When you have an old, worn wood floor, a subfloor, or floorboards, you might want to cover the original wood with another material. Installing new flooring over wood can improve the look of the space. It can provide a more comfortable area for kids to play or for you to do athletic workouts. Learning how to install a gym mat on hardwood or carpet tiles over an old wood plank floor can be a DIY project when you rely on Greatmats. We have several different products that you can lay directly over the wood without needing adhesive. Installation is a simple process that yields an amazing finished design, giving your room a rejuvenated look and feel without the expense of refinishing or replacing the wood.
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Ideas Before You Buy Flooring to Install Over Hardwood
Tips & considerations for purchasing Flooring Over Wood:
The following blogs offer tips on what aspects to look for in flooring to install over wood before making a purchase. Wherever you plan to use this flooring, these are all important things to learn before making your final decision.- Some of our customers decide to install other flooring materials over an existing wood floor for reasons like covering stains and imperfections, giving elderly pets better traction, and protecting the wood from damage during activities like intense workouts. Learn More: When Should Other Flooring Be Installed Over Wood?
- Some customers expect that installing floors over wood requires a lot of preparation time. In reality, such work requires only a little bit of time for cleaning the existing wood and allowing it to dry. If it has major damage, you might need to make some repairs. Learn More: How Should You Prepare for Flooring Installation Over Wood?
Top 10 Questions About Flooring Over Wood
Below are the most popular questions we've received about installing flooring over wood. Click the question to get a detailed answer and explanation on these topics.- Can You Install Vinyl Flooring Over Hardwood? Placing vinyl floors over an existing hardwood installation is an easy process, especially if you select tongue-and-groove vinyl planks. There’s no need to glue or nail the vinyl, allowing you to remove it later, if desired.
- Can You Install Laminate Flooring Over Hardwood or Plywood? Homeowners can install laminate floors over hardwood, especially if they choose interlocking tiles that have a visible laminate top layer. You can also install laminate over concrete, plywood, or existing tile floors, as long as the subflooring is in reasonably good condition.
- Can You Install Carpet Tiles Over Hardwood Flooring? DIYers can install interlocking carpet tiles over hardwood floors after taking a few preliminary steps. Make sure the hardwood is in good condition, free of debris, and dry. Repair any large cracks or holes before installing the carpet tiles.
- Can You Use Rubber Mats for Home Gym Flooring Over Hardwood Floors? Rubber mats are some of the best gym flooring over wood products because they’re thick enough to protect the existing wood floor from heavy workout equipment and don’t need glue or adhesive during installation. They also absorb noise.
- Can You Install Rubber Tiles Over a Wood Deck? Installing rubber tiles over an outdoor wood deck works well to protect the wood from the elements while creating a slip-resistant surface. It’s essential to avoid trapping moisture under the rubber, as this could cause long-term damage to the wood.
- How Do You Install Outdoor Tiles Over Wood Decks, and What Is the Best Way to Cover an Old Deck? Before installing tiles over a wood deck, inspect the condition of the wood, ensuring it’s sturdy enough to support the weight of the new tiles. If so, the best way to cover an old deck is often by using interlocking tiles that don’t require glue during installation and that most homeowners can handle as a DIY project.
- How Do You Install Marley Dance Floors Over Hardwood? To install a marley dance floor over existing hardwood floors, you don’t need an extra layer of material between the two, although you can add one. For extra comfort and protection for lower leg joints, consider adding cushioning using foam tiles or a roll of foam or rubber between the wood subfloor and the roll of vinyl marley dance floor.
- What’s the Best Home Gym Flooring Over Hardwood? The best home gym flooring to place over existing hardwood can consist of EVA foam, carpet-bonded foam, PVC plastic, or rubber. These durable materials can support the weight of exercise equipment while protecting the hardwood.
- What Is the Best Play Mat for Hardwood Floors? To use play mats over hardwood flooring, you can select thin mats for providing some comfort and protection against falls. When you want maximum protection against hard falls, fold-up foam mats, thick interlocking mats, and roll-out foam works nicely.
- Why Should You Use Carpet Tiles to Protect Your Hardwood Gymnasium Floor? Using carpet tiles over a hardwood gymnasium floor at a school, church, or athletic facility protects the wood from potential liquid spills and scratches from table and chair legs, all while delivering a non-slip surface.
