Whether you're opening a new gym or remodeling an existing one, it's critical to select the best flooring for your space. To support users and provide a safe foundation for exercise, you must select the appropriate material, thickness, and flooring system.

We have a variety of fitness flooring options, including rubber rolls/mats/tiles, foam and carpet tiles, raised interlocking modular floor tiles, and gym turf. Discover the benefits and drawbacks of each, as well as thickness and installation options and our top recommendations.

There are numerous options to consider, let Greatmats assist you in making the best choice for your needs!

Article Library

Video Library

Ideas Before You Buy Your Gym Flooring

Tips & considerations for purchasing gym flooring:

The following blogs offer tips on what aspects to look for in your gym flooring before making a purchase. Whether you plan to use this flooring in a commercial, garage, or home setting, these are all important things to lear before making your final decision.

Top 10 Questions About Gym Flooring

Below are the most popular questions we've received around gym flooring. Click the question to find to get a detailed answer and explanation on these topics.
  1. How do I Get Rid of the New Rubber Mat Smell? Some types of rubber flooring have a smell similar to a new car odor, and some people are very susceptible to it, especially for an indoor gym installation. Things like cleaning the mats or placing them in the sun before installation are among the tips that can help.
  2. How Thick Should Gym Flooring Mats Be? Rubber gym flooring typically measures between 1/4 inches and 3/4 inches in thickness. In areas where the mats must support large exercise machines or where weightlifters may drop barbells, thicker mats cut down on noise generation and protect the subfloor.
  3. How Do You Clean a Rubber Gym Flooring? To clean rubber flooring, start by removing solid debris and dust with a broom or vacuum cleaner. You then can mop the floor using a neutral pH cleaning solution diluted with water. Some people occasionally make use of a scrubbing machine on the floors.
  4. What Is the Best Thickness for Gym Flooring Mats? Generally, athletic activities that make use of significant amounts of weight benefit from having thicker gym floors. For workouts that don’t involve large machinery or weights, thinner mats are easy to install and work well.
  5. What Are the Benefits of a Sledgehammer Tire Workout? Sledgehammer workouts involving striking a tire strengthen the entire body, while increasing flexibility. Because of the force from the sledgehammer, though, this type of workout can be hard on flooring. A durable rubber gymnasium flooring is a great choice to protect the subfloor.
  6. What Are The Best Outdoor Gym Mats? Gym mat flooring used outdoors needs to stand up to tough environmental conditions, while still providing maximum cushioning benefits. Rubber flooring mats are a popular selection for use outdoors, especially for playgrounds and fitness trails. PVC mats work well, too.
  7. What Are the Best Flooring Options for Weight Rooms When installing gym flooring in a weight room, rubber floors provide maximum protection for the subfloor. Rubber also cuts down on noise generation from clanging free weights. An interlocking rubber tile design is easy to install. Additionally, PVC tiles work well when using limited amounts of weight or hand weights.
  8. What Is the Best Turf For an XFit Gym? Making use of artificial turf with a foam backing or a rubber subfloor underneath the turf gives athletes cushioning and stability needed for high-level workouts. Turf over sturdy subflooring works better than natural grass, which may have bare spots and unseen holes.
  9. What Are the Top Gym Flooring Material Types? Whether creating a gymnasium at home or in a studio, you have multiple options for the type of material in use. Rubber, foam, vinyl, carpet, PVC, and cork are all popular selections for creating suitable flooring for workouts.
  10. What’s the Difference Between Vulcanized and Non-Vulcanized Recycled Rubber Gym Flooring? The vulcanization process converts rubber into a highly durable floor by strengthening the cross-linking structure in the material. Vulcanization makes the rubber flooring far stronger than non-vulcanized rubber.

Best Gym Flooring Products

Geneva Rubber Flooring Roll, 1/4 Inch

rolled Geneve 1-4 inch rubber Gym Flooring

With a thickness of 1/4 inches, our Geneva Rubber Flooring Roll weighs quite a bit less than other rubber flooring options, making it easy to install. It includes color flecks to improve the design versus an all-black roll of rubber.


Rubber Flooring Roll, 1/4 Inch

Rubber  flooring roll .25 inch black

For a highly economical rubber gym flooring roll, our Rubber Flooring Roll is the perfect choice. It measures only 1/4 inches in thickness and has a 4-by-10-foot coverage area, which makes it easy to handle and install without needing adhesive.


Interlocking Rubber Floor Tiles, 8 mm

‘Rubber

When seeking to make the process of installing rubber tiles as easy as possible, our Interlocking Rubber Floor Tiles pop together with just a little bit of force. These tiles measure 2-by-2 feet and weigh 7.4 pounds each. They have color flecks that improve the look of the tiles.


Gym Floor Workout Fitness Tiles, 3/4 Inch

dense foam pebble surface Gym Floor Tiles

For a durable floor that looks like rubber but consists of lightweight EVA foam, our Gym Floor Workout Fitness Tiles are a popular selection. These all-black tiles have an interlocking puzzle edge and measure 2x2 feet, which simplifies the installation process.


StayLock Orange Peel Tile, 9/16 Inch

Orange Peel Texture Top StayLock PVC Anti Fatigue and Gym Floor Tiles

When creating an exercise room at home or at a fitness studio, our PVC plastic StayLock Orange Peel Tile flooring works nicely. PVC plastic has a level of durability similar to rubber, yet it’s lightweight and has a nice level of cushioning for safer workouts.

