Josh Helm here with Texas Best Construction, and welcome back to one of our most exciting builds to date, the Sports Barndominium Project. This build combines high-performance framing, cutting-edge building science, and modern design, all wrapped into a structure that houses both a full-size gymnasium and luxury two-story living quarters. On one side is a complete basketball gym with panoramic glass doors, tall ceilings, and wide-open spans. On the other side, we’re creating a home that includes bedrooms, bathrooms, a lounge, sauna, cold plunge, kitchen, and workout space. It’s the ultimate fusion of sports functionality and comfortable living.
When people ask what a sports barndominium is, this project is the answer. It’s not just a shop with an apartment — it’s a barndominium designed for performance, engineered with massive steel beams, and finished like a custom home. The gymnasium side of this structure is made possible through engineering that uses twenty-four-inch I-beams weighing about sixty pounds per foot, each one over four thousand pounds. These beams create spans up to fifty-four feet across, eliminating the need for interior posts and giving the gym its impressive open space.

Strength alone isn’t enough, though. This build showcases our advanced hybrid steel framing, which goes far beyond standard steel construction. Horizontal gerts are paired with sleeper studs installed on both the inside and outside, breaking the thermal bridge and giving us a surface to run the Huberwood Zip System. The result is an airtight, insulated, high-performance structure that handles both strength and efficiency. This method also allows us to create what’s known as Monopoly framing, where walls tie directly into the roof and the entire structure is wrapped continuously for protection.
The benefits are clear. On a hot Texas summer day, exterior steel can reach over 116 degrees. Inside the Zip-wrapped envelope, steel temperatures stay closer to 91 degrees — a difference of nearly 25 degrees without any cooling system running. That kind of performance matters for comfort, efficiency, and long-term durability. The Zip System also provides a weather-resistant barrier, continuous air sealing, vapor permeability for proper drying, and the flexibility to finish the exterior with materials like stone, board and batten, stucco, or brick. Design is just as important as performance, and this sports barndominium delivers both. Sixteen-foot panoramic doors with thermal breaks and double glazing connect the gym and living areas, creating dramatic openness. A sleek View Rail staircase system adds modern architectural style, while tongue-and-groove ceilings and glulam beams bring warmth and character. Overhangs will be finished with MAC Metals architectural panels, offering a clean, modern look and versatile finish options. Full-glass overhead doors will maximize natural light, and upstairs lounge areas will overlook the gymnasium, making this home both functional and visually stunning.

We’ve also prepared the structure for future systems. Cutouts were made along beams for HVAC ducts, electrical lines, and fire sprinklers, allowing mechanicals to integrate smoothly later. Fire sprinklers will be concealed in the tongue-and-groove ceilings, while HVAC ducts will be routed to distribute air evenly throughout the gym and living spaces. Every detail has been considered to balance performance, safety, and aesthetics. This build is significant because it demonstrates what the next generation of barndominiums can be. By combining the durability of steel with advanced framing techniques and the airtight protection of the Zip System, this sports barndominium proves that barndos can perform at the level of high-end custom homes. It’s a project that blends engineering, energy efficiency, and architectural design in a way that redefines what people expect from a barndominium. Designed by Stacy Lynn with The Barndominium Company and built by Texas Best Construction, this is one of our most ambitious projects yet. We’ll continue documenting the progress from framing to finishes, and when it’s complete, we’ll share a full finished tour of this epic barndominium. Be sure to subscribe to the channel, hit the like button, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram for behind-the-scenes updates. Thanks for joining us on this journey — we can’t wait to show you more.