A commercial gym has to look bright from the front door to the back wall. Members judge the space in the first few seconds. Trainers need to see form clearly across the whole floor. Yet many gyms still run on rows of old tubes, a few high bay fittings, or a mix of fittings added over the years.
This guide covers commercial gym lighting for gyms, fitness studios and PT spaces in Australia and New Zealand. It explains how bright each zone should be, why 6500K suits most training floors, how to lay out kits across a large floor, and which kit sizes fit. Every plan is drawn to scale. If you are lighting a home or garage gym instead, our home gym guide and our guide to lighting a garage gym are a better fit.
Typical: a few linear lights spread across the ceiling
With Hex Lights: a grid system across the training floor
Jump to: Common problems · How bright · Why 6500K · Layout · Kit sizes · Planning ahead · Power and mounting · Send us your details · FAQ
Why do so many commercial gyms feel dim or patchy?
Most problems come from how the lighting grew over time, not from one bad fitting.
- Fittings added in stages. New lights go up next to old ones. The colours and brightness no longer match, so the ceiling looks patchy.
- Light over the aisles, not the training areas. Fittings often follow the old ceiling grid. The racks and machines were moved later, so they now sit between the lights.
- Dark edges and mirror walls. Mirrors, dumbbell racks and stretching areas usually sit along the walls. That is the part of the room a central light reaches least.
- Bright fittings in the lifter's eyeline. A bright light straight above a flat bench or a stretching mat is uncomfortable to look at.
- Every zone lit the same way. Reception, cardio and the strength floor all get the same fittings, so nothing stands out.
How bright should a commercial gym be?
There is no single brightness number for a whole gym. For the general principles of interior lighting in Australia and New Zealand, see AS/NZS 1680.1. In practice, gyms want the most light where people train and check their form, and less in walkways, change rooms and storage. Start by splitting your floor into zones.
| Zone | What the light needs to do | Planning tip |
|---|---|---|
| Free weights and racks | Show bars, plates and form clearly, including in the mirrors | Put the most light here, but keep kits off the spot straight above benches |
| Machines and cardio rows | Even light along each row, with screens and settings easy to read | Run kits along the rows and repeat the same kit |
| Functional and turf lanes | Light the full length of the lane, end to end | Space kits evenly down the lane |
| Group studio | Even light across the room, so the instructor is clear from the back | One large kit centred, or two matching kits |
| Reception and lounge | A bright, clean first look from the front door | One feature kit is often enough |
How much light does each layout give?
| Layout | Floor area | Rated output (approx.) | Per m² of floor (HexSpace design guidance) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main floor, six 23-Grid kits | 240 m² (20 x 12 m) | 348,480 to 380,160 lm | 1,452 to 1,584 lm/m² |
| Group studio, one 39-Grid | 80 m² (10 x 8 m) | 93,720 to 102,240 lm | 1,172 to 1,278 lm/m² |
| PT studio, one 23-Grid | 48 m² (8 x 6 m) | 58,080 to 63,360 lm | 1,210 to 1,320 lm/m² |
One buyer, Laura S., said in her review on our store that the kit was easy to assemble and connect, and so bright that they need shades in the gym.
Use these numbers to compare layouts with each other. A layout with a higher figure puts more light into the same floor area. If one zone needs more, add a kit there rather than making every zone brighter.
Why 6500K for a commercial gym?
Colour temperature is measured in kelvin (K). The higher the number, the cooler and whiter the light. 6500K Daylight is a crisp, white light. It keeps a large room looking bright and clean, and it suits the high-energy feel most gyms want on the training floor. That is why we suggest it for commercial gyms.
5000K Cool White is a little softer. It suits a reception, lounge or recovery room, and it is the one we suggest for most home gyms.
Each colour temperature is a separate kit, not a setting you change later. Choose before you order. Use one colour temperature across the main floor, so the ceiling looks the same from end to end. If you want a softer area, such as a lounge, give it its own kits in 5000K.
Some gyms add their brand colour with a fixed-colour border, such as blue, around a white grid. Keep the training light itself white, and use the colour only as an accent around it. A coloured border like this is a custom design, so ask us about it with your layout.
Colour rendering matters too. Our kits have a CRI above 90, so skin tones, equipment colours and your branding look natural under the light. For more detail, see light colour temperature explained and what CRI means in lighting.
How should you lay out lights across a gym floor?
Five rules cover most gym floors.
- Light the training areas first. Centre kits over racks, machine rows and lanes. Walkways can usually take less light than the zones beside them.
- Repeat one kit size across the main floor. Matching kits in even rows look planned and help the ceiling look even from end to end.
- Keep the gaps even. Keep the gap between kits close to the gap at the walls, so the edges and mirror walls still get light.
- Keep bright kits out of the lifter's eyeline. Avoid putting a kit straight above a flat bench or a mat where people lie down. Move it slightly to one side.
- Mark the ceiling before you choose sizes. Commercial ceilings often have ducts, beams, sprinklers or exposed structure. Mark them on your plan first, then choose kits that fit the clear areas.
In the plan on the left, six 23-Grid kits (4200 x 3900 mm each) sit three across and two deep. There is 1,850 mm between kits and to the side walls, and 1,400 mm between rows and to the front and back walls. Each column of two kits sits over one zone: free weights, machines and cardio. The gaps are even, so the kits are not bunched in the middle of the room.
In the plan on the right, one 39-Grid (5300 x 5000 mm) is centred in a 10 x 8 m group studio. That leaves 2,350 mm to each side wall and 1,500 mm to the front and back. The kit sits over the middle of the class area, with the same gap to each side wall.
To find the gap to each wall for any kit, use this simple sum: gap = (room width minus kit width) divided by 2. For several kits in a row, take the total width of the kits away from the room width, then divide what is left by the number of gaps.