Gym Flooring Types & Options

Materials, Pricing & Product Types

Materials Price Per Sq Ft Roll Mat Tile
Rubber $$
EVA Foam $
Carpet Top Foam $$$$
PVC $$$
Vinyl $$$$
Carpet $$

Products & Installation Surfaces

Product Concrete Finished Hardwood Ceramic Tile Carpet  Laminate
Rubber Rolls craft paper underneath  
Rubber Tiles craft paper underneath   ✓ 
Rubber Mats craft paper underneath ✓    ✓ 
Staylock Tile Orange Peel ✓ 
Staylock Tile Bump Top ✓  ✓ 
EVA Foam Tiles ✓    ✓ 
Folding Gym Mat ✓    ✓ 
Max Tile Raised Floor Tile ✓  low pile & pad ✓ 

Rubber Thicknesses & Activities

Activities 1/4 In 8mm 3/8 In 1/2 In 3/4 In 1 In  2+ In
rubber flooring roll for home exercise gym rolled sport rubber flooring for gym gym flooring rolled rubber interlocking rubber gym floor mats heavy duty thick noise reduction gym flooring rubber mats 1 inch thick rubber tiles for weights and gym 2 inch thick rubber tiles for weight lifting noise reduction
Bodyweight Exercises ✓  ✓ 
Exercise Machines ✓  ✓  ✓  ✓  ✓ 
Free Weights Up to 50 lbs ✓  ✓  ✓  ✓  ✓ 
Free Weights Up to 120 lbs   ✓ 
Free Weights Over 120 lbs       ✓  ✓ 
Intentional Weight Dropping         ✓  ✓ 
Vibration/Noise Reduction             
Note: This is a general guide. Certain products are designed in ways that are exceptions to these recommendations.

Foam Thicknesses & Activities

Activities 5/8 In
Premium
3/8 In Home
Gym Pebble
10 mm Sport
Plus Designer
3/4 In
Fitness Pebble
3/4 In
Home Sport
1.5 In
Home BJJ
  foam mats for home exercise gym foam pebble top gym mats for home exercise sport plus foam gym floor mats for home exercise fitness pebble top gym floor foam mats home sport play gym foam floor mats home sport play gym foam floor mats
Floor Exercises        
Light Equipment   ✓  ✓     
Light Free Weights   ✓  ✓  ✓  ✓   
Home Karate / TKD          
Home Grappling           ✓ 
Aerobic / Cardio       ✓   

Texture Options for Gym Flooring

  • Smooth
  • Orange Peel
  • Turf
  • Pebble
  • Button / Bump
  • Carpet
  • Cleats

Featured Gym Flooring Customer Installations

FIT Cedar Valley

‘FIT

When FIT Cedar Valley needed durable flooring to place underneath weight training and cardio equipment, our 3/4-inch thick rubber mats were ideal for protecting the subfloor. Additionally, the cushioning properties of the rubber protects the joints in the lower body, making for more efficient workouts.

All-Purpose Product: 3/4 Inch Rubber Floor Mat


Ferris State University

Ferris state university uses rubber and turf gym flooring

When seeking to cover 1,700 square feet of space at an on-campus fitness facility, Ferris State University chose our artificial turf product with a 5 mm thick foam backing layer. University students, members of the community, and faculty all use the facility and appreciate the cushioned backing for the artificial turf.

University Fitness Center Product: V Max Artificial Grass Turf


CrossFit Duluth

crossfit Duluth installed extra thick rubber sound reducing gym flooring

Because of the intensity of the workouts at CrossFit Duluth, owner Dale Collison needed a type of noise absorbing flooring to avoid disturbing neighboring businesses. The 2.75-inch thick Sterling rubber tiles did the trick, absorbing sound when athletes dropped weights onto the floor.


In Motion Fitness

motion fitness gym using geneva rubber flooring

After needing a pair of quick expansions at their fitness facility, the owners of In Motion Fitness sought a type of durable floor that they could install quickly on their own. Our roll of durable Geneva rubber flooring is available in custom lengths, which was ideal for simplifying the installation process.


Grind House Fitness

Grind house mma and fitness facility using foam roll for martial arts

When creating flooring for the cage at Grind House Fitness, owners Alyssa Cantu and Dusty Gibson wanted durable foam puzzle mats to deliver cushioning and a sure footing. Because of the textured grooves on the surface of these mats, they continue to provide traction even with sweat on them.

MMA Flooring Product: Home BJJ Mats, 1-1/2 Inch


Greeneville Schools and Carson-Newman University

Greeneville middle school cheer team uses cheer mats for gym flooring

There’s no questioning the durability and level of performance that our cheerleading mat rolls deliver after the usage patterns from Greeneville Schools and Carson-Newman University. As the Greeneville schools purchased new mats to cover competition spaces, they sold their old mats to Carson-Newman, where they continue to perform well.


Farrell’s Extreme Bodyshaping

‘karate

The quality of our premium karate mats is evident with the installations at Farrell’s Extreme Bodyshaping, which has installed these mats at its franchised locations in multiple states. The mats look great and are easy to clean, all while providing a sure footing that athletes need to complete their workouts safely.

Cardio Kickboxing Product: Martial Arts Premium Karate Mat, 1 Inch


Kismet Yoga + Fitness

kismet yoga and fitness uses karate mat as gym flooring in studio

For its new yoga studio, the owners of Kismet Yoga + Fitness had an idea of the type of flooring they wanted. It had to be easy to clean, durable, and cushioned. Our 1-inch martial arts mats fit the studio’s needs perfectly, standing up to temperatures of 100 degrees Fahrenheit and to foot traffic from several dozen people per day.

Gym Flooring Installation & Maintenance Videos

How To Clean Rubber Flooring

How To Cut Rubber Gym Mats

How To Install Rolled Rubber Flooring

Related Product Categories

<< Back To Top >>