Comparing Rubber Gym Flooring - Rolls, Mats, Interlocking Tiles

Rubber has been chosen as the preferred flooring material for commercial gym and home weight room flooring for decades. Because it's such a popular flooring option, there are a wide range of sizes, thickness, designs, and densities. Read on below to learn about the differences between the rubber flooring option.

rubber floor mat roll

Gym Traffic

The first consideration to make when choosing gym flooring is to think about the amount of traffic and abuse the floor will need to withstand. If you have a weight training facility used for competitive college or pro athletic teams, bodybuilding and powerlifting, it will need to be thicker and much more durable that those used in most home gyms or senior centers.

Rubber has built a reputation for protecting the subfloor through impact absorption, reducing vibration and cutting noise from machines and free weights. It is capable handling heavy exercise equipment and foot traffic. Rubber flooring is a popular choice because its very durable, simple to clean, and is often times made from recycled rubber. It can also be recycled at the end of its life.

gym floor mat

Rolled Rubber

The thickness of rubber flooring is going to have the most noticeable impact on the overall durability of the flooring installation. A 1/4- to 3/8-inch rubber floor will suffice for light to moderate use while heavily-used areas will require a thicker rubber surface match that lifespan. In areas where weights will be dropped, 1/2- to 1 1/2-inch rubber flooring is better equipped to handle the impact without damaging the subfloor. While most thick rubber flooring will outlast a 15-year warranty under standard use, regularly dropping kettlebells, dumbbells, and barbells will decrease the lifespan of even the best flooring.

rubber rolls, mats & tiles

Rolled rubber is the most economical flooring option for weight rooms (per square foot) for larger installations, and it also leaves the fewest seams. However, due to the nature of its size and weight (often coming in 25-50 foot long rolls), installation can be difficult without help. Thickness options are also limited - generally to 1/2 inch or thinner.

rubber gym floors

Rubber Floor Mats

Rubber floor mats, often sold in 4x6 foot sizes, offer another economical option with the capability of a thicker surface than rolled rubber flooring. Rubber floor mats, also often used as horse stall mats, range from 3/8 to 3/4 inch thicknesses. While the mats are very heavy and don’t move very easily, these straight edge mats will slowly started to inch apart from each other over time. They are often used as supplemental padding in areas where heavy weights will be dropped during olympic lifts.

Interlocking Puzzle Mats

Interlocking, puzzle-style tiles offer convenient installation and a tight, durable fit without shifting. These tiles are commonly only used in smaller rooms because their higher cost per square foot and the fact that they are easy to custom fit to an irregularly shaped space. The smaller 2- to 4-foot tiles (1/4 to 3/4 inch thick) are easier to manage, especially if installed by a single person.

For cardio areas, where shock absorption is less of an issue, thinner rubber flooring will suffice just fine.

gym floor rubber mats

Alternatives to Rubber

Some customers report enjoying the comfort and warmth or carpeting for cardio workout areas, but we warn against it as stains and bacteria can be hard to remove from carpet areas.

Foam and plastic materials can also be used for weight room flooring. Like carpeting, however, great care should be taken when or if you decide to use these materials. Foam mats will become indented from heavy objects, so it’s important to make sure there is proper weight distribution.

PVC Plastic flooring, such as StayLock tiles, is rugged enough to handle heavy weight equipment and offers cushioning similar to foam, but typically carries shorter-term warranties than rubber weight room flooring.

We offer a perfect flooring solution for every use space, whether it be a commercial gym or a home user in their basement. There is a weight room flooring option out there to fit anyone's needs.

Interlocking Rubber Tiles vs. Rolled Rubber Flooring Blog

If you're considering new rubber flooring for your home or business, one thing to consider is the difference between interlocking rubber floor tiles and rubber rolls. Both flooring options have their unique benefits and are best suited for specific scenarios. Rubber floors, mats and tiles are either made from a virgin rubber material, synthetic rubber material or a recycled content material and in some cases a combination of more than one rubber type.

interlocking vs rolled rubber

Home Gyms

For use in most home gyms, Greatmats recommends interlocking rubber tiles. This is because the tiles can be easily installed and don’t require any adhesive or tape to put them down. Because of this, they can also be easily removed and re-used in another room or home. Seams are typically very tight so the floor will appear to be one solid piece with no edges to trip over.

These tiles can be custom fit to any size room with only a simple utility knife.  (We recommend that you let your rubber flooring acclimate to the room temperature and humidity for at least 24 hours before cutting to size.) Rubber floor tiles are offered in a range of thicknesses and colors. Greatmats' knowledgeable customer service representatives are available to help find the perfect flooring for any space.

virgin rubber floor tiles

Commercial Facilities

In commercial facilities, you can also use interlocking rubber tiles although you may want to go with a thicker tile than you would for home gym use. Interlocking tiles are well-suited for use cases where the flooring needs to be relocated repeatedly. They are ideal if you are leasing your building, for example. Because interlocking tiles are available in various sizes, thicknesses, and colors, we can help you to find the right tiles to meet your needs.

