GYM FLOORING

TVS Gym Flooring is one of the leading gym flooring suppliers in the UK. With strategic partners and the best manufacturers worldwide we can offer a unique range of gym flooring options to suit any sporting or fitness space. You can find our range of commercial gym flooring in some of the UK largest gym chains, independent gyms, sports clubs and leisure centres. We are also a leading supplier of commercial gym flooring to the education sector with case studies from schools, colleges and universities

The TVS group was established in 2009, we are a highly skilled and experienced team and we can help you find the best solution for your facility. At TVS our aim is simple, focus on supplying the best in class materials, while delivering outstanding customer service. We are a friendly approachable team who are very passionate about gym flooring so please don’t hesitate to give us a call or drop us an email.

What Kind Of Gym Flooring Do I Need?

What kind of gym flooring do you need? Good question. Large spaces can be covered with rubber rolls up to 15mm thick. Rubber rolls are made from EPDM rubber, a stiff and resilient material that’s non-slip and easy to keep clean.

For free weight areas we recommend rubber floor tiles. These are up to 40mm thick and provide a greater level of protection to the subfloor. We recommend rubber tiles in spaces where dumbbells, plates and barbells are used. We use SPORTEC tiles which are available in a wide range of standard colours and specialised colours.

If you need a hard surface, we recommend vinyl. Vinyl can be paired with underlay for different elastic qualities. It is common for gyms to use rubber rolls, rubber tiles and vinyl across different areas of the gym. Power turf is the best option for sled lanes, allowing you to accommodate all fitness and workout types.

Gym Flooring Types

We offer three main types of gym flooring: Tiles, Rolls and Turf. Tiles and Rolls can be used interchangeably but there are some differences, namely that rubber floor tiles are thicker than rubber rolls and are better suited to extreme workout zones.

Whichever kind of gym flooring is best for you, we provide a complete design, supply, installation and recycling service. We will take care of your project from start to finish. You won’t need to do anything but start using your new gym floor.

Gym Flooring Designed For Specific Applications

It’s important that your gym flooring is fit for purpose and the simplest way to ensure this is to choose flooring designed for specific applications. We have flooring for free weights, sled lanes, sprint tracks, studios, functional fitness areas and much more.

Many of the flooring solutions we offer are available in multiple colours, allowing you to match your gym floor to your gym brand. We also provide a markings service, allowing you to create fitness boxes and boundaries on floors for gym users.

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Browse By Gym Flooring Types

Browse By Application & Usage

TVS offers a wide range of flooring solutions to suit any budget and application. Whether you’re looking for the perfect free weights area or functional fitness studio, we have what you need. Our floors are designed to be durable and easy to clean so that your gym can look its best at all times. And with multiple colours available, it’s never been easier to match your brand!

Gym Floor Tiles

Choose between 30, 40 or 70mm thickness

Gym Floor Rolls

Choose between 4, 6, 8 or 10mm thickness

Comprehensive Guide And Everything You Need To Know About Gym Flooring

Table Of Contents:

These are the topics that we cover in this guide:

• What are the different types of gym flooring?

• What is the correct thickness for gym flooring?

• How to soundproof a gym?

• How to reinforce a gym floor?

• How to reduce noise and vibration within a gym?

• What goes under the rubber gym flooring?

• Heavy duty gym flooring to protect subfloor

• What are the acoustic considerations when designing a gym?

• Should you choose gym tiles or rolls for your commercial gym?

• The colours available for your gym flooring

What Are The Different Types Of Gym Flooring?

If you go to any commercial gym, there’s a good chance you’ll walk on several different surfaces. The transition between these surfaces helps to differentiate different gym zones like free weight areas and sprint tracks.

Rubber sports flooring comes in all shapes and sizes. The most common flooring systems include rubber tiles and rubber rolls. These are used in different areas because they provide different levels of subfloor protection and safety.

