When it comes to home gym flooring, rubber is the way to go. Throughout this article, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of rubber flooring, the different types to choose from, how to determine which type is best for you, the cost, DIY vs. professional installation, and the cleaning process, to help you determine what is best for you.
Pros of Gym Flooring
There are many advantages to rubber gym flooring for your home, especially if the flooring you’re using is vulcanized. Vulcanized rubber is a high quality material that is greatly suited to home gyms and can help improve your workouts. Some of its benefits include:
- Durability — Rubber flooring is much more resistant to wear and tear than other flooring options and is made to last for a long time, reducing how often you will need to replace it.
- Protection — With its high shock absorption that effectively cushions impacts, vulcanized rubber protects your existing flooring from any damage that could occur due to high intensity workouts or dropping your weights.
- Low Maintenance — This type of flooring is extremely easy to clean. Simply wipe it down with a damp towel or a little detergent and water.
- Customizable — Whatever exercises you do or setup you want, this flooring can be customized to suit your needs. You can choose between different thickness levels, colours, styles, and textures to find the perfect fit for your home gym.
- Comfort and Safety — Rubber offers a softer surface that can help prevent joint pain. It also offers added grip with a non-slip surface that can help prevent accidents from occurring.
Cons of Gym Flooring
Depending on the type of rubber you choose for your workout room flooring, there are some cons that you should be aware of. There are two types of rubber used for gym floors, vulcanized, discussed above, and urethane bound. The disadvantages to urethane bound rubber flooring are:
- Deterioration — With continuous or heavy use, this flooring could start to break down faster.
- Porosity — Liquids, like water and sweat, can be absorbed into the rubber.
- Finish — Due to its porous nature, a finish or sealant is required for this in order to avoid absorbing liquid.
- Maintenance — This type of rubber is harder to maintain as the surface is more rough, causing mops to stick to it.
- Cleanliness — Its porous surface means that it retains and spreads bacteria.
Which Type of Gym Flooring is Right for You?
Since there is a wide variety of types of home gym flooring, it is important to examine each option to determine which one is right for you:
- Rubber Rolls — Rubber rolls is an affordable option that is easy to set up at home as it is designed to just roll out over your existing floor. It is also an eco-friendly option and easy to maintain.
- Interlocking Gym Mats — Interlocking gym mats come with all the benefits of standard flooring with the added bonus of easy installation. These mats can simply be pressed into place together, no other tools needed.
- Rubber Flooring Tiles — Tiles are one of the best home gym options that can be easily installed and tailored to your specific needs, available in a large selection of colours and textures.
- Gym Floor Mats — Standard mats for your home gym can either be loose laid, for temporary flooring, or adhered to the existing floor with glue or tape, for permanent flooring. They offer increased versatility, great for different types of exercises.
- Rubber Mat Flooring — Good for high-traffic areas and high-intensity workouts, rubber mat flooring is durable and resilient, repelling water to make it easier to clean and maintain.
How to Choose the Best Gym Flooring
When deciding what the best gym flooring is for you, the following factors should be taken into account:
- Activity Level — What exercises will you be doing in your home gym? Whether low-impact or high-impact, this affects the type of flooring you’ll need, especially in regard to its thickness.
- Space — The size of your home gym matters when figuring out how much flooring you’ll need to buy and what can actually fit in the room. If your space is small or irregularly shaped, interlocking tiles are the ideal option.
- Cleaning — Different types of flooring are easier to clean and maintain than others. Figure out how much you are willing to clean before picking your flooring.
- Budget — When weighing these other factors, you should also consider how much you are willing to spend on flooring as different options have different price ranges.
How Much Does Rubber Gym Flooring Cost?
The cost for gym flooring in Canada varies depending on the brand of flooring, amount of square footage, and features you choose. On average, the price of rubber flooring for a home gym starts at $5.00 per square foot. To get a proper estimate though, for your specific space, it is in your best interest to contact a trusted and experienced flooring company who can assess your needs and then provide you with several options.
DIY vs. Professional Gym Flooring
While you can install home gym floor mats yourself, getting professionals to do it for you tends to be better in the long run. Many types of flooring, like interlocking tiles or rubber rolls, are made for DIY purposes and are therefore quite easy to install. However, sizing the mats and applying the glue can be difficult, especially if you don’t want to redo it, so having professionals install your flooring ensures that it’s done properly and will last.
How Do You Clean Home Gym Floors?
A home gym floor is made to be easily cleaned, especially if it is rubber. All you need is to combine soap/detergent with water and wipe down the floor using either a cloth or mop. Make sure that you avoid the use of any harsh chemicals as they can cause the flooring to deteriorate over time.
Final Thoughts on Choosing Best Gym Flooring for Your Home
Choosing the right gym flooring for your home is extremely important. In this article, we have discussed the pros and cons of rubber flooring, the different types you can choose from, how to determine which type is the best for you, the cost, DIY vs. professional installation, and how to clean your new floor. At Zelta Floor & Design, we are an experienced flooring company here to help you get the perfect flooring for your home gym. Contact us today!
