Do I Need A Mat Under My Treadmill?

A treadmill is a major investment, plus it’s a key piece of exercise equipment in your gym. Before you start using your treadmill, chances are you’ll need to place a mat underneath it. From protecting your floor to protecting the treadmill itself, a mat is an essential investment that can even enhance your comfort during your workouts. Here’s how.

Reasons Why You Need a Mat ‌Under a Treadmill

A mat or pad for your treadmill is important for several reasons, and it provides numerous benefits. There are many reasons why you need to use a mat under a treadmill.

Floor Protection

Your treadmill map helps protect your floors. Treadmills often weigh several hundred pounds, and all of that weight is concentrated in the small areas of the treadmill’s feet. As you use the machine, you’re adding your weight to those feet, and the movement of the machine creates extra vibration and pressure.

The result can be damage to your floors. If you have hardwood floors, your treadmill can scratch them, leading to expensive repairs. In fact, chances are that the treadmill user manual will instruct you to place a mat under the treadmill if you’ll be using it on a hard surface like hardwood, stone, concrete, or tile. It may help prevent surface damage to the floor, plus it may help prevent more significant damage, like cracks in your subfloor.

But a mat is equally important when you’re going to be placing the treadmill on carpet. If you have a high-pile carpet, a mat can help prevent the treadmill's feet from digging into and damaging the carpet. A rubber mat can help prevent shifting, too, keeping the treadmill in place.

Using a mat over carpet also helps protect your treadmill. Since the dust and fibers contained in carpet can be released while you’re using the treadmill, they can work their way into your machine and eventually cause wear and tear and damage. A mat helps prevent this debris from being dislodged and from working its way into your treadmill’s motor and electrical components.

Noise Reduction

A treadmill mat plays a key role in sound reduction in your home, too. It helps absorb impacts and, when placed between your treadmill and a hard floor, buffers the sound that’s generated.

The result is a quieter fitness routine that’s more enjoyable for you and for anyone else in your home. Investing in a treadmill mat that absorbs sound may allow you to exercise without disturbing family members who are in nearby rooms, allowing you to use your gym at varying times.

Shock Absorption

Treadmill mats also provide valuable shock absorption. The shock absorption makes using the treadmill more comfortable, which can be particularly important for anyone doing long workouts or who has joint pain. Maximizing your comfort can allow you to extend your workouts, getting more value out of your treadmill.


That shock absorption also helps protect your treadmill from damage. It helps minimize wear and tear and prolongs the life of your equipment, potentially avoiding costly repairs and saving you money.

The Best Mat for Under a Treadmill

While we have several products suitable for use as treadmill mats, we recommend the G-Floor Exercise Equipment Mat as the best option for use underneath a treadmill.

Made of a combination of PVC and vinyl, this mat is highly durable and features a slip-resistant texture to help keep your treadmill and the mat in place on your subfloor. It’s lightweight and easily portable, but is also extremely strong and can easily support the weight of heavy equipment like treadmills and ellipticals.

The mat is waterproof, so if you spill your sports drink, it won’t damage the mat. It’s highly versatile and suitable for use on hard surfaces and carpet, helping protect your floors and your treadmill. Plus, the mat is available in three colors and two sizes, so you can choose the option that’s best for your gym. It’s an ideal mat for under a treadmill.

Order Treadmill Mats from Greatmats

At Greatmats, we’re proud to carry top-quality treadmill mats to help protect your equipment and your floors while making your workouts more enjoyable. Your treadmill is an expensive investment, and these mats can help protect that investment and extend your treadmill’s life.


In addition to treadmill mats, we also have an excellent selection of flooring products for your home gym, including gym flooring and gym mats. Contact our customer service team today to learn more about these products. We’re happy to help you choose the best flooring product for your needs, plus we can provide product samples and shipping quotes.