There’s also polyurethane and vinyl flooring. Although not technically rubber, these flooring systems are best for sports halls and gymnasiums. Here’s everything you need to know about the different types of rubber sports flooring:

Rubber tiles

• Free weight zones
• Functional fitness
• Easy to install
• East to replace single tiles

Rubber tiles are interlocking so installation is relatively simple. The most common thicknesses are 30mm and 40mm. These thicknesses provide sufficient protection to the subfloor in free weight zones so long as the subfloor is sound.

Rubber rolls

• Functional fitness
• Yoga and pilates
• Cross fit
• Seamless and easy to clean

Rubber rolls are a seamless sports flooring solution. The most common thicknesses are 10mm and 15mm. These thicknesses are suitable for functional fitness zones and areas of a gym with machines like treadmills and cable pulleys.

What’s the best rubber gym flooring?

This is a matter of use case:

• For free weight zones, the best rubber sports flooring is interlocking tiles
• For functional fitness zones, the best rubber sports flooring is rubber rolls

Some commercial gyms choose to use interlocking floor tiles across their floor which is absolutely fine. However, rubber is not suitable for sprint tracks and sled lanes. For these, you will want a dedicated surface.

What Is The Correct Thickness For Gym Flooring?

Gym flooring has to be thick enough to protect the subfloor, which will be made from concrete or screw-fixed plywood.

It’s also good practice to install a layer of insulating rubber ‘underlay’ between the topper and subfloor for extra protection, although some gyms skip this step to save money  (in our opinion, underlay is worth it in the long run). The thickness of gym flooring depends on the topper. For instance, you can get rubber matting that is 12mm thick and rubber tiles that are 40mm thick. The correct thickness is a matter of intended use and application.

Flooring for free weights

Free weight zones should have a flooring system consisting of 30mm or 40mm rubber interlocking floor tiles and a high-performance underlay, which is normally 5mm to 10mm thick. You use interlocking tiles so you can replace them when needed.

Flooring for treadmill zones

Treadmill zones can make use of standard rubber matting or polyurethane flooring that is 10mm thick so long as weights are not allowed in the area. These zones have a harder floor to support machines. We also recommend treadmill isolation pads.

Flooring for HIIT and pilates

HIIT and pilates zones should make use of either rubber matting that is 20mm thick or rubber tiles that are 30mm thick. Alternatively, you can carry over the flooring system from the free weight zone because this works fine.

Flooring for deadlift zones

Deadlift zones need the thickest gym flooring. You’re looking at 80mm thick impact protection slabs in addition to the normal flooring system. These slabs are designed to offer fall-impact protection with the heaviest weights.

Flooring to dampen sound

There’s nothing more annoying than a noisy gym. You can dampen sound from dropped weights with an insulating underlay so the topper can compress into it. Underlays can be as thick as 10mm and work great for dampening sound.

Flooring for running tracks

Running tracks can be made from rubber, polyurethane or hardwood. Thickness is not so much a consideration here but rather the quality of the topping. The surface has to provide fantastic grip while absorbing impact to reduce fatigue.

Summing up

Gym flooring can be as thick as 80mm in deadlift zones and as thin as 10mm in sled and track zones. When considering thickness, think about the intended use case of the surface and the potential for surfaces to be used incorrectly.

How To Soundproof a Gym?

Most gym floors consist of three layers:

• Subfloor
• Membrane (underlay)
• Top surface

All of these layers work together to create a durable gym floor.
With regards to soundproofing, there are three things that are important:

1. The materials used, and
2. The thickness of the membrane and top surface combined.

Soundproofing a gym floor

Gym floors that offer excellent soundproofing have the following characteristics:

• Multiple layers
• Shock-absorbing materials
• Thickness over 40mm in lifting zones

Here’s how to soundproof a gym floor:

Subfloor

Your subfloor will be concrete or plywood (boarding). Boarding is the preferred choice because it absorbs shock better than concrete. It can also be installed over existing floors to create a flat, stable base for the flooring system.

