Rubber Gym Flooring, Rubber Gym Mats, Gym Flooring Rubber and Foam

Most Frequently Asked Questions About Rubber Gym Flooring

Does rubber gym flooring have a strong smell?

Vulcanized gym rubber flooring can have a strong odor, especially when it's installed in an indoor space. For indoor installations, you may want to use non-vulcanized rubber, which has a milder smell.

What is the cheapest rubber gym flooring?

Rolled rubber is the most economical option, especially when you're performing an installer in a larger room or area. Regrind and confetti rolled rubber are usually the most affordable rolled rubber options, especially when the color flecks are not tightly controlled.

How thick should rubber gym flooring be?

Rubber is available in a number of different thicknesses, but the thickness really becomes a concern when you're using the flooring in areas where heavy weights will be dropped, such as in Olympic free weight lifting facilities. If you're working with significant weights, then be sure to choose rubber mats that are at least 3/4 inches thick. The thicker the flooring, the more shock absorption and protection it can offer to your subfloor.

How do you cut rubber gym flooring?

Gym rubber flooring can be cut to fit with a sharp utility knife and a straight edge to guide your cut. To make a cut, you'll need to make a series of shallow scores until you cut all the way through the flooring. If you're working with thicker rubber, then place a 2x4 board underneath the mat. Position the board so that it's on the edge of your cut, and the rubber that hangs over will help to open up the cut. This process makes it easier to make your cuts.

How To Clean Rubber Gym Floor Mats

1. Vacuum with a rotating brush vacuum.
2. Use a nylon mop with warm water and a mild neutral pH cleaner for stubborn areas.
3. Use Pinesol or Simple Green to help reduce rubber odor.
4. Mop thoroughly to prevent residue build up.
5. Petroleum-based cleaners or those containing a wax agent should be avoided.

The Benefits of a Rubber Gym Floor

Our rubber floor options are suitable for both home and commercial gym use. They can also be used in middle school, high school, college, and professional fitness facilities.

Most of the products here are intended for indoor use, but some of our rubber products can also be installed outdoors.

Top Benefits of Using Rubber Gym Flooring

1. Durable flooring can withstand both home and commercial applications, and will last for years so you get the most out of your investment
2. Versatility - rubber flooring comes in a wide variety of thicknesses, sizes, color choices, and installation types, so you'll have many options to choose from and can likely find just what you're looking for
3. Affordability - rubber is one of the most inexpensive types of gym flooring, so choosing a rubber floor can help you to come in under budget
4. Sound dampening properties make your workout environment more enjoyable for you, your athletes, and any businesses surrounding your gym
5. Shock absorbing - rubber flooring is a more forgiving surface than a concrete subfloor, and athletes are sure to feel this difference both during and after a hard workout
6. Environmentally friendly - most gym floor mats are made from recycled rubber, so it's an eco-friendly option

We're proud to stock a wide selection of gym rubber flooring options, including rubber gym mats, rolled rubber flooring, and interlocking rubber tiles for gyms. Here are some more details on why rubber is so ideal for use in gyms, and why you may want to invest in a rubber flooring product for your own gym.

Durability
A rubber floor offers extreme durability. Rubber is strong enough to withstand high traffic and use, and it can also support heavy exercise equipment, like treadmills and weight training equipment. This extreme durability makes rubber ideal for multipurpose athletic rooms where strength matters. Because rubber is so long-lasting, you can invest with confidence, knowing that your floor will be functional for decades to come, even under high degrees of commercial traffic.

Versatility
Rubber flooring is available in countless options, so you'll be able to find a variety of products that are suitable for your project. Choose from various sizes, thicknesses, color choices, and even installation types so that you can find a flooring option that will work best for your situation and needs.

Affordability
Whether you're working within a tight budget or are just trying to save money, rubber gym floor mats may be the solution. These mats are affordable and a smart economical choice. Rubber tiles are easy enough to install that you may be able to perform the whole installation on your own. For larger installations, rolled rubber can be a more economical choice.

Sound Dampening
With clanging weights, loud music, and multiple conversations, gyms are loud spaces by nature. Weight rooms can also be particularly noisy. Rubber flooring helps to dampen sounds in gyms, making the space a quieter environment that's more enjoyable for athletes, trainers, and staff.

Shock Absorbing
Most gyms are built with a concrete subfloor, but concrete isn't really ideal for a gym. Concrete is cold and hard, which is uncomfortable and unhealthy for athletes. Rubber mats can create a buffer between the concrete and the athletes, and helps to soften the impact that affects athletes' bones and joints. Because rubber is so dense you may not be able to feel a difference by just walking on the floor, but as you work out, you'll find that your body will thank you for this more forgiving surface.

While rubber absorbs shock and protects your body from the concrete floor, its shock absorbing properties also help to protect the subfloor from the impact of dropped weights. Just think of the damage that dropped dumbbells, barbells, and kettlebells could cause to your subfloor if it's not protected. A rubber floor helps to absorb the shock of the impact, and is a worthwhile investment to protect your subfloor.

Environmentally Friendly
If you want to feel great about your flooring choices, then rubber material is the way to go. Our rubber flooring is environmentally-friendly, and is made from recycled rubber. Rubber flooring is often made from used vehicle tires, so this renewable flooring actually helps to keep thousands of pounds of tires out of landfills each year.