Rubber rolls are typically less expensive but they have different requirements. All rubber rolls need a glue or tape-down installation to create a safe workout floor. Because of this, rubber rolls are a more permanent flooring solution than tiles.

rubber mat flooring

While some rubber flooring is known for its strong smell, this product is low odor. This can be important if you are using this flooring in a smaller room with low ventilation. You will find that the material binder in the rubber makes all the difference. In flooring where the rubber binder is sulfur, the rubber mats will often have a strong rubber smell. When the binder is urethane, the smell is very low.

One thing to note when considering rubber rolls is that they are not waterproof. They should be used in places where the flooring will remain dry. If your rubber flooring does get wet, you'll need to hand dry it if it has already been installed. Because of this, we recommend use rolled rubber for use in dry places such as weights rooms and supply rooms, but not wet areas such as laundry room and bathrooms.

rubber flooring rolls

Playgrounds

Playground rubber flooring is also available in an interlocking rubber tile. Greatmats offers a wide variety of different styles and fall height ratings. Playground flooring adds an extra level of cushion and protection for children in outdoor settings. It is a safer and cleaner playground flooring option when compared to both wood chips and rubber crumbs, as both of those options can be dug out, pushed aside, or thrown around.

If you have any questions regarding any of our products, please don't hesitate to call or send us a message. Our friendly customer service representatives are happy to help you.

gym flooring

Which Sports Use Rubber Flooring and Why?

Like all equipment in an athletic facility, it's essential sports flooring promotes health and safety.

As many sports include high impact activity, the flooring for the facility must be able to protect athletes from injury. Sports floors must also be resilient. Without a tough floor, wear and tear will yield any protective features ineffective.

Rubber flooring sports

Rubber is the standard flooring material for athletic facilities all over the globe. Customers lover for its durability and superior shock absorption. It can lessen the severity of accidents and safeguard against injuries. Rubber flooring can be used for multi-function flooring as it is very versatile. That being said, different thicknesses and styles of rubber work for different sports. Read below for an overview of the most common utilizations of rubber flooring, and what kind of rubber flooring works best for each area.

Weight Training

Rubber is a go-to flooring solution for weight rooms. There are many different kinds of rubber flooring, and it’s important to use the correct kinds of each kind of weight-training area. Heavy equipment requires a rubber floor that is dense and sturdy enough to hold tons of weight without bending or breaking. Free weight areas require a thicker rubber flooring that protects the flooring underneath from the dropper weights. For olympic lifts, it is essential that the rubber floor is firm enough to allow for maximum output as well as protecting the floor below.

rubber sports flooring

Running

Track and field also often uses rubber flooring in some capacity. This is especially true for indoor tracks. Obviously, rubber used for tracks need to be durable enough to withstand heavy foot traffic. Not only that, but the material has to be dense and resilient enough that it's not punctured or torn by running spikes. The rubber flooring used at tracks should be flexible enough that it can curve with the bends of the track.

Aerobics and Plyometrics

Plyometric drills are all about fast, powerful and explosive movements, which creates a harder impact upon landing. It’s typical or aerobic exercises to include jarring movements such as jumping, lunging, and running. Because of this, rubber flooring designed for plyometrics and aerobics should be more porous to allow for greater shock-absorption and cushioning. In order to help maintain a safe workout environment, this flooring has excellent grip that makes direction changes seamless.

Ice Rinks

You might be thinking to yourself, why would an ice rink use rubber? At first glance the use case is not very obvious. Common areas around the ice require protective surfaces where people can safely walk with skates on. Rubber is the most common material for ice rinks in areas surrounding the actual ice, including the bench. The rubber flooring used around the ice rinks will undoubtedly take a lot of use and abuse from skates, so choosing a durable, sturdy rubber flooring is imperative.

rubber athletic flooring

Multi-Functional Rubber Floors

While many sports don’t use rubber as their ideal flooring, it can still be used as a general sports flooring materials and work great. Basketball, soccer, and volleyball, for example, can all be played on rubber floors. That's why rubber flooring makes a good all-around flooring solution for rooms that will be put to many different athletic uses. If the flooring is going to be used for general use, choose rubber that is has a middle-density. That way, rubber will remain absorptive while balls can bounce on it.

When Not to Use Rubber

Rubber is a grippy material and yields too much friction for some sports. Dance is an activity that requires a surface which allows for feet to turn on without grip. Rubber isn't recommended for martial arts either. Again, the surface is too grippy and too hard for spins or learning throws and falls.

