How to Convert your Garage to a Gym in 5 simple steps!

In this post, we look at how to convert your garage to a gym in 5 easy to follow steps

Step 1: Planning

Converting your garage to a gym can be a big task and most people will have a general idea of what they are looking for in a home gym which is typically driven by the following:

1. Type of exercise
2. Space available
3. Affordability

Logically this makes sense as you are going to want to fill your gym with the type of equipment that supports your preferred style of training and you’ll need to have enough space to fit the equipment and perform the exercises. Gym equipment is not cheap so you will need to have some kind of budget.

To get the most out of your garage gym, we recommend investing some time upfront to plan and prepare the site before rushing out and ordering a load of equipment

We have listed some questions and tasks below that should help to structure your initial thoughts

Do you have a vision of what you want the gym to be?

• Search for garage gyms on Pinterest and Instagram
• How do you want to use the room?
• Can garage be used for gym?
• Will you use the gym all year round?

Do you have a budget and have you considered the following? (see post on how to turn your garage into a gym on a budget here)

• Gym equipment
• Flooring
• Pay for installation or design vs DIY
• Are you decorating the space?
• Need additional storage?
• Need insulation

What are the dimensions of the gym room?

• Will the floor space be sufficient?
• Will the gym populate the full garage?
• If you have a double garage set up, will you set up the gym in half the garage area or fill the entire space?
• Do you need overhead clearance?
• What else will need to be stored in the room? Is there space?

If you can answer the above questions, then you should be well placed to get going

Step 2 Preparing the Space

Garages are generally cold, dusty places used to keep outdoor equipment, tools and as a general storage unit

Depending on the extent of the garage conversion the preparation stage can range from simply clearing enough space to be able to fit some equipment and allow for the actual exercise movements to overhauling the entire appearance of the garage into something that looks more like a gym and somewhere you would like to spend a lot of time working out!

Depending on the type of Garage you have, the preparation stage might consist of the following tasks –

Clearing out the space

• Tidy up and remove clutter
• Rearrange items to maximise space
• Throw away or sell things you don’t need

Storage

• Consider alternative storage options – sheds / storage boxes / shelving etc
• Allocate space in the gym for storage if required

Preparing the Room

• Floor – It can be a good idea to seal the floor as this protects the surface and limits dust
• Walls – A few coats of masonry paint will transform the appearance of the room for a relatively low cost!
• Install Gym Flooring – It is important you choose the right surface to support the type of training you plan to do in your gym. There are plenty of different options from rubber mats to foam tiles. See our post on Choosing the Right home gym Flooring
• Electrics – Important if you wish to have heaters or audio and visual equipment!
• Gym Garage Door – Does your existing door restrict overhead space?

Here are a few links to some youtube videos that show the preparation that goes into transitioning from a garage to a gym as well as showcasing some pretty inspirational outcomes!

Step 3 Finalising the Gym Design

Gym design is an iterative process, and plans can change so now that the room is starting to transition from a garage to a gym, now is a good time to take a brief pause to just re-visit your original plans and make any changes if needed.

Some ideas of things to consider at this stage

• Does the original design concept still work?
  • Review original assumptions
  • Are any changes needed?
• Are you on track with the budget?
  • Prioritise must-haves
  • You do not need to buy everything at once

If you are really challenged with space, then you can also seek professional help as a lot of equipment manufacturers these days also help with design aspects

If the room feels and looks good then it’s time to get the gym stocked

Step 4 Purchase Gym Equipment

This is often where most people start and why there are now so many items being listed for re-sale on Facebook marketplace!

Delivery times for gym equipment are generally just a few days with most of the main suppliers, so you can wait until you have the foundations in place to help ensure you make the best choices!

The type of equipment you need will vary depending on the type of training you want to do but either way, there will be plenty of choices with lots of different brands of variations in design and functionality.

Listed below are some of the types of equipment you may want to consider

Strength Training:

• Power Racks
• Benches
• Barbells
• Dumbbells
• Kettlebells

Cardio

• Treadmills
• Stationary Bikes
• Rowing Machines

Accessories

• Matts
• Bands
• Shelves / Hooks

Give some thought to installation as well, most items can be self-assembled between 1 or 2 persons but some suppliers will offer an installation service as well which if you are going for a large multi-gym and a lot of machinery, could be a sensible option!

Step 5 Garage to a Gym – Final Touches

The final step is to add some final touches to personalize the space.

We have listed some ideas below

• Personalised Branding
  • Signs – Some nice ideas can be found on Etsy
  • Motivating posters/messages/gym wall decals
• Mirrors and Lighting
• Storage Hooks
• Shoe storage
• Cleaning cupboard
• Refreshments / Fridge

Wrap Up

Converting a garage to a gym is growing in popularity with more people choosing to workout at home post COVID

There are many advantages to exercising at home but setting up a fully functional gym that is somewhere you want to spend time to train takes effort, planning, and an upfront outlay of cash!

If you want to see how I converted my single garage space into a fully functional gym check out my post My Garage to a Gym Conversion now