There are three very good reasons to get the right gym flooring installed in your gym.
Firstly, gym flooring should be a strong, durable surface for exercising on and it needs to support heavy equipment and machinery. It can come in various thicknesses; generally the thicker the better.
Another clear advantage of installing gym flooring is ensuring there is sufficient grip. This will prevent unnecessary injury as machinery and equipment will be less likely to experience unintentional movement.
Finally, the third benefit of having dedicated gym flooring is hygiene. Gyms are sweaty. Despite members’ best efforts, sweat will inevitably get on weight machines and the floor, so having an easy-clean floor surface has clear hygiene benefits for users.
In short, your gym flooring needs to cope with a lot, including:
- Heavy equipment
- Intensive use
- Sweat and spillage
- Temperature fluctuations
- Vibration and noise
- Varying humidity levels
- Unhygienic factors .
How to choose gym flooring materials
Installing one type of flooring material throughout your gym is easier because there is no need to segment or plan for certain gym zones. However, you’ll still need to understand exactly what the properties of each material are:
Wood Flooring
A wood floor looks great, but there are some big question marks for using this material.
The wood floor needs to withstand the constant jumping and traction of those using it without suffering visible scuffing or damage. It also can’t be too hard that it impacts on training athletes. The biggest threat to your wooden floor comes from the free weight area where inevitably weights will be dropped and dents will appear.
There are various different choices, however, a layered product that is built up over a composite rubber underlay for maximum absorption will provide the strength and durability required while showcasing the timeless look only wood can exhibit.
Matting
If you do go for a wood-type flooring then you should consider some sort of protective PVC matting to go underneath some of the freestanding or portable machines, like treadmills and cycles. Just like thicker rubber flooring, they provide grip as well as protecting your beautiful wood from scratching and damage.
