Gym Flooring

Your gym may have premium equipment, good lighting, mirrored walls, motivational quotes, good sound system but there’s another important factor which lays the groundwork for any successful fitness facility and workout session- the gym flooring. A commercial gym consists of various kinds of gym equipment, weights, accessories all of which vary in size, material and weight. Hence the gym flooring plays a very important role in maintaining any fitness facility.

Before Deciding Your Gym Flooring

Analyse two factors before deciding the type of flooring to be used in your gym:

1.  What purpose is a particular area in the gym going to be used for?
2.  What kind of equipment is going to be placed?

To acquire answers to these questions, make sure to finalise a floor plan and furniture layout of your gym which will help you to have a clear picture of the kind of flooring you will need for each space.

Types of Gym Flooring

The right gym flooring can increase stability and reduce body impact. It will also help keep your subfloor protected from scratches, and cracks. The poor traction and lack of impact and shock absorption can lead to injuries from slips and falls and cause severe joint pain.

Rubber Flooring

The most popular floor material used for weight training areas with weight machines, weight plates, dumbbells and heavy weights is rubber. This rubber flooring is made by compressing various small hard rubber pieces together. It acts as a shock and impact absorber to protect the base floor as well as the equipment. It is relatively inexpensive, very durable, and fairly easy to install. Rubber Flooring comes in different thicknesses from 10mm to 25 mm. The more the thickness, the more the durability and sponginess. Also depending on the location of the gym in the building the thickness can decided; for example if the gym is on the ground floor then 10mm to 12mm thickness would work, if the gym is on the higher floors then thicker rubber flooring is advisable to lower the impact of workouts on the floors below. The price of this flooring also varies as per size and thickness. Make sure that Coba or PCC surface is done below the rubber flooring because tiles may break due to heavy dumbells and plates falling on the floor. Rubber flooring is available locally or you can opt for branded products  such as Ebaco or Ecoflex as per your requirement and budget.

Rubber Tiles:

These are simple square tiles but are important to be laid by professionals as they will often have to be fastened to the floor. The edges need to be accurately fastened to ensure there are no gaps between two tiles. The tile size that it is available in is usually 18in x 18in.

Rubber Roll (Flooring Roll):

Rubber flooring rolls are a cheaper option but give a smoother look with lesser joints. Gym flooring rolls are preferred for one particular reason, that is they give a smoother look to the surface of the floor because there are fewer joins. Fewer joins also mean there is less chance of gaps forming or becoming loose through following usage.

Interlocking Rubber Tiles:

Rubber tiles with interlocking patterns are available (like a puzzle) making it even more convenient and easy for installation. These tiles can be installed in different colour combinations and patterns which can add to the gym interior.

Wooden Flooring

Wooden flooring is a classic flooring option which never gets old for any space. But using it in the right space as a gym flooring is important. Laminated wooden flooring can be installed in a group activity. It is available in different colours, textured and even patterns, hence you can install them easily on a basic tile flooring in staggered form, herringbone pattern or in simple linear form as per your choice and interior theme. Havwoods, Pergo, Squarefoot are all well known brands for good quality laminated wood flooring.

Artificial Grass Flooring

A recent but fast-growing flooring option is a gym turf, or artificial grass. This product is made by using synthetic fibre which looks like grass, sewn into a carpet-style backing, that can be laid like traditional carpet- in rolls with jointing tape and adhesive to create a seamless finish. The main consideration to take note of is ensuring a consistent direction for the grass so that it looks uniform in finish. Artificial grass is an unconventional and quirky flooring option which is not only practical but also aesthetically appealing to the masses that adds a relaxed element to the gym’s ambience.  Can be used for functional training areas particularly for movement of functional machines such as sledge. If you don’t prefer buying it locally then Tiger Turf is one of the well-known and reliable brands for artificial grass.

10mm Vitrified Tiles

The base floor is equally important for any gym as the top surface flooring is. The basic vitrified tiles that are widely available in the market can be used for flooring below strength training machines. 10mm vitrified tiles can be used which are easy to clean and maintain, tiles now-a-day are available  in attractive prints, in different sizes and shapes, which can be used in the reception area, discussion rooms, cafe, waiting area, etc. the price of these vitrified tiles varies as per the design and size of the tile. From 2ft x 2ft tiles to bigger sized tiles, different sized tiles can be installed as per the aesthetic requirement. For example, reception and waiting areas can have 4ft x 2ft tile or even bigger tiles which can give a grand look with lesser joints. On the other hand, the tiles below machines can be basic 1’ x 1’ or 2’ x 2’ tiles. Apart from the locally available tiles, Kajaria, Nitco, Somany are reasonably priced yet good tile brands in India.

Vinyl Rolls

Another efficient yet aesthetically pleasing gym flooring option is vinyl flooring. Vinyl flooring is a replacement for wooden flooring at fitness centers with budget constraints. Cardio exercise area, reception and waiting area, group activities areas can have vinyl flooring, This flooring is available in the form of rolls that are usually 2m x 15m in size and 4.5mm to 6mm in thickness; available in different colours and in wooden patterned prints these vinyl rolls can be used as per your choice. This material is made with a foam base that is impact resistant to a certain extent with a fair amount of load capacity. Sunzone Corporation, Squarefoot etc. are few of the trustworthy brands for this product.

We hope this guide has helped you to have a better understanding about gym flooring and you can now make an informed decision for your well-maintained fitness facility.

Get in touch with our gym consultation team to get you started with more detailed information.