Which HexSpace kits suit commercial gyms?
On a large floor, bigger kits mean fewer kits to plan and a cleaner ceiling. Sizes and output below come from our product specifications. Our hexagon kits are SAA and RCM certified.
| Kit | Size (mm) | Rated output (approx.) | Price from (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14-Grid | 4085 x 2375 | 37,620 to 41,040 lm | $929 |
| 11 Long Grid | 5330 x 1680 | 33,000 to 36,000 lm | $899 |
| 15-Grid with border | 4800 x 2400 | 60,720 to 66,240 lm | $1,099 |
| 23-Grid | 4200 x 3900 | 58,080 to 63,360 lm | $1,299 |
| 39-Grid | 5300 x 5000 | 93,720 to 102,240 lm | $2,599 |
| Large 39-Grid | 6180 x 6550 | 124,960 to 136,320 lm | $2,999 |
Prices are for the 6500K Daylight option, checked on our product pages on 5 November 2026.
The 23-Grid and 39-Grid are the usual building blocks for a main floor. The 11 Long Grid suits a cardio row or a narrow lane. The 15-Grid with border gives a framed look over a reception desk or a feature zone. The Large 39-Grid uses longer tubes, so it covers more ceiling per kit in a big, open space. The 14-Grid suits a small PT room or a stretching area.
The warranty on our hexagon kits is 5 years for residential use and 3 years for commercial use, and the LEDs are 50,000+ hours rated. Past orders include kits supplied for Jetts Fitness, IGA, and Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Toyota dealership spaces.
For a single room, enter your measurements in our kit planner. It shows kits that fit, drawn to scale. For a full gym floor with several zones, a custom layout is usually the better way to plan it.
How are the kits powered and mounted?
Our kits support both plug-in and hardwire installation. Kits with a single power lead come with a plug lead as standard, so once the grid is assembled and fixed in place, you can plug it into a power point and switch it on. How a kit connects depends on its size and your space, so ask us about the power setup for the kit you choose. If you want the lights hardwired into your wiring, that must be done by a licensed electrician.
How the grid is fixed depends on your ceiling, the fixing points and the kit layout. For ceilings above 4 m, a suspension wire kit is available, sold separately. The best install method depends on your space, and our install guide shows the options.
Should you plan for more light later?
Gyms change. Racks move, a cardio row grows, or a corner becomes a turf lane. Leave clear ceiling beside each zone so you can add a matching kit later, and keep to one kit size and one colour temperature on the main floor, so new kits match the old ones. When the equipment moves, check your plan again before you add or move any kits.
So, how should you light a commercial gym?
Light each zone for what happens there, use 6500K Daylight on the main floor, and repeat one kit size in even rows. Our gym lighting range lists every kit size for home and commercial gyms.
Want us to plan it? Send us these details
Not every gym suits a standard kit. Large, open ceilings with ducts and beams often work better with a custom system, like the large hexagon frames in the gym below. We can design one around your ceiling.
We can suggest kit sizes and draw a layout for your gym. Fill in our custom quote form and include:
- The length and width of each room or zone.
- The ceiling height, and anything on the ceiling, such as ducts, beams or sprinklers.
- Where the main equipment sits: racks, machines, cardio rows, turf lanes and mirror walls.
- Where the power points and light switches are.
- What each zone is used for, such as strength training, cardio, group classes or reception.
- Photos of the ceiling and the floor. The form doesn't take files, so mention you have photos and we'll ask for them when we reply.
Frequently Asked Questions
How bright should a commercial gym be?
There is no single number for a whole gym. Plan it by zone: the most light over free weights, racks and machine rows, even light across a group studio, and less in walkways and change rooms. As a planning guide, the main floor layout in this guide works out at about 1,450 to 1,580 lumens per m² of floor. That is rated output divided by floor area, not a lux reading.
Is 6500K or 5000K better for a gym?
For a commercial training floor, we suggest 6500K Daylight. It gives a crisp, white light across a large room. 5000K Cool White is softer and suits a reception, lounge or recovery room, and most home gyms. Each colour temperature is a separate kit, so choose before you order.
What size hexagon kit suits a commercial gym?
For a main floor, the 23-Grid (4200 x 3900 mm) and the 39-Grid (5300 x 5000 mm) are the usual building blocks, repeated in even rows. The 11 Long Grid suits a cardio row or a narrow lane, and the Large 39-Grid covers more ceiling per kit in a big, open space.
Can hexagon lights hang from a high gym ceiling?
Yes. How the grid is fixed depends on your ceiling, the fixing points and the kit layout. For ceilings above 4 m, a suspension wire kit is available, sold separately. Our install guide shows the options.
Can I plug hexagon lights into a normal power point?
Yes. Our kits support both plug-in and hardwire installation. Kits with a single power lead come with a plug lead as standard, so once the grid is assembled and fixed in place, you can plug it into a power point and switch it on. How a kit connects depends on its size and your space, so ask us about the power setup for the kit you choose. If you want the lights hardwired into your wiring, that must be done by a licensed electrician.
Plan the lighting for your gym
Browse Gym Lighting Kits Try the Kit Planner Get a Custom Layout QuoteLast updated: 5 November 2026. Kit sizes and output come from our product specifications, and prices from our product pages on that date. Plans are simplified illustrations drawn to those sizes, not lighting measurements. Written by Ben From HexSpace Team. Our team has over 13 years of experience in the lighting industry.
If you spot an error in this guide, contact us and we will correct it. Each time we update this guide, we recheck sizes and prices and note the change here. First published on 5 November 2026. HexSpace designs and supplies hexagon lighting for Australia and New Zealand. Questions? Contact us.
