You’ve got the garage, and you’ve got the gym equipment, but how do you figure out where anything should actually go? Should you put the dumbbell rack in the middle, or against the wall? Where exactly should the weight bench go, and where does the treadmill fit? And importantly, can you still park a car in there, or is that out of the question now? Rather than standing in an empty garage with a tape measure, trying to figure it out, I’m here to help. Below, I share five different garage gym layouts that show real floor plans with real dimensions for popular exercise equipment. This way, you can see how much clearance you need, where traffic flows best, and some essential tips you can use for the placement of weights and workout machines.
12×22 One-Car Garage Narrow Strength Gym Studio Layout
This garage gym focuses on getting the space for your essential barbell movements in the center, with easy access to your vertical dumbbell storage nearby.
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Floor Plan Details: The layout centers around a 6×8 deadlift platform in the middle of the space, with a nearby folding rack system to save space. There’s a 5×2 bench positioned right where you need it for barbell or free weight use. Along the right wall, there is a dumbbell rack and a plate tree up in the top corner that’s just 2′ x 2′ to keep all your plates out of the way. There’s also wall-mounted peg storage to help keep accessories (bands, ropes, collars, belts) off the floor.
Dimensions:
Garage size: 12′ wide x 22′ deep (264 sq. ft.)
Deadlift platform: 6′ x 8′
Bench footprint: 5′ x 2′
Folding rack (left wall):
Open/use footprint: 6′ x 4’9″
Folded footprint: 2′ x 4’9″
Plate tree (back-right corner): 2′ x 2′
Primary circulation clearance: 36″ (3′) maintained through the middle lane
Side entry/door clearance shown: 36″ (at the right side)
Design Tips:
Choose wall-mounted and fold-away options wherever possible to deal with the narrow garage.
Select a folding rack and pair it with spotter arms and J-cups so it doesn’t take up valuable floor space.
Go with an adjustable bench so you can do a variety of workouts like incline pressing, supported rows, step-ups, and Bulgarian split squats.
Keep cardio vertical or easily stowable and choose equipment like a folding rower, air bike, or wall-hung jump rope/resistance bands rather than a treadmill that will take up too much room.
Placing your dumbbells on the right wall is ideal for quick access from the bench.
Add stall mats in the open areas to protect the concrete from weight drops.
The 6×8 platform is generous for a space this size. You could probably get away with a 6×6 size if you want to reclaim some floor space for other exercise equipment. But if deadlifts and Olympic lifts are your thing, don’t skimp here.
Why it works: Big-lift capability in a narrow bay, with fold-away hardware to reclaim floor space for storage or a smaller car when needed.
14×22 Half-Bay Hybrid Garage with Gym Floor Plan
For those looking for a garage that actually works for parking a car, this shared hybrid garage-gym allows you to train hard without sacrificing your vehicle storage.
Floor Plan Details: Unlike the first design, this garage allows you to actually keep a car parked in here, and somehow, there’s still room for a workout setup. The primary workout area is focused on the 6×7 ‘working lane’ in the middle-left of the space, with a squat rack on the left wall. There’s room for cardio equipment like a rower or recumbent bike tucked up top that can be pushed to the side when parking the car. The parking is reserved for the right side, and there’s a 36″ path marked out, so you have enough space to walk around. The equipment all wraps around the left perimeter, with a squat rack mid-wall, and a bench or similar at the bottom left.
Dimensions:
Garage size: 14′ wide x 22′ deep (308 sq. ft.)
Working lane: 6′ x 7′ (your actual gym real estate)
Walking clearance: 36″
Parking zone: full-length right-side bay shown with one car footprint
Gym zone: left-side strip for cardio & rack & machines
Design Tips:
Keep all your lifting and your movement contained within the left side.
Maintain the squat rack placement so it’s not encroaching on your car territory.
Go with a compact rack here instead of one of those massive cages with pull-up bars sticking out three feet. Wall-mounted would be ideal.
Look for folding cardio equipment with wheels that allow you to easily push it out of the way into a corner when not in use.