Best Flooring Over Wood Products
Gym Floor Covering Carpet Tiles, 6 mm x 39-3/8x78-3/4 In
Use our Gym Floor Covering Carpet Tiles to protect a hardwood gymnasium floor during non-athletic events, such as concerts, awards ceremonies, dances, or craft fairs. These large tiles each cover 21.5 square feet, speeding up the installation process.
Premium Foam Kids and Gym Mats, 5/8 Inch x 2x2 Ft.
Our Premium Foam Kids and Gym Mats use puzzle-style edges to simplify the DIY installation process. You can mix and match the several different available colors to create an interesting layout.
Patio Outdoor Tiles, 1/2 Inch x 1x1 Ft.
To cover an existing wood deck that is starting to show its age, our Patio Outdoor Tiles consist of PVC plastic that’s durable and provides a little bit of cushioning. These tiles have perforations that allow rain to drain away, preventing puddles from forming on the surface of the material.
Perforated Black StayLock Tiles, 9/16 Inch x 1x1 Ft.
Perforated Black StayLock Tiles carry a fall height rating of up to 20 inches, protecting people who may fall on an outdoor deck, patio, or roof gathering area. These tiles are safe to use over the top of a rubber roof membrane.
Royal Interlocking Carpet Tiles, 5/8 Inch x 2x2 Ft.
When creating a carpeting layout over the top of a firm subfloor like wood, our Royal Interlocking Carpet puzzle-edge tiles are easy to install over hardwood, and they provide a comfortable surface with a foam backing layer.
Envee Rigid Core LVP Laminate Planks, 48 In x 7 In.
The Envee Rigid Core LVP Laminate Planks available at Greatmats are easy to install while creating a tight fit at the edges to keep dirt and water from penetrating through to the subfloor. Several different faux wood stain colors and faux stone designs are available.
Bump Top Colors StayLock Tiles, 9/16 Inch x 1x1 Ft.
For flooring over wood that provides a strong mixture of durability and cushioning, the Bump Top Colors StayLock Tiles from Greatmats are a popular choice. These PVC plastic tiles have hidden interlocking edges that create a sharp-looking final layout.
G-Floor Exercise Equipment Mats, 1.9 mm x 36x84 Inch
When you want to protect existing wood floors while exercising with machines, our G-Floor Exercise Equipment Mats work well. They’re lightweight and easy to move around while delivering a slip-resistant surface that won’t allow the exercise equipment to slide around during use.
Rosco Adagio Marley Rolls
Rosco Adagio Marley Rolls are available from Greatmats in custom-cut lengths (between 10 and 90 feet) and 5.25-foot widths. These marley rolls have an economical cost per square foot and work with both hard- and soft-soled dance shoes.
Flooring Over Wood Customer Installations
Greatmats Customer, Al
Greatmats customer Al wanted to upgrade his existing wood deck without incurring significant labor costs. He decided to breathe new life into the wood deck’s design by installing our interlocking tiles over the top of the wood.
Outdoor Deck Covering: Patio Outdoor Tiles
Upper Columbia Academy
At Upper Columbia Academy, school officials needed to cover the existing hardwood floor for events like a spring gala. Our carpet tiles protected the hardwood from damage while creating a cozier atmosphere for the non-athletic event.
Protective Hardwood Gym Floor Covering: Gym Floor Covering Carpet Tiles
Greatmats Customer, Eric
Greatmats customer Eric sought to create a home gymnasium where dropped weights would not damage the existing wood floor. Heavy-duty rubber tiles from Greatmats delivered the perfect solution with 1 inch of thickness that could absorb the impact of the weights.
Home Weightlifting Gym Flooring: Action Sport Rubber Gym Tiles
University of Michigan Taekwondo Club
The University of Michigan Taekwondo Club offers students and faculty members a chance to practice taekwondo on campus. The club bought more than 100 of our interlocking mats to create a large practice area for athletes of all skill levels with an emphasis on injury prevention.
Martial Arts Mats for Safety: Pro Taekwondo Martial Arts Mats
Greatmats Customers, Leona and Gen
When Greatmats customers Leona and Gen Sangalang sought to create a dance practice area for young Leona, they wanted to install a competition-quality marley floor that would duplicate the workout space at the studio. They covered a wood floor in the living room with a foam base layer and a marley roll.
At-Home Dance Floors: Rosco Reversible Dance Floor
Flooring over Wood Installation & Maintenance Videos
Installing Patio Outdoor Tiles Over a Wood Deck
How to Install Marley Dance Floors Over Hardwood
How to Install GymPro EcoRoll Gymnasium Carpet Cover