The condition of the subfloor is essential for the performance of the flooring system. It needs to be flat and level without damage.

Membrane

Membrane, or underlay, is essential for free weight and heavy lifting zones. This floor layer gives the topper something soft to compress into. Without underlay, the topper would compress into the subfloor under load, creating impact sound.

Underlay is typically 10mm thick. It is designed to compress under load and absorb shock so that dropped weights do not bounce.

Top surface

The top surface will be made from either rubber rolls or rubber tiles. Rubber tiles are a thicker and heavier duty choice. They are typically 40mm thick and are the best choice for free weight zones and deadlifting areas.

The top surface is designed to compress under load and absorb impacts. The quality of the top surface makes a big difference in terms of soundproofing. You want a rubber that compresses under load without springing back. This will prevent the weight from bouncing and making even more noise after the first drop.

Deadlift zones

Deadlift zones that see intense use will need even thicker flooring to absorb sound and vibration. The best product is rubber impact protection slabs. These are 80mm thick and are designed to absorb vibration from power lifts.

It’s important to note, however, that although we can reduce noise and vibration from a gym floor, it isn’t possible to eliminate it entirely. Power racks and deadlift zones will always be noisy. All we can do is reduce the vibration.

If you have any questions or would like to talk about your next project, give us a call on (0)1706 260 220 for a chat.

How To Reinforce a Gym?

Reinforcing a gym floor is sometimes necessary to accommodate heavy machines and powerlifting zones. Whether a gym floor requires reinforcement depends on the expected load of the floor and the type of subfloor.

There are several ways to reinforce a gym floor, to either increase the load-bearing ability or strengthen the flooring system.

Sprung floors

Sprung floors are built on top of the subfloor with timber spruces. The thickness and quantity of the spruces determine the floor’s load-bearing ability, and spruces can be greater in number around different gym zones.

A sprung floor protects the subfloor by raising the top floor. The air gap also isolates all vibration and shock from the subfloor.

Boarding 

When a gym is built on floorboards or concrete, plywood boarding screwed into the subfloor is a simple way to reinforce it. The boarding takes and spreads the load, and the ply is extremely resistant to stress and damage.

Boarding is most commonly used to reinforce floorboards, but it can also be installed over tiles and other old flooring systems.

Bridging 

Bridging involves bracing a timber frame floor with metal or wooden strips or straps to connect the joists and improve load distribution. Bridging connects the joists, reinforcing the floor through improved load deflection.

Bridging is only relevant to timber frame floors, such as new builds and commercial gym upper floors, such as in apartment blocks.

Reinforcing with layers

Sometimes, gym floors only need reinforcement with layers. Thicker membranes can absorb more shock and impacts than thinner membranes, and rigid materials like polyurethane are ideal for supporting machines and racks.

Most gyms should have a combination of flooring for different zones, like rubber tiles for free weight zones and polyurethane for treadmill zones.

Reinforcing a home gym floor

Home gyms should be on the ground floor and ideally on concrete. Don’t build a home gym on floorboards without a structural survey first. If your gym is on the upper floor, the floorboards need reinforcement, and this requires exposing the floorboards and boarding them with 3/4” plywood.

After boarding, a 3mm foam underlay should be glued down, followed by 8mm thick rubber matting or 10mm rubber tiles.

Overall

Sprung floors are the best way to reinforce up from the subfloor, while boarding is best for reinforcing directly on the subfloor. Bracing is used to reinforce joisted floors, and you can also layer up to improve impact protection.

How To Reduce Noise And Vibration Within a Gym?

There’s no getting around the fact that gyms are loud. The sounds of clattering weight stacks, dropped dumbbells and people running on treadmills cuts through stereo music unless it’s cranked right up. This is why most people put their earphones in (or headphones on) to zone out and workout without noisy distractions.