Keep your dumbbell storage along the left wall.
Use pegs mounted on the wall for your resistance bands, jump rope, and other smaller equipment.
Be mindful of your car and don’t stack heavy plates or barbells near it where they could roll and cause some damage. near it.
Consider installing a ventilation fan rated at least 300 to 400 CFM, and mount it on the wall, so you have good airflow.
Why it works: You can lift heavy, row, and bench, without giving up your parking space.
20×20 Two-Car Garage Gym Layout With Power Rack & Deadlift Platform
This garage home gym packs in a rack for the big lifts, dedicated zones for accessories and cardio, and plenty of clearance so you can actually move around and use exercise equipment without bumping into any walls.
Floor Plan Details: This design offers 400 square feet of gym space with a layout that is built around a central power rack and deadlift platform combo that sits right in the middle. It uses an 8×8 platform where you can deadlift and drop weights without any stress about it. The power rack measuring 4×4 is positioned below the platform, and everything else revolves around this central lifting zone. There’s an 8×2 dumbbell rack running vertically along the left side with a 2×2 plate tree sitting by it. There’s also a 4×4 cable tower in the upper right corner. The gym’s cardio equipment, a bike and a treadmill, are tucked into the bottom section, accessible but still out of the way. The traffic flow uses various 2′ to 5′ clearance zones that let you move around freely. You could actually have two people training in here at the same time without feeling crowded.
Dimensions:
Garage size: 20′ x 20′ (400 sq. ft. total)
Deadlift platform: 8′ x 8′ (the centerpiece)
Full power rack: 4′ x 4′
Dumbbell rack: 8′ x 2′ (vertical mount)
Plate tree: 2′ x 2′
Cable tower: 4′ x 4′
Treadmill: 2′ x 6.5′
Bike: 2′ x 2′
Main walkway: 36″
Design Tips:
Keep the central rack and platform setup because it creates natural training zones surrounding it.
Maintain the 8×8 platform if you plan on using Olympic-sized lifts. The extra space means you’re not stressed about hitting walls or equipment.
The 4×4 power rack is a full cage, so position it so you’re facing into the room, probably toward the bottom.
The 8×2 dumbbell storage means you can go heavy on the weights with sizes from 5 lbs up to 100+ lbs if you want.
The treadmill is 2x 6.5, which is a standard footprint, but it needs the buffer space so you’re not feeling crowded while using it.
Why it works: Equipment symmetry and safe clearances keep lifting a focus with room for cardio and dumbbells to stay accessible without crowding the main platform.
22×22 Garage With Family Circuit Gym Floor Plan
This garage gym is designed for family fitness so multiple people can train simultaneously within dedicated zones without anyone being in anyone else’s way.
Floor Plan Details: This 484 square foot garage space is titled a family circuit gym that isn’t just a space where one person can train, but is designed for multiple people to work out at the same time. The layout’s split into three horizontal zones. There’s a strength zone up top with a half rack, cable tower, bench, and a massive 10×2 dumbbell rack. A mobility zone is in the middle with a dedicated 6×6 area for stretching, rolling, or yoga. The cardio zone is at the bottom with a turf strip on the left, leading to a rower, and a bike on the right. The turf strip running along the bottom measures 3×16′ and can be used for sled pushes, bear crawls, farmers carries, or whatever else you can think of to stay active.
Dimensions:
Garage size: 22′ x 22′ (484 sq. ft.)
Cable tower: 4′ x 4′ (upper left)
Half rack: 4′ x 4′ (upper middle)
Bench: 5′ x 2′
Dumbbell rack: 10′ x 2′
Mobility corner: 6′ x 6′ dedicated space
Turf strip: 3′ x 16′ (functional training lane)
Rower: 2′ x 8′
Bike: 4′ x 4′
Cable-to-rack spacing: 48″
Main walkway: 36″
Design Tips:
Respect the zones and keep strength and mobility work separate.
