A Complete Guide to Turning your Garage into a Gym

Excuses. They're what keeps most of us from achieving our fitness goals and living the healthy lifestyle that we want. But sometimes, our excuses are inconveniences that we need to come up with solutions for.

How often have you thought about working out, but the thought of making a trek to the gym was just too much. Maybe you'd rather not work out in front of other people, so you don't feel self-conscious.

The solution for both of these excuses- turn your garage into your own private gym! The commute will be much easier.

Now that you're ready to move forward with your garage gym plan, there are a few things to consider and plan.

#1: Make a Plan

How much of your garage space can you dedicate to your home gym? Oftentimes, we end up stashing boxes in the garage and a few months later, we don't even know what's inside of them. It's time to clean up and get rid of the unnecessary clutter.

Install an elliptical trainer in your garage? What a great idea!

A stationary bike can be a great option during the cold winter months when you can't ride a traditional bike outside. It's a must for a garage gym!

Decide what items are necessary to keep and what can be tossed or donated. Will you need to continue to park your car in the garage? Can your tools or other items be stored in the basement instead?

No matter what size of garage you have, it's important to maximize the available space.

Make use of the vertical space on the walls that often goes unnoticed. For example, you could add shelving or hooks for additional storage space. If you have a bike, get a vertical bike rack and you will be amazed at how much extra space you make available.

Gym equipment can be difficult to move, so consider all of your options before purchasing any fitness equipment. Drawing a layout of how you want your gym to look can be helpful.

Turn your garage wall into a giant mirror!

Mirrors can be useful to ensure you are using the correct form, whether you're practicing ballet, yoga, or lifting weights. Plus, you can admire all of your hard work!

#2: Prepare your Garage

This picture shared by BoxJunkies shows an in-garage gym. the owners decided to had a TV and other commodities.

This owner installed a TV and refrigerators in his gym garage. This picture was shared by BoxJunkies.

Now that you have your layout plan, it's time to start renovating.

Consider your electrical needs. Will your gym equipment and TV need outlets to be plugged in?

If this is the case, then you will need electrical work completed. We suggest hiring a licensed electrician for this part of your project because special training is required to safely make electrical renovations to any structure.

However, you can choose a paint color and begin painting, install shelving and any other organizational areas that you might need. Perhaps the garage isn't insulated or maybe your garage doesn't have a finished ceiling. This blog post by BLACK+DECKER can be a helpful place to start.

#3: Flooring Choices

If your garage simply has a concrete floor, you may wish to change it up a bit.

An epoxy garage floor. Picture by AllGarageFloors.

This photo shows an epoxy garage floor. Not only is it beautiful, but it's durable too! This picture is from AllGarageFloors.

While a concrete floor would work, it isn't the most practical for a home gym setup. It could begin to crack and wear out over time and with repeated use, it could show damage fairly quickly.

Concrete is also very cold during the winter months, which makes it hard to maintain a warmer temperature in the garage during those colder months. There are alternatives that will work better.

  1. Epoxy or Polyurea

    Installing a waterproof floor in your garage gym is a great idea. Both epoxy or polyurea coatings are waterproof, plus they're impact resistant. They have a nice visual appearance. This will also make your garage floor last longer.

    Since garages generally have a lot of humidity, they can be prone to mold growth. We recommend also installing a dehumidifier to keep the moisture levels down, so your space is safe.

  2. Rubber Training Mat

    Another great idea is to install a rubber training mat. Rubber mats often have a textured surface which creates friction, making the equipment hold securely in place. This will prevent accidents from happening while working out. Plus, they help soften any noise. Your family will thank you!

    A rubber training mat is also a great surface that is soft to protect your knees during workouts such as yoga. If you fall, the rubber surface will be a lot safer. It's just more comfortable than concrete!

    Need more mat flooring ideas? The Best Flooring Options for Your Home Gym by Men's Health offers plenty more ideas!

  3. Carpet

    Carpet isn't the best option for a garage floor, even if you're just using it for a gym. It can get dirty very easily and isn't as allergy friendly as other options.

    However, if you can't do without carpet, we recommend choosing one that is durable and tightly woven.

Whatever you choose, make sure that your gym equipment won't slide on it. This could present a safety risk.

As previously discussed, a waterproof floor is necessary.

A carpet isn't a great option for a garage gym because of the amount of moisture found in garages. It will absorb the moisture and create mold growth.

If you're worried about the garage feeling too cold without a rug, consider buying a heater instead.

Equipment can weigh a ton. You need to have solid flooring if you don't want to break it after only a month.

Gym equipment can be extremely heavy! Make sure your flooring is solid so that it doesn't crack or begin to wear out too soon.

#4: Ventilation

Fresh air is essential when you are working out, especially during cardio workouts!