As a gym owner there are a few things you can do to reduce noise and vibration within a gym. Here are some tips from our experts:

Rules and signage

The first thing you should do is put up signs that tell people not to drop weights and to be careful with plates and weight stacks. People tend to get too comfortable in gyms and start doing things that are silly, like throwing plates on the floor.

Rules should be established when a member signs up. They should be asked to sign a rule manifesto. One of the rules should be not to drop weights and plates. Accidents are okay in cases, but deliberate dropping should be outlawed.

Flooring

Your gym needs adequate flooring to protect the subfloor and people from injury. The flooring you choose will determine how much noise and vibration is absorbed by dropped weights, plates and functional fitness activities.

Free weight zones should use interlocking rubber floor tiles. These are laid over a rubber membrane (underlay). The combined thickness of the floor will be around 50mm. This will be enough for free weight and bench areas.

Deadlift zones and power rack zones will need impact protection slabs. These are laid directly over the primary floor (rubber tiles). Impact protection slabs are 80mm thick. They are designed to absorb shock from heavy lifts.

Cladding

In large gyms it’s also possible to reduce noise transmission between gym zones using sound-absorbing materials. For example, you can install cladding on internal walls that will absorb sound and prevent it from bouncing around.

We also recommend installing insulation on doors. This will stop noises inside the gym from escaping which is useful for gyms that have quieter zones.

If your gym has a high roof you can get insulating internal roof tiles or you can install banners that hang from the roof. These work well in large spaces like gymnasiums. If you have a warehouse gym this will be a good way to reduce noise.

Get in touch for help

If your gym suffers from excess noise and vibration we have a range of flooring solutions that can help. Call us on (0)1706 260 220.

What Goes Under The Rubber Gym Flooring?

Rubber gym flooring is the standard in gyms across the world because it is durable, replaceable and easy to maintain. The gyms of old used to have concrete floors or carpet, but these materials aren’t suitable for heavy lifting.

The rubber flooring you see in gyms is only the top layer. Underneath the rubber gym flooring, there is always underlay of some kind. Underlay protects the substrate from damage and the flooring too because the flooring has something to compress into under load. If that weren’t the case, the rubber would wear.

Gym underlay

Gym underlay protects the substrate (e.g. concrete or boarding) from damage. Rubber flooring is never enough to do this on its own because it has limited shock-absorbing qualities. If you were to drop a 20kg plate onto a 20mm rubber floor with no underlay, the substrate would be at risk of damage.

Underlay also makes a massive difference to the quality of the floor in terms of how it feels to walk on. It feels spongier and more forgiving.

You can definitely tell the difference when rubber gym flooring has underlay in the same way you can with household carpet. The underlay acts as a dampener and extends the life of the rubber flooring by eliminating contact with the substrate.

Do I have to use underlay?

Commercial gyms should always use an underlay to protect the substrate. If you were to skip the underlay, the floor could get damaged real soon.

The risk of not using underlay is a weight breaking a board or cracking the concrete underneath the rubber flooring. It’s also important to consider how underlay makes a floor feel to lift on. The floor feels more solid and more forgiving. This creates a better surface for people to perform a workout with confidence.

How much will it add to the price?

Quotes for rubber gym flooring include underlay where required, but in terms of cost, it will typically not make up more than 30% of the total price of the project. It depends on the grade of the underlay (how thick it is) and the brand. We only use the best-quality underlay because it’s important to us that your floor lasts a very long time.

If you are resurfacing your gym, we can recommend the right rubber gym flooring including a suitable underlay. Feel free to contact us for advice.

Heavy Duty Gym Flooring To Protect The Subfloor

If your gym has free weight, bench and powerlifting zones, then you will need heavy duty gym flooring to protect the subfloor.

Heavy duty gym flooring is always made from EPDM rubber tiles. EPDM rubber tiles have several advantages over rubber matting, including thickness, shock absorption and the fact they are individual tiles which makes them easy to replace.

Rubber tiles

Whether your subfloor is concrete or board, lifting zones require a substantial top floor to protect the subfloor from damage.

