How can you turn your garage into a home gym? If your local gym is closed or you don’t feel comfortable working out around other people right now, take a look at everything you need to know about this easy home improvement project.
Choose the Right Door
Do you have the right garage door for your home gym? Whether you’ve never replaced the door or it shoes clear signs of wear and tear, consider:
- Insulation. Whether you want to keep cool air inside during your summer workouts or the freezing air out in the winter, you need a well-insulated garage door. A multi-layer door with a layer of insulation sandwiched in between another material can add to the garage’s efficiency.
- Ease of opening. How well does your garage door open? If you plan a partial open-air workout in your home gym, you need a door that moves up and down safely and with ease. If you have an older model, you may need to replace the door or the opener.
- Aesthetics. Do you want to create a gym with style? An older door with stains, cracks, or dents won’t help. Discuss new, aesthetically superior options with a garage door contractor before you remodel the space.
There are an almost endless number of materials, style, and color combinations to choose from. The specific garage door you select depends on your home, the gym décor, budget restrictions, and your home’s insulation or energy efficiency needs.
Add to or Stop the Sunlight
How much light enters your garage right now? Most attached garage spaces don’t have wall-mounted windows. If your garage is three solid walls and a door, you may need to explore options to let the light in — or not.
Before you select a new door or design your garage home gym, decide how much light you want to let in and consider:
- Overhead or wall-mounted lights. Does the garage have existing light? If it does, a solid garage door may meet your needs. But if there are no (or only a few) lights, you may need a door that comes with windows.
- Privacy. Even though garage door windows can let the natural light in, glass panels also allow anyone walking by to get a view of your workout (depending on window placement). If privacy is a major concern, you may want to choose a solid model door.
- Insulation options. A single-pane glass window will reduce the space’s ability to hold cooled or heated air. If insulation is an issue and you want a door with windows, select a multi-pane option. These insulated windows increase energy efficiency and improve indoor air comfort.
Talk to the garage door contractor about your window panel choices before you decide on one style. Some doors come with a full row of windows, while others have a few select openings.
Keep the Space Safe
You take safety precautions with your weight bench and other exercise equipment. But what about the garage door and the opening mechanism?
Increase the overall safety of your new home gym and:
- Schedule a safety check. If you don’t need to replace the door or opener, you still should have a professional check the mechanism. A garage door contractor has the knowledge and experience to identify and correct potential safety issues.
- Replace worn parts. You don’t always need to replace the entire door to improve overall safety. If the contractor finds excessive wear or damage, they may recommend parts replacements or repairs over a new garage door.
- Set a regular maintenance schedule. Continue to care for your garage door. Create a regular maintenance schedule and schedule appointments with a qualified garage door technician.
Arrange your home gym to maximize safety. Never place equipment or exercise under the direct path of an open garage door. This is a serious safety hazard every homeowner should avoid.
Do you need a new garage door? Contact AA Garage Door for more information.