Rubber is a popular material for sport subfloor or underlayments if athletes need impact absorption and a flooring material with less grip.

sports rubber flooring

Types of Rubber Flooring

Now that you have an idea of the sports that use rubber flooring, you can start looking closer at specifics. Greatmats offer rubber flooring in three main forms: rolls, tiles, and mats. Rubber mats are a great and easy way to bring the benefits of rubber flooring into any room. Mats can be a great choice if extra cushion or thickness is needed over smaller areas.

Rubber tiles and rubber rolls are also extremely easy installations. Interlocking rubber tiles are one of the more popular options for spaces that need a sturdier and denser rubber flooring option.Tiles can be installed by your own hand just by laying down and connecting pieces.

Rubber rolls are just as easy to lay out, provided you have enough help to carry the heavy rolls, and can be adhered to the floor with double-sided floor tape or floor glue. Of the three options, rubber rolls are typically the most economical option and the final product will have the fewest seams after installation.

athletic rubber flooring

Keep It Clean

No matter what type of rubber you go for, it's important to keep athletic flooring well maintained.

Athletic facilities can be perfect places for bacteria and fungus growth if not properly cleaned on a regular basis. Rubber flooring should be cleaned with a pH neutral cleaner, as other cleaners can erode the material.

Ultimately, it's key to know your environment before installing a rubber sports floor. Every activity has different needs. Weight training will undoubtedly require a thicker mat that an indoor track. Not only that, but you must factor usage into the equation. The same athletic flooring for a small community center may not work in a busy college training facility, even if the activity is the same.

Greatmats is here to be a helping hand in sorting through all the flooring options that we offer. Customer service representatives can help you choose a thickness and style that will meet your athletic flooring needs.

Determining the Best Rubber Flooring for Weight Rooms

Rubber has been widely accepted as the go-to material for commercial gym and home weight room flooring for many years. There are a wide range of options to choose from for rubber flooring. With so many options, it can be hard to choose.

One of the first things to consider when choosing flooring for a weight room is how much traffic/abuse it will need to take. If your weight training facility will be used for competitive athletic teams, such as a college or pro football team, then it will need to be more durable than flooring for home gyms of senior centers.

Surface for installing rolled rubber

Rubber has built a reputation for protecting the subfloor, reducing vibration and cutting noise from machines and free weights. Rubber flooring is so popular because it is very durable, simple to clean, and is commonly made from recycled tires. Rubber mats can also be recycled at the end of their life.

installing rubber flooring over concrete

Rolled Rubber

When choosing rubber flooring, the thickness of the mat has a big impact on the long-term durability of the flooring. A 1/4 to 3/8 inch rubber floor will suffice for light to moderate use while heavily-used areas will require a thicker rubber surface match that lifespan. In spaces where free weights are going to be dropped, 1/2 to 1-1/2 inch rubber flooring is highly recommended to handle the impact of the weights without damaging the floor beneath. Although many thicker rubber floors can greatly outlast a 15-year warranty, kettlebells, hex head dumbbells and heavily-loaded barbells are especially punishing to any flooring surface when dropped and will take its toll on even the best rubber floors eventually.

home gym flooring over concrete

Rolled rubber flooring is the cheapest option for large weight rooms. It also leaves the fewest seams after installation. However, due to the nature of its size and weight (often coming in 25-50 foot long rolls), installation can be cumbersome without help, and thickness is limited - generally to 1/2 inch.

Rubber Floor Mats

Rubber floor mats, often sold in 4x6 foot sizes, offer another economical option with the capability of a slightly thicker surface. Greatmats offers rubber floor mats ranging in thickness from 3/8 to 3/4 inches thick. While heavy and generally stable, these straight edge mats can separate from each other over time, especially when covering a large surface area. Rubber floor mats are commonly used as supplementary floor protection in areas where weights are dropped.

rubber flooring installation

Interlocking Puzzle Mats

Interlocking, puzzle-style tiles offer convenient installation and a tight, durable fit without shifting. The are typically chosen for smaller installations due to their much higher cost per square foot. The smaller 2 to 4 foot tiles (1/4 to 3/4 inch thick) are easier to manage, especially if installed by a single person.

For use in cardio areas, where shock absorption is less of a concern than weight rooms, thinner rubber flooring will be fine. Some gym-goers prefer the feel and warmth of carpeting in cardio areas, but cleaning can become an issue as stains and bacteria are hard to remove from most carpeted surfaces.

rubber floor installation

Foam and plastic flooring options also exist for weight room flooring. Like carpeting, however, great care should be taken when or if you decide to use these materials. Foam is not suitable for use with exercise equipment as it will intent under heavy objects. Plastic flooring such as StayLock tiles are rugged enough to handle heavy weight equipment and offers cushioning similar to foam, but typically carries shorter-term warranties than rubber weight room flooring.

Greatmats understands that every weight room has unique needs, and that's why we offer a wide range of weight room flooring options.