Building Your Dream Home Gym Shed

It’s a story that repeats itself every year: New year, new you. For many people, that means a focus on improving their health and getting in shape. 

Unfortunately, that also means gyms can become incredibly crowded during the first few weeks of the year. 

Fighting traffic after work just to get to the gym, waiting for machines, and crowded locker rooms can make starting a new, healthier lifestyle that much harder.

Here at Lapp Structures, we have the perfect solution to keep your health goals on track: the detached home gym shed. 

This is a space where you can easily escape to focus on yourself and attain those goals.

Why a Shed is the Perfect Foundation for a Home Gym

Your home gym shed will be a dedicated space for your fitness journey, and a shed gym offers several advantages that other spaces, like a garage or basement, just can’t match.

A Sturdy and Level Foundation

A home gym requires a flat and sturdy floor to set up most weightlifting equipment safely. 

While some may consider a garage or basement, concrete floors can sometimes be graded to direct moisture, causing equipment like squat racks to sit unevenly and potentially pose a safety issue. 

When designing your home gym, consider floors made to support a large amount of weight, like our tongue and groove 2″x8″ flooring, which can also hold up to the impact from dropped weights.

Ample Vertical Space

Many workouts, such as overhead presses, require you to lift above your head. 

This can be an issue for people using their basement as a home gym because the ceiling may not be high enough for a full range of motion. 

When choosing the perfect shed style for your home gym, look for one with a steeper roof pitch to give you all the overhead space you’ll need. 

Shed styles like our Colonial Garden Shed, New England Barn, or High Barn are excellent options. 

This extra vertical space not only helps during your workout, but it also opens up the possibility for a loft for extra storage.

Easy Equipment Installation

Wall-mounted, multipurpose gyms like Tonal have grown in popularity because they offer a complete workout and take up minimal space. 

The catch is that they need to be securely fastened to your home’s framing, which can be an issue with older plaster walls or for those who don’t want to damage their home.

 Luckily, we build our shed frames with industry-standard 16″ on-center studs, which are compatible with most wall-mounted machines.

Effortless Equipment Access

Some workout equipment can be rather large, like a Smith Machine that measures over 83 inches long. 

Trying to move something like that inside your home can be a challenge, especially when you have to bring it down cramped hallways and staircases. 

Moving equipment into a shed is a breeze by comparison. 

Your home gym shed will always be at ground level, so there are no stairs to deal with. 

Plus, you can customize your shed with spacious double doors, making it easy to move in a treadmill, elliptical, or squat rack.

Essential Features and Customizations for Your Home Gym Shed

Once you have the style nailed down, you’ll need to consider what options you’ll want for your home gym.

Climate Control is Key

Keeping your home gym comfortable during your workout is more important than you think. A hot gym can stifle anyone’s motivation to work out and increase the potential for heat exhaustion. 

Luckily, a Lapp Structures shed’s temperature can easily be controlled with a ductless mini-split HVAC system. The wall-mounted evaporator takes up next to no space inside, while the noisier condenser stays outside. 

You can even take this comfort a step further by having spray foam insulation installed to save on heating and cooling costs.

Power and Ventilation

If your health goals require a lot of cardio, you’ll need an electric package for outlets to plug in a treadmill or elliptical. 

A ceiling fan receptacle box can also be added to help you keep cool during those last few minutes of your routine. 

Ventilation is also key, so make sure you have plenty of windows to crack open when you start to warm up. 

The Studio shed style, with two rows of windows in the front, is a great option for plenty of ventilation and natural light, which can also help your overall mood while staying motivated.

Smart Storage Solutions

Excess clutter can be a stressor that keeps you from being consistent. For smaller equipment, you should think about adding shelves to your new home gym. 

This ensures your jump ropes, water bottles, weights, and yoga mats have a place to live when they’re not in use.

Making It Your Own 

Ultimately, the best part about using a shed as your home gym is that it’s customized for your specific needs. 

Consistency is key when improving one’s health, so make sure to include all the creature comforts you’ll need to make the space one you enjoy being in.

Consider a decent set of speakers to pump out the tunes needed to inspire you to work through that extra rep. 

Or, if you use protein shakes to recover after a workout, a mini-fridge in your home gym means you can grab relief as soon as you need it. 

Whatever you choose to fill it with, your home gym will be way more comfortable than dealing with the crowds at your local gym.

Our Design Consultants have years of experience designing and delivering the perfect home gym to your exact specifications.