What Are The Different Kinds of Floors For Gyms?

gym flooring case study Xercise4Less

If you take the time to look at the floor of any multi-fitness gym, you will notice that the flooring changes in different areas. This is because different areas of a gym call for flooring with different physical characteristics.

For example, powerlifting platforms have a spongy rubber floor, while running tracks have a hard non-slip surface with little bounce.

The reason we design gyms in this way is to protect the substrate from damage while providing the end-user with the safest platform. Not all surfaces are equal, and the choice of flooring plays a role in how good a gym is to use.

Interlocking tiles

Rubber interlocking tiles are available in standard thicknesses of 30mm to 40mm. They provide moderate protection to hard substrates like concrete and are used in areas with free weights, plates and racks. They are non-slip and easy to clean. They are also replaceable in single units, making them a good investment.

Impact protection slabs

These are beefed up rubber tiles that are typically 80mm in thickness. They are used in addition to standard flooring for powerlifting areas. Anywhere where a weight is slammed down, such as deadlift zones, should have impact slabs to protect the substrate and absorb shock, so the weight doesn’t bounce back.

Rubber rolls

Rubber rolls are a general-purpose gym flooring typically ranging in thicknesses of 4mm to 10mm. You would use rubber rolls in areas around machines that do not use plates, such as treadmills, rowers, pulldown machines and cable crossovers. The surface is soft and spongy, so it also makes sense for HIIT and yoga areas.

Turf

Turf is used as a pulling surface to provide friction and grip. We use turf to create pulling distances on a track. The turf is made from needle-punched polypropylene and feels rough but uniform to the touch. It is unbeatable for plyometric activities because plyometric boxes and sleds glide along the surface whether wet or dry.

Sprint tracks

Sprinting tracks are made from rubber roll that is specifically designed to provide grip underfoot under load. They are typically 8mm or 10mm in thickness and will have lanes printed on them. The appearance of a sprint track can be matte or shiny, depending on the material it is made from. Squeaky floors are made from linoleum.