30mm and 40mm EPDM rubber tiles are recommended in addition to a 2-10mm shock-absorbing rubber underlay. These tiles are common in commercial gyms and they come in two different installation types:

• Interlocking – these have no gaps or seams. The tiles interlock. Cutting to size is possible for the outer tiles
• Standard tiles – these are square tiles that join together but do not interlock. They have a small joint gap and can be cut to size.

Most commercial gyms use standard tiles because they are cheaper. The most popular brand is SPORTEC. These tiles have contrasting flecks. Interlocking tiles are more expensive and do not typically exceed 20mm in thickness.

Impact protection slabs

Impact protection slabs are another type of heavy duty gym flooring. These are made from EPDM rubber and are up to 80mm thick. Impact protection slabs are installed over the gym floor underneath power racks and in deadlift zones. They are often portable but can be built into the floor. They are needed in heavy lifting zones to protect the subfloor.

Rubber matting

Rubber matting, or rubber rolls, are not usually considered for heavy duty gym flooring because they are too thin for free weight zones. However, rubber matting is suitable for studios, fitness rooms and cable and treadmill zones in a gym. If you need to cover a large space and intend to use machines, or the surface will be used for functional fitness, rubber matting is a good choice.

Rubber matting is sold in length by the roll. It’s an affordable option that provides good safety and subfloor protection. It’s typically up to 12mm thick. It can be paired with rubber underlay to maximise performance and safety.

Need help with your gym flooring?

We are a leading supplier and installer of heavy duty gym flooring. If you would like to talk about your gym project, give us a call today on +44 (0)1706 260 220.

What Are The Acoustic Considerations When Designing a Gym?

Gyms generate a lot of noise. We’re talking weights, treadmills, cable machines, shouting, grunting, music and so much more.

Without adequate effort to reduce noise – and especially its ability to travel and bounce around – gyms are not such a pleasant place to spend time, that is unless you have your earphones in or your headphones on.

Thankfully, there are a few things we can do to reduce noise levels in the gym and reduce noise transfer between areas of a gym:

Flooring

Flooring plays the most important role in reducing sound from deadlifts, power racks and dropped weights and plates. The right flooring can absorb impact and shock and reduce risk of injury to people on the gym floor.

We recommend rubber floor tiles which are easy to install. They are 30mm or 40mm thick and can be installed directly over a concrete or board subfloor. We also recommend a high-performance underlay to maximise acoustic performance.

Acoustic panels

Acoustic wall panels are foam panels that absorb and muffle sound. They are installed on walls with either adhesive or screws. The foam panels muffle sound on impact which stops it from bouncing around and amplifying.

Wall panels are available in a wide range of colours and finishes, such as wood, brick and metal finishes. They can also be textured. Acoustic panels work best in large gyms and they work especially well in warehouse conversions.

Acoustic panels (roof)

Depending on the type of ceiling you have in your gym, it may be compatible with acoustic roof panels. These can be glued to the existing roof or they can hang from the rafters. They do a great job at absorbing low frequency noise.

As with wall panels, ceiling panels are best in large spaces. They are widely used in sports halls and sports centres because they transform large open spaces. You can also use them in your gym to make it a quieter and more relaxing place.

Noise pollution

If your gym is located in close proximity to houses and other businesses, you’ll want to invest in double glazing and thick doors to prevent noise pollution. This will help prevent noise complaints, so you don’t get into bother.

Other tricks you can use to reduce noise pollution include: keeping gym entrance doors closed, installing air conditioning so you can keep windows closed, and investing in cavity wall insulation if you have hollow internal walls.

Should You Choose Gym Tiles Or Rolls For Your Commercial Gym?

Investing in flooring for your commercial gym is very important. Rubber tiles and rolls provide a durable surface that protect against impacts, while absorbing noise from weights being lifted overhead or other activities taking place nearby.

