Garages don’t have to be fancy, expensive or spotless to serve as a great hangout for guys who love anything that burns gasoline.

Ted Boyle built a large garage behind his North Lawrence home about 10 years ago. It cost $8,000 to $10,000 and took about three months to construct, with the help of friends.

The man den (01-08-05)

He salvaged some of the materials to build the garage, such as insulation, fluorescent light and the acoustic ceiling.

Heated by a wood stove, Boyle’s garage has a refrigerator, television, microwave, coffeemaker and telephone.

“It’s where I keep all my stuff. That’s where I work on my motorcycles, my family cars, my garden tractors. I just come out here and hang out. It’s a getaway,” says Boyle, 60, president of the North Lawrence Improvement Assn.

For Boyle’s circle of friends, garages are the ideal place to spend time socializing.

“We just go around and visit each other’s garages. You don’t go to the house, you go to the garage — that’s the male domain,” he says.

“You don’t have to worry about people dragging in dirt or grease. It’s a more relaxed environment to sit around and talk, trade stories.”