Gym floor buyers guide
If you’re contemplating starting a new gym, renovating an existing facility or fitting out your home gym, one of your first priorities should be gym flooring. In the same way that a Cardio area, HIIT Zone or Strength section can set your gym apart, so can your flooring.
But it’s not all about aesthetics. In a commercial setting for example, your facilities surface will cop a pounding. Strong, safe and durable are three characteristics required for a successful gym floor setup. Let’s face it, gym equipment is heavy. So whether it’s cardio gear or a weightlifting rack you’ll need some density underneath all of that equipment. Add client foot traffic and general use into the mix and you have a recipe for potential bills that you didnt plan for. Not to mention, if its for a home setup flooring will help with some sound reduction if you're planning on olympic lifting.
With all of that in mind it’s no surprise that gym flooring is one of the biggest sought after fitness products in the world. Within the Xpeed flooring universe that we range at Fitness Warehouse there’s a few styles and options to choose from. Rubber Tiles, Custom Platforms and Inlays, Interlocking Foam Mats and Premium Astro Turf. Ultimately your flooring choices will be determined by your client offerings or home gym space and your overall budget.
Top things to keep in mind
From quality, safety, equipment preservation, function and cost savings we’ll run you through some topline thoughts to keep in mind with gym flooring.
Quality: Making sure that your flooring is even is a critical component of a gym layout. Which means each rubber tile needs to be consistently the same thickness, have the same finish and most importantly be sealed for hygeine. We recommend 1m x 1m with 15mm thickness with no variation from tile to tile.
Safety: Rubber tiles and astro turf help protect your clients bodies with their shock absorping characteristics and they will also help protect the life of your equipment.
Smell: The right type of rubber flooring will have little to no smell. If rubber tiles have an overpowering rubber smell it’s likely they have been poorly manufactured with cheap materials.
Environment: Astro Turf and rubber tiles also help create comfort within your facility from a sound absorption perspective. One of their characterisitcs is the ability to absorb sound and muffle the overall noises in your space. Thickness options include 15mm, 25mm and 50mm. The thicker mat the more potential for sound absorption.
Cost Effective: When compared to the cost of carpet or concrete the outlay for rubber tiles is much more cost effective. In the long term rubber tiles will last longer, protect your clients and the life of your equipment. Furthermore, let us never discuss carpet in fitness facilities again. Good chat everybody.
Hygeine: If your rubber flooring is correctly sealed it will be easy to keep clean, be resistant to mould and mildew and more hygeinic for you clients. If you’ve had lots of Sweaty Betties working out, having a surface that is easy to clean and quick to dry is important.
Installing:
When laying down rubber tiles or astro turf it's important to make sure that the surface you intend to place them on is clean, debris free and even. With rubber tiles we recommend that you lay them down in a grid or brick style of layout so that it helps to prevent shifting or movement. Glue is optimal but you need to be sure that your rubber mats or astro turf will be staying in their intended location for a while.
Before laying down astra turf it's important to let the turf aclimatise to the area you will be installing it in. We recommend unrolling and laying flat for 24 hours prior to installation.
Platforms: Things to consider when thinking about platforms for your set up include;
- You'll need enough space for your barbell, therefore, at least 3m of width is necessary.
- Will you be placing a half rack or mobile squat stand on the platform? If so a minimum depth of 2 metres can accomodate that style of equipment. In addition, it also provides the space required for your split stance while performing moves like the clean and jerk.
- Use 50mm mats for shcok absorption and protection.
- Your platform should be embedded in a dimensional and stable metal frame to stop the mats and board from shifting.
- An MDF plywood platform adds that polished, professional look which elevates the aesthetic appeal of your set up.
As previously mentioned, flooring may be something that you deem too expensive in the beginning but in the long run we can guarantee that it will help with the longevity and overall success or your setup. For enquiries about custom platforms and inlays email inquiries@fitnesswarehouse.com.au
