Turn Mess into Success with This Home Gym Storage Caddie

Cut the wood and angle iron

Pre–seal the wood with a coat of polyurethane finish and let it dry before cutting.

Use a miter saw to cut the long (A and C) and short (B) sides of the shelves, the legs (D), cross supports (E), and the two pieces of the kettlebell support shelf (F). Use an angle grinder with a cutoff disk to cut the angle iron (G) to the length for the dumbbell support on top of the unit.

Build the outer frame for the shelves

Glue and nail the mitered ends on the long (A) and the short sides (B) to create frames for the bottom and middle shelves. Do the same with the long (C) and short sides (B) of the top shelf.

Use wood glue and 18-gauge brad nails to pin and hold the miters tight. Then, to strengthen the joint, toescrew a 1-5/8 in. screw from the underside into each corner where it won’t be visible. Be sure to pre-drill the hole to prevent splitting the wood.

Install the legs

Join the top, middle, and lower shelf frames to the legs (D) using wood glue and two-inch screws. Start by installing two legs into the inner corners and flush to the bottom of the bottom shelf frame on one end of the bottom and middle shelf frames. Install the second set of legs (D) square to the first and 18 inches over on the same frames.

For the top shelf, install the legs tucked into the opposite corners.  This will create a storage area for a yoga mat on the middle and lower shelves on the other side gym caddie. Space the top and middle shelves 10 inches apart and the middle and bottom shelves 12 inches apart.

Install the cross supports

Place the cross supports (E) at each end of each shelf that sits between the legs (D). On each side of the cross support (E), secure it with a toescrewed 1-5/8 in. screw on its underside, ensuring that the hole is predrilled to prevent splitting the wood. This will hide the screws used to secure the legs to the shelves and give each shelf shear strength.

Build the kettlebell support

Use wood glue and a biscuit joiner to join the two kettlebell support pieces (F) together. Clean up any glue squeeze-out with a damp shop rag and allow the glue to fully cure.

When the glue has cured, determine the ideal placement for your kettlebells depending on their size. Using a drill press, drill holes with a Forstner bit or hole saw for each kettlebell to sit in. I found that a 1-3/4 in. hole worked well for a 5 lb. kettlebell, 2 inches for a 10 lb. and 3 inches for a 15 lb.

Soften the top edges of each drilled hole with a 1/4 in. round over bit on a router. This will also chamfer the upper edge of the circle and allow the kettle bells to sit snugly in place.

Install the kettlebell support

Using an 18-gauge nail gun with 1-1/2-in. brad nails, secure the kettlebell shelf (F) so it spans between the long sides (A) of the middle shelf frame between the legs (D).

Install the nylon webbing

Using a staple gun with 18-gauge, 3/8-in. x 1/2-in. crown staples, install the 2 inch wide nylon webbing, stapling on the underside of the lower shelf frame. Install the three longer lengths first, starting in the middle of the shelf, leaving a minimal gap between them. After the longer lengths have been secured, weave each shorter row in and out between the longer lengths to create a hatch pattern in the nylon webbing, leaving a 3/8-in. gap between rows and securing with staples as you go.

Install the casters

Secure the casters to the cart’s underside, ensuring that the screws are positioned where they seat well into the end grain of each leg (D).

Install the angle iron

Soften the sharp corners with a sanding flap disc on an angle grinder. Spray paint the angle iron and allow it to dry.

Place the painted angle iron on top of the gym caddie and mark where you will pre-drill holes for installation, either into the short ends of the upper shelf frame (B) or cross supports (E). Pre-drill your holes on the drill press with a 1/8-in. metal drill bit and countersink with a metal de-burring bit to allow the screws to lay flush when installed.

Ensure the spacing of your angle iron (G) works well with your dumb bells and secure with one-inch screws.

Install the handle

Center your chosen handle side to side and top to bottom on the top frame end (B) opposite the yoga mat storage and secure it with screws.

FAQ

Will gym equipment rust in a garage?

Yes, as garages tend to lack insulation and climate control, they are susceptible to rusting gym equipment made of ferrous metals like steel or iron.

What flooring is best for a garage gym?

Rubber and PVC floors are two of the best flooring types for a home gym, especially those in garages or basements with a concrete floor. Rubber is also a good choice because it adds valuable padding, which takes pressure off your joints during strenuous exercise.

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