Besides being extremely resilient and durable, both gym tiles and rolls are non-slip and available in a wide variety of different colours. Your choice of one over the other will come down to the shape of your space and what kinds of activity you intend to perform.

Gym rubber tiles

Gym Tiles are great for fast installations, tiles click together and thicknesses can go up to 70mm.

Rubber tiles are interlocking tiles that you click together to form a floor. They are exceptionally easy to install and provide instant substrate protection. As with rolls, you cut the rubber tiles to fit the shape of the room.

A key advantage to floor tiles is they tend to be available in greater thicknesses than rubber rolls. Rolls are ordinarily used for light gyms. Floor tiles can be very heavy-duty, allowing you to powerlift and bounce weights off the floor. For example, we can supply tiles from 15mm to 70mm for general use.

Gym rubber rolls

Gym Rolls and great for large installations with very little waste with thickness from 4mm to 10mm.

As the name suggests, rubber rolls are sold in rolls and cut to length. This means there’s little waste on installation. The roll is fitted like carpet to the edges of a room, creating the look of a professional gym at home.

Since rolls are rolled out, they are quicker to install than tiles in larger spaces and you can cut the material to suit odd shapes like curves and corners. The downside to rubber rolls is they are heavy and require professional installation. They are also less suited to free weights because the thickness typically only goes up to 10mm.

Which one is right for you?

For free weight areas, we recommend rubber tiles since they are available in greater thicknesses (up to 40mm for regular tiles and 70mm for impact protection). Rubber rolls are a good choice for light gyms and machine areas. You can also use both types of gym flooring in your commercial gym to create a safe and functional floor.

The Colours Available With Gym Floor Tiles

available, letting you match the floor to your branding, designate different gym zones, and make exciting patterns that impress new customers.

The most popular gym floor tile on the market is the SPORTEC® tile, available in several monotone and colourful versions. SPORTEC® tiles offer industry-leading performance and grip, with multiple colours available. Here’s a run-down of the different SPORTEC gym floor tiles.

Standard colours 

SPORTEC® Style tiles can be solid black or coloured with 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% or 50% coloured flecks providing contrast. SPORTEC designates these versions as ‘Colour 5’ and so on. In all cases, only the flecks are coloured. The colours available include:

• Grey
• Blue
• Grey-blue
• Bright yellow
• Green
• Red
• Orange
• Lila
• Dark grey

SPORTEC® Purcolor

SPORTEC® Purcolor tiles flip the colour balance with a primary coloured surface and a black fleck. The black-colour ratio is 15% black and 85% coloured, so this is the best option if you want coloured gym floor tiles. The colours available include:

• Red
• Blue
• Light grey
• Medium grey
• Dark grey

SPORTEC® Variant 

SPORTEC® Variant tiles have a customisable multi-tone colour scheme, with customers able to select from five different colours. These tiles offer supreme originality with the same performance as others. SPORTEC® also offers a few standard colourways:

• Greyscale
• Choco mix
• Blue freckles
• Silver star
• Dark matter

SPORTEC® UNI Versa 

SPORTEC® UNI versa tiles have a textured rubber surface that increases grip outdoors. A durable option for outdoor gyms and fitness zones, these tiles are highly UV resistant with similar performance to the indoor variants. The colours available include:

• Red
• Blue
• Beige
• Green
• Dark grey
• Light grey

SPORTEC® Style Edge And Corner Profiles

You can finish your tiled gym floors with SPORTEC® Style Edge and Corner Profiles, which add a border. They are also ideal for transition zones with bevelled edges, ensuring that there is no trip hazard between zones. The colours available are as follows:

• Red
• Black

SPORTEC® Style Edge and Corner Profiles are a fantastic addition to gym floors, especially if you have contrasting standard tiles.

Overall, there are hundreds of colour combinations available with gym floor tiles. You can stick to a core theme or mix and match tiles for a dynamic floor. SPORTEC® Purcolor tiles are also a great way to brand your gym floor.

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