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Have you always dreamed of setting up your own garden gym? The process can be overwhelming, but you can start with these summerhouse gym ideas! We’ll cover flooring, airflow, and layout tips to keep things simple and practical.
Double Up Your Summerhouse Gym Floor (If Needed)
A standard summer house floor might not support the kind of stress that comes from treadmills, weight racks, or jumping exercises. Check the product details to confirm your floorboards are up for the task. If not, there are ways you can make it work, mostly DIY, including:
- Check the joists underneath: Stand inside and give it a test. The joists might need more support if the floor feels spongy or bouncy. Strengthen them with timber noggins or by adding extra joists between existing ones.
- Plywood layering or gym mats: Plywood spreads weight across a wider area. Take measurements, cut it accordingly, and lay it on the base floor. Mats are optional, but they add further protection by absorbing impact. Either of these, or both, let you do floor work or use free weights more comfortably.
- Keep heavy equipment away from the edges: Otherwise, this can lead to sagging. Place them in the centre instead, as this is where most of the floor strength is.
Most of our summer houses offer an upgrade on floor thickness to better support heavy-duty use.
Ventilate to Let Heat Out and Cool Air In
Many home gym owners have found that their workout room starts to stink of sweat after a while. Plus, halfway through a workout, the heat becomes unbearable. That happens due to a lack of ventilation.
Summerhouses can warm up fast, especially if small, enclosed, or in direct sunlight. Without proper airflow, the space can feel stuffy, and the air gets harder to breathe. In short, it feels more like a sauna than a gym.
Try these quick fixes to stop it from overheating:
- Install vents: Go for designs that can be opened and closed. Position one near the top to release hot air, and another in the lower part to pull cooler air in.
- Use curtains that block heat: Thin, reflective curtains or thermal blinds will do. They effectively stop the sun from baking the space through the windows. Stick to light colours, as they reflect more heat.
- Position a fan where it moves air: Near a vent or open window is ideal. That way, you’re not shifting hot air from one corner to another—you’re helping it leave.
- Leave the doors open for a while after your workout: This helps vent out that sweaty smell. Just don’t leave any valuable equipment unsecured.
For more tips, take a look at this guide: How to Ventilate Your Garden Gym
Make Space for Cardio and Weights
Visualise how everything fits before dragging the equipment in. The layout should make your workout flow easy, not awkward.
Leave some floor space clear—that’s your spot for stretches or mat work, like lunges or burpees. For cardio, stick to compact gear, like a spin bike, rowing machine, or foldable treadmill.
Strength gear? Go vertical. Squat racks or mounted hooks keep weights and gear off the floor. Collapsible benches are easier to store and still let you do a wide range of exercises.
Here are some garden gym equipment ideas for you to consider.
Garden Gym Summerhouse with Side Shed
Trying to squeeze a workout in between clutter doesn’t work for long. It’ll only slow you down if your gym gear is always in the way. This is where having a storage—even better, a separate one—can make a difference.
If your summer house is only big enough to fit a cabinet inside, you can expand it with a lean-to design. It’s like adding an extra room by attaching it to the side. But if you don’t feel like building one, it might be time for an upgrade. We offer a lean-to side store add-on with some of our log cabin summerhouses.
Our BillyOh Penton is a corner summer house with an integrated side store, where you can keep anything you’re not using that day. This keeps your main workout space open and makes it easy to move around. Simply put your workout equipment away in the side storage when you’re done. Its shape doesn’t take up much more garden space, but it makes your setup more flexible.
We have more options for you here: The Best Summer Houses for a Gym or Yoga Studio