Maintain the 4×4 half rack with 48 inches between it and the cable tower to prevent two people who are working out from coming into contact with each other.
Use a 5×2 bench and slide it into position when you need it, whether it’s for a bench press or dumbbell work.
If you have an extensive dumbbell collection, keep the large rack so everyone in the family has the weight size they need.
Use the 36 sq. ft. mobility corner for space to use foam rollers, place yoga mats, lacrosse balls, resistance bands, and all the floor work you need.
Keep the cardio equipment, the 2×8 rower and 4×4 bike in the corner where they’re accessible but not dominating the space.
Why it works: Perfect gym design for couples and families who want interval workout circuits.
24×20 Performance Gym Garage Layout
For those looking for a high-performance strength training space where serious athletes can do serious work, this setup comes with a rack, platform, functional trainer, plyo area, full cardio lineup, and even recovery amenities like a sauna, with enough room so that multiple people can train together.
Floor Plan Details: This gym garage measures 480 square feet and is set up to be the ultimate high-performance training ground. You’ve got an 8×8 platform for your power cage, a functional trainer, and a full cardio lineup. In addition, there is a utility sink and sauna nook in the upper left, and a dedicated plyo box area for safe jumping movements. Mirrors are mounted across the entire top wall for checking your form while lifting your free weights. The platform and rack sit center-left, the functional trainer on the right side, and cardio equipment along the bottom. There is 36″ spacing between each piece so you have room to maneuver and train with another person.
Dimensions:
Garage size: 24′ wide x 20′ deep (480 sq ft)
Utility sink/sauna nook: 4′ x 4′ (upper left corner)
Plyo box area: 6′ x 6′
Rack: 4′ x 6′ (full cage)
Deadlift platform: 8′ x 8′
Functional trainer: 4′ x 6′ (right side)
Treadmill: 3′ x 6.5′
Rower: 2′ x 8′
Bike: 4′ x 4′
Dumbbell run: 12.2′ (along right wall)
Clearances: 36″ between all major cardio equipment
Interior spacing: 4.9′ between platform and functional trainer, 5.6′ in plyo area
Design Tips:
Use a 4×6′ power cage with pull-up bars, J-hooks, and dip attachments, and position it over the 8×8 platform.
Go with gym paint colors in charcoal, deep greens, cool grays, and navy for promoting strength training.
The utility sink makes sense for filling your water bottles, rinsing off equipment, and washing your hands.
Use the sauna nook for your recovery zone.
Go with a 6×6 pylo box area for doing your jumps, step-ups, and explosive cardio work that needs space.
Keep the 4×6 functional trainer so you get exercises like cable crossovers, tricep pushdowns, and face pulls in one setup.
Place all of your dumbbells along that right wall so you can superset cable work with dumbbell work without moving very far.
Line up the cardio row along the bottom with a 3x 6.5 treadmill, 2×8 rower, and 4×4 bike with 36 inches of clearance in between machines for breathing room.
Maintain the 2-foot buffer along the left wall for your narrow walking space.
If you decide to get with the sauna, make sure you’ve got proper ventilation and electrical. Saunas need dedicated circuits and airflow.
Pair the utility sink with the sauna so you have your water lines running together.
Why it works: This home garage gym offers zones for strength, cables, cardio, and plyometrics so it feels like a compact commercial studio.
Reference sizes & safety clearances (use across plans)
Standard barbell: 7′ L; trap bars vary (generally 5′ to 7′).
Power rack: 4′ W × 4′ to 6′ D; preferred ceiling for strict press 8′ to 9′.
Dumbbell rack: 2′ D; allow 36″ aisle.
Treadmill safety: keep 5′ behind and 2′ on each side.
Rower: 2′ W × 8′ L; stores upright in 2×2.
Stall mats: 4’×6′; typical lift area = two-by-two grid (8′ × 12′) or platform 8×8.
Wall storage panels/shelves: 12″ D works well for plates, shoes, chalk, and medicine balls.
General circulation: 36″ is the minimum; 42″ feels more comfortable.
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