A spacious, purpose-built home gym in North Ferriby
A Large Bespoke Garden Gym
Our clients wanted a dedicated place to train at home, with enough room for a varied collection of gym equipment and the strength to support significant loads.
Rather than trying to fit everything into a spare room or garage, they chose a bespoke garden gym designed specifically around how the space would be used. The finished building provides a generous, bright and private training environment at the end of the garden, while its cedar and black exterior complements the natural surroundings.
The brief
The priority for this project was space.
The garden room needed to accommodate a wide range of strength and fitness equipment without feeling crowded. It also needed a robust floor structure capable of supporting heavier gym equipment and repeated use.
Our clients wanted the building to feel open and comfortable, with plenty of natural light and easy access from the garden. Externally, they chose a combination of natural cedar and black cladding to create a contemporary appearance that would sit comfortably within the established garden.
Designing the layout around the equipment
At 8m wide by 3m deep, this is one of our larger garden gym projects. The long, open layout provides clearly defined areas for different types of training, allowing equipment to be positioned around the perimeter while retaining useful open floor space through the centre.
The design included a 3m-wide, three-panel aluminium bifold door positioned centrally on the front elevation. This brings plenty of daylight into the gym and can be opened during warmer weather to provide ventilation and a direct connection to the garden.
Before construction began, the internal layout was carefully considered to make sure the proposed room size worked with the client’s equipment and provided enough clearance to move and train comfortably.
A reinforced base for heavy gym equipment
A home gym places very different demands on a floor compared with an office or family room, so the structure beneath it was an important part of the design.
The building was constructed on 24 concrete pad foundations arranged in four rows. Above these, we installed a reinforced timber base with doubled structural bearers and closely spaced joists.
This created a strong, stable platform suitable for heavier gym equipment and concentrated loads. The base was also upgraded with 50mm PIR insulation and moisture-resistant structural flooring as part of the overall insulated construction.
The construction photographs show the additional timber reinforcement incorporated into the base before the floor and walls were installed.
A bright and fully insulated training space
The garden gym was built as a fully insulated room that could be used throughout the year. The walls were constructed with a structural timber frame, rigid PIR insulation, a breathable membrane and a ventilated external cladding system. The roof was also insulated with 100mm PIR and finished with a durable EPDM membrane.
Internally, the walls and ceiling were plasterboarded and wet plastered, ready for the clients to decorate in their chosen finish.
Eight low-profile recessed spotlights provide even lighting across the full length of the gym, with a dimmer allowing the brightness to be adjusted. Four double electrical sockets were also positioned around the room for fitness equipment, entertainment and other accessories.
Contemporary cedar and black cladding
Natural cedar was used across the front and one visible side of the gym, helping the large building blend into its garden setting.
The rear and less prominent side were finished in black horizontal composite cladding. This combination provides a contemporary contrast while also offering a practical, low-maintenance finish where the elevations are less visible.
Black fascias, guttering and aluminium bifold doors bring the external materials together and give the building a clean, modern appearance.
The finished room sits neatly beneath the mature trees at the end of the garden, creating a dedicated gym that feels separate from the house without appearing disconnected from it.
The finished result
The completed garden gym provides a generous and purpose-built environment for training at home.
Its 8m length gives the clients the flexibility to accommodate a substantial range of equipment while retaining enough open space for free movement, stretching and floor-based exercise.
The reinforced base, insulated construction and plastered interior mean that the room is not only visually impressive but also designed to perform properly as a working gym.
This project is a strong example of the value of designing a garden room around its intended use from the outset.
