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!
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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.- Learn about why the quality, grade, and type of flooring in a commercial gym are critical factors to consider. Learn More: What is the Best Flooring for a Commercial Gym?
- There are several types of gym flooring material types to choose from when it comes to flooring for your home or commercial gym: rubber, foam, carpet, plastic, vinyl, and cork. Learn More: Gym Flooring Material Types
- Compare rubber flooring options, such as rolls, tiles, and mats; there is a purpose for each depending on where you intend to install it within a gym. Learn More: Commercial Rubber Gym Flooring Options By Greatmats
- Explore the following top 4 gym flooring options: rubber, foam, plastic, and carpet. Learn More: Best Gym Flooring Material Types and Options
- Protecting your subfloor from the impact of repeated weight dropping is one of the many important factors to consider when selecting gym flooring. Learn More: Do You Need Weightlifting Drop Pads?
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.- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
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
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
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
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
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
Foam Thicknesses & Activities
Texture Options for Gym Flooring
- Smooth
- Orange Peel
- Turf
- Pebble
- Button / Bump
- Carpet
- Cleats
Featured Gym Flooring Customer Installations
FIT Cedar Valley
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
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
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.
CrossFit Product: Sterling Athletic Sound Rubber Tile, 2-3/4 Inch
In Motion Fitness
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.
Group Fitness Product: Geneva Rubber Flooring Roll, 3/8 Inch
Grind House Fitness
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
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.
Cheer Product: 6x42 Cheerleading Mat Rolls, 1-3/8 Inch
Farrell’s Extreme Bodyshaping
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
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.
Yoga Product: Martial Arts Premium Karate Mat, 1 Inch
Gym Flooring Installation & Maintenance Videos
How To Clean Rubber Flooring
How To Cut Rubber Gym Mats
How To Install Rolled Rubber Flooring