If you are a gym owner in need of new flooring, this buyer’s guide will help you figure out the type of floor you need.
Gym Floor Types
- Rubber rolls: rubber rolls or rubber matting is cut to length. It’s suitable for functional fitness zones and bench zones, but not free weight zones which need a thicker floor. Rolls are typically up to 12mm thick.
- Rubber tiles: rubber tiles can be interlocking or simple squares. They are 30mm to 40mm thick and ideal for free weight zones and powerlifting zones. This is a versatile flooring system you can use across most gym zones.
- Vinyl: vinyl is a hard surface suited to cable zones, treadmill zones, rowing zones and studios. It isn’t suitable for heavy lifting.
- Polyurethane: polyurethane is similar to vinyl and can be used as a substitute when vinyl is not available (or vice versa).
Subfloors
Your subfloor is what your gym floor sits on. It has to be able to support the weight of your users, equipment and flooring.
Your building may have a subfloor that requires no modification to support a gym floor, or it may require modification or a new build.
Subfloors are made from either solid concrete or they are a sprung subfloor made from plastic or wood. It is common practice to use a built subfloor today to protect the concrete underneath. Built subfloors also offer better acoustics.
If you have a concrete floor that’s structurally sound, this can be used as is. If you don’t have a floor that matches this description you will need a built subfloor.
Sizing and Specification
The risks of an incorrectly sized and specified gym floor include damage to the subfloor and safety hazards for gym users. The last thing you want is for the subfloor to break so it’s very important that your gym floor is fit for purpose.
There are several aspects that define a suitable gym floor:
- Intended use case
- Grip levels
- Thickness
- Acoustic requirements
- Performance requirements
All these factors will need taking into account.
When we size and specify commercial gym floors, the most important things for us are performance and safety. Budget may be another big factor for you, but we don’t recommend skimping on your gym floor to save a few £’s per square metre. It’s always best to get the best you can afford with gym floors.
Gym Floor Tiles
Choose between 30, 40 or 70mm thickness
Gym Floor Rolls
Choose between 4, 6, 8 or 10mm thickness