, and he used the same technique for rock walls, but he had to have the paper treated with some flame retardant chemical in order for it to be up to code, and even with it they were hesitant to use it around lights and electronics. May want to look into it a bit more.

 

[acloud]

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This is awesome! I would love to have a Batcave in my house, can't wait to see more pics!

 

[surrealkiller1]

Re: Building my own Batcave [PIC HEAVY]

Oh man I am so jealous! The lady of the house would kill me if I tried that. Good job!

 

[SuperheroDIY]

Re: Building my own Batcave [PIC HEAVY]

I took a kind of behind the scenes tour of one of those Halloween haunted houses that my moms friends husband owns, and he used the same technique for rock walls, but he had to have the paper treated with some flame retardant chemical in order for it to be up to code, and even with it they were hesitant to use it around lights and electronics. May want to look into it a bit more.

Yep, I'm pretty concerned about this aspect as well. I would definitely like to do it out of insulation foam but it is cost-prohibitive as well as really messy sounding. The carving part alone sounds horrible.

I tried to use plaster of paris to put over the chicken wire, but it won't stick to the chicken wire while it's on the wall. Unfortunately I spent a TON of time putting it on the wall and forming it, so don't even want to try taking it off. Plus I don't know how I would secure it back to the wall even if I tried that.

I am kind of curious about this flame-retardant chemical - that might just be a good thing to add. Does anybody know anything more about that? I wonder if it's something I could just spray on?

I also plan to install another smoke detector in the room that will wirelessly connect to the rest of the system in the house. And with electronics, I'm going to have all cables to components running through black PVC pipe (to look kinda like the '89 Batcave). I may also have an electrician come over to wire in the lights and dimmer just to be sure.

I spent the evening putting the "rock paper" on one wall and spraying it a bit so I could see the way it might look -- and I think it's pretty good!

I pulled Batman back in there so I could see what he looked like against it -- and of course he looks like a badass:

 

[klmyhre]

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Looks great! just hope the paper holds up over time

 

[papasmurf]

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know i want to have a bat cave for my house tooo.. lol

 

[Fawbish]

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Very, very, very ridiculously cool. So much so it pulled me to my first post.

I had thought when looking at the concept image that it might end up looking a little...tacky? But looks great so far.

Will be following this.