The odds are you’ve got plenty of small and portable pieces of equipment in your garage gym. You might have jump ropes, resistance bands, workout belts, and even towels. You’ll need a space in your gym where you can store these items and keep them organized. A garage pegboard can help you keep all those items in their place.
A pegboard is ideal for all your garage gym storage needs. You can not only secure your resistance bands and other flexible items there, but you could also hang baskets and bins to store small pieces of equipment on your pegboard. Other things you can add include a panel for a calendar or a whiteboard for writing down workout goals, fitness routines, or motivational quotes. It’s also easy to install your board and get it ready for use.
What Is a Pegboard?
Pegboards have long been utilized in garages as places where people can secure their tools. But, over the years, homeowners have found that these space-savers they are highly versatile for nearly any room in the house. If you are unfamiliar with this wall wonder, think of a large piece of compressed wood (MDF) or a metal sheet with a grid of small pre-drilled holes covering it. The pegboard’s frame holds it an inch or two away from the wall which creates space behind the board for hooks to fit through the holes. The board can then support a variety of hooks, bins, and baskets that hang securely on the leverage the hole/ hook combination provides. The versatility comes with the handy fact that these hooks can be easily re-arranged to suit your changing needs.
So, for your garage gym pegboard, not only does it make excellent use of your wall space, it can also be used for everything from securing home gym equipment to hanging your shoes and towels.
What Should Your Garage Gym Pegboard Be Made With?
You can order a garage gym pegboard in one of many materials. Each option has unique positives, but they also have a few drawbacks. Be sure you select your option based on what you need out of your board:
- A metal body can work at the start. Metal can handle more weight and will not experience excess fatigue, but it might not be as easily customizable. Most metal boards feature steel bodies, with some being galvanized models with zinc coatings that prevent rusting.
- Wood is useful for being easy to install and trim as necessary, but it can warp if it handles too much moisture. Check the climate control in your garage to see if it would be a good fit. (Not sure? Read more here.)
- Composite wood-based items like particleboard or plywood will feature a reinforced body and can last a while. You can also trim a composite item to fit a space. But it could also warp if you don’t balance the weight well enough.
Many of these options are either available in multiple colors or you can also add a coat of paint by using two or three layers of spray paint over your pegboard. You’ll need to let the paint dry after applying, plus you must also complete this in an open space to allow the paint to vent.
How Large Can a Garage Gym Pegboard Be?
There are no limits to how large this piece of gym equipment storage can be. You can produce a board that features enough holes to secure all the items around your space.
You can get a pegboard that is a few feet long if necessary. You can also have it stretch along with the height of your wall if you have enough short items that won’t hang off much. Take note of the equipment you have and how you’re going to secure it on your board before figuring out the size of whatever you’ll incorporate in your work.
You can trim a portion of your board off if it features a wood or composite body, or it features a metal body you can trim. You can use a table saw or circular saw to trim parts of your board, although you should ensure whatever you use can be trimmed with such a tool.
How Thick Should your Garage Gym Pegboard Be?
A pegboard should be at least a quarter of an inch thick. The pegboard needs to be thick enough to handle the weight you’ll add to the body.
The board should also go with the furring strips you will use in the installation process. Furring strips should be one or two inches thick. Your furring strips will go on the back of the board to produce a gap where you can hang your hooks or pegs. These strips can go on the studs behind the drywall to ensure they stay secure.
How Much Weight Can Your Garage Gym Pegboard Handle?
Your gym equipment can be heavy, especially if you have plenty of small weights, resistance bands, and workout belts in your array. The weight capacity for your pegboard can handle your equipment, but it helps to see what you can expect out of your board first:
- A typical board can manage about a hundred pounds on average. The board might handle more weight if you have more space, but the hundred-pound standard is the best one to follow.
- An average peg or hook on your board can handle about ten to twenty pounds.
Installing Your Garage Gym Pegboard
You’ll need to ensure your pegboard is mounted well and that it is level with the ground. There are a few steps to use when installing your pegboard:
- Review the size of your pegboard and its layout. Plan how you’ll install the board before you start the hard work.
- Check the wall space where you’ll install your garage gym storage part. You’ll need a small bit of space behind the drywall surface in your garage to secure the board. Be sure your board doesn’t cover any power outlets. You can trim the board if necessary.
- Check where the studs are around your garage wall. Most studs are sixteen inches apart.
- Add furring strips to the wall. Use a level to ensure the strips are level with the floor.
- Hold the pegboard in place on the wall alongside the furring strips. Use a level to see it is aligned well. You might need a second person to help with this part.
- Drill drywall anchors into the holes over the furring strips. Lathe screws are the best items to use here. The washer head on the screw prevents tearing.
- Be sure the anchors are drilled evenly around the entire pegboard body. The anchors should appear on all corners.
The installation process can take a few hours on average. It works best when you have enough open space in your garage to handle the effort.
Which Pegboard Hooks Will Be Ideal for Storing Gym Equipment?
Your garage gym storage space can incorporate various pegs for hanging all your items. Pegboard hooks will traditionally feature a two-pronged setup where you would insert the hook into two holes in your board. The hooks will clamp to the back part of the board to keep things in place.
The exposed part of your peg can feature a hanging or protruding space. A protruding option is ideal when you have something bulky, but a hanging one is useful for a jump rope or resistance band.
Be sure whatever pegs you use in your garage gym pegboard can fit the holes. Most boards have holes that are 1/4-inch or 3/16-inch in diameter. Typical hooks and pegs can handle these spaces, but they should always be sized based on what you have in your space.
Adding Items of All Sorts to Your Garage Gym Pegboard
Pegboards are versatile to where they can handle more than your basic gym equipment pieces. You can add many items to your gym equipment storage space after you finish installing the board. Here are a few things you can consider for your board:
- You can add a small basket if you have small pieces of equipment to storage. A basket may work for things like wrist and ankle weights.
- You can also include a small message board on your pegboard. You’ll need to add a separate hook anchor space to the back of the message board to secure it in its place. Be sure it is also level with the rest of your surface.
- A small shelf can work on the bottom part of your board. You can use the shelf when securing some heavier items within reason of what your board can hold. Yoga mats, blocks, and straps can also find their home here.
Beyond the Storage: Final notes
Organization in any space can help make you more efficient and reduce stress. But for your garage gym in particular, where you plan to spend some focused energy, it can help establish your workout hub of the garage for this specific purpose. The design you create can produce an inviting space for a workout that will help you feel your best and work your hardest.
Make a plan and then organize away! Need those hand weights and kettlebells in reach? No problem! Resistance band at the ready? It’s right where you left it! Slot for your water bottle? Check! Ab roller? Bottom bin, on the left! Not only will this help your workout flow seamlessly, as you aren’t fumbling around for the next piece of equipment, you can also spend that extra time getting in another set before dinner.
For more garage gym ideas, check out these articles on compact equipment and getting the most out of your garage gym.