You should have a dehumidifier and anair purifier wouldn't be a bad idea either. Anair conditioner for the warm months and a heater for the colder months would be ideal.

As far as moisture goes, don't forget that your hardcore workouts will make you sweat! That will just add more moisture to the air. This is why a dehumidifier is so important in your gym. This garage ventilation system from Humidex is a great option because it controls the humidity, improves the air quality, prevents mold growth, and is impact resistant.

#5: Insulation

Your health and the integrity of your gym equipment can benefit from your garage being well insulated.

During the cold winter months, insulation will help keep the garage warm. This can help save on heating costs and simply make you more comfortable.

Check the walls inside and outside of the garage. Check for any signs of damage or wear and be sure to fix them promptly. The last thing you want is a mouse coming in through a hole in the garage and tearing up your workout equipment. Mice will not chew through fiberglass insulation.

Make sure that your garage doors are also insulated. Your walls may be very well insulated, but the door isn't so well insulated. If this is the case, your garage will be heavily influenced by the weather conditions outside.

This garage door is a Vog design, 9' x 7', Black color, with a window layout: Left-side Harmony.

Do you like the modern feel of this garage door? This is a Vog design, 9' x 7', Black color, with a window layout called Left-side Harmony.

There are various insulated garage doors available on the market. Insulation is calculated in an R-value; the higher the value, the better it insulates.

You can choose your options between no insulation, R-12 insulation, or R-16 insulation. Roofs are frequently insulated with R-40 insulation, while house walls range between R-13 and R-21 insulation.

Choose an insulated garage door that will help keep the temperature in the garage regulated and unaffected by the exterior weather conditions. If it is not insulated, it is likely that your heating costs will go up both for your garage and the attached home.

Even if you have an insulated garage door, if it's installed wrong, it will not work well. It's important to verify that the gaskets and weatherstripping are all in good shape and properly installed. Sometimes it requires a professional to get the job done correctly. Make sure to choose an insulated garage door that is energy efficient.

Garages with 2 floors may include a sleeping area, which you want to keep heated and air-conditioned. This goes for your attached house also. Having your garage fully insulated will be a benefit that will prevent the house from losing heat or air conditioning.

Insulated garage doors can reduce your electricity and heating bills. Don't underestimate the importance of good weatherstripping on the garage door. It can make or break the effectiveness of energy efficiency. There are different types of weatherstripping, each with its own benefits.

Some garage doors feature InterLokTM joints. These joints are located between each panel so that when the garage door is closed, they "interlock" and create a tight seal. This system makes the door completely sealed against cold winds, among other things.

Make sure that the weatherstripping on the floor (such as Storm Shield threshold), as well as around the window seals, are in good condition.

This type of weatherstripping is especially useful on uneven or cracked flooring. It will help prevent water from leaking in during heavy rains. It also prevents ice from forming under the weatherstripping and sticking to the garage floor.

#6: Windows

Do you find your garage dark and would like to add natural light? The answer is adding windows! However, installing windows involves cutting a rough opening into the wall and that's a lot of work. Fortunately, it's possible to order garage doors with windows.

Different types of garage windows are offered, depending on the level of privacy you want to add to your garage.

You can choose windows with a privacy feature and they can be installed on the tops of the garage doors as well as the sides. With this privacy, you can work out in the comfort of your garage gym without feeling like everyone is looking at you.

If you already have a garage door without windows, but you wish you could have more natural light in your garage. Great news, it's possible! We can install windows on your garage door by simply changing certain panels on your door.

You can learn more about adding windows to an existing garage door by reading this article about adding windows to an existing door.

#7: A New Garage Door

Doorcraft Manufacturing Ltd. can make recommendations for various styles and colors to fit your personality and your wishes. Do you plan on painting your interior walls with a specific color? Do you have a decor theme for your garage gym? We can help make your garage door match whatever styles and colors you choose.

Try every model and every color you wish with our cool Design Centre tool!

After you've tried out various color and style combinations, you can ask for a free quote by email.

This garage door is a Classic CC design, 9' x 7', Ice White color, with 4 lite Orion windows.

Do you prefer the timeless charm of Traditional Style? This garage door is a Classic CC design, 9' x 7', Ice White, with 4 lite Orion windows.

Do you feel like you have too many choices and it's hard to choose?

Contact us at 506-450-3031.

Our trained experts will be more than happy to help you find the perfect garage door that fits your style and preferences.

The final step to this project is to move in your gym equipment such as your treadmill, elliptical, stationary bike, weight set, and more. Enjoy your garage gym with no more excuses! Your gym commute will simply involve walking into your garage. Before you know it, you'll have the toned body that you want and be making strides towards your health and fitness goals.

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