Ready to start looking for the perfect flooring product for your gym? We've created a brief overview of our different rubber products below to help you out.

Puzzle Rubber Gym Floor Mats

Puzzle-style interlocking rubber tiles tend to be one of the most popular flooring options for gyms. Rubber is naturally dense and heavy, so rubber flooring can weigh quite a bit. These smaller tiles are more manageable, especially if you'll be installing the flooring yourself. Our 2x2 or 3x3 foot rubber tiles mean you won't have to deal with large, heavy rubber rolls, and the tiles can easily be carried through doorways, stairwells, and other tight areas.

Rubber flooring tiles help to reduce the amount of product that will be wasted during an installation, and this is particularly true when you compare the tiles to rubber rolls or mats. With tiles, you can expand your floor in the future just by adding on more tiles. You can also remove tiles or change up the shape of your floor by repositioning the tiles.

There's no adhesive needed to install rubber tiles, and if you add or remove tiles you won't damage the floor. For wall-to-wall installations you can cut the tiles to fit using a sharp utility knife. If you're performing an island installation, then you may want to invest in the rubber tiles that come with border strips to create clean, finished edges.

Since these rubber tiles have a modular design, the weight of each individual tile is reduced. This lighter weight makes the tiles more manageable, and just one or two people can perform the installation on their own. To install the tiles, all you have to do is line them up and push their seams together like puzzle pieces. The tiles connect securely and won't pull apart while in use.

These 2x2 foot tiles are available in a variety of thicknesses, and depending on the tiles' thickness, they weigh between 3 and 22 pounds each. Our puzzle interlocking tiles are available in thicknesses ranging from 1/4 to 3/4 inches thick, so you can choose the thickness that's right for your needs. The tiles are available in all black and color fleck options that are up to 90 percent color. We also offer a 3/4-inch-thick 4x6-foot interlocking mat that provides significant coverage.

Because rubber tiles are smaller, they're conveniently sized and easier to handle than larger rubber flooring options. When choosing rubber tiles, make sure that you order tiles that are thick enough to withstand the amount of traffic and use that your gym will see.

• If your gym floor mat has mostly foot traffic or machines, a thinner rubber floor can be just fine.
• Most weight rooms need a thicker floor to provide enough protection and shock absorption, especially if weights will be dropped.

When you choose a floor that is thick enough to help protect your gym floor, you'll be preserving the life of your subfloor as well as the longevity of the rubber gym floor, itself.

Rubber Gym Floor Mats

Rubber gym floor mats make a versatile option that can be used in any gym. These mats can cover larger areas, but are more often used in smaller spaces and rooms. Rubber mats tend to be more affordable than interlocking tiles of the same size, meaning that you can potentially save money if you're able to use rubber mats instead of tiles.

These rubber mats usually measure 4x6 feet. They have straight edges and can be dry laid because of their significant weight. These mats come in a variety of different thicknesses, and are often used in Olympic lifting areas because of the excellent shock absorption the thicker mats provide. We recommend you use mats that are at least 3/4 inches thick in these higher impact areas.

Rubber gym mats are both dense and heavy; a 3/4-inch-thick 4x6-foot mat can weigh more than 90 pounds. The weight means that you'll likely need multiple people to help with the installation, but once installed the mats are so heavy that they won't easily shift about. Most gyms dry lay their mats.

Our 4x6-foot rubber mats are available in 3/8 inch, 1/2 inch, and 3/4 inch thicknesses, with the thicker mats offering more shock absorption and protection. The mats are usually black, but are also available in a natural color. Some mats may have a stronger rubber smell than others, depending on how they are manufactured.

These straight edged mats can be placed on top of existing flooring to provide additional protection. You can reinforce areas where weights may be dropped, or use these mats beneath heavy gym equipment or in areas that see particularly heavy traffic. If you need to cover a large area, you can place the mats up against each other.

If you're looking for a more stable interlocking surface, then our 4x6 foot by 3/4-inch Sundance Interlocking rubber mats may better suit your needs. The mats interlock together tightly, so you can create a stable surface suitable for installation in a larger room or area. These mats offer insulation against cold and damp subfloors, and they even help to buffer noise. Made of 100 percent recycled rubber, these mats are an eco-friendly choice. They're often used to create the highly durable floors that you see in CrossFit gyms.

Rolled Rubber Gym Floors

Rolled rubber is another popular gym flooring option, and is often used because of its affordability. Rolled rubber is great for larger installation, because it reduces the number of seams left in your finished flooring when compared to smaller rubber tiles.

The installation process itself is simple, but you will need multiple people to help transport and handle the rolls, which are large and heavy. You can dry lay rolled rubber, but a tape or glue down installation makes for a more permanent option. Depending on the space that you're working with and how you position the rubber, you may be left with more leftover material than you would see if you were working with smaller tiles.

At Greatmats, we offer a variety of rolled rubber in different sizes and thicknesses, meaning we have options that are suitable for many different projects. The smaller rolls are 4x10 feet in size and measure 1/4 inch thick. These rolls weigh as little as 60 pounds each, and are a great option for use underneath gym equipment. They can be shipped directly to your door for convenience.

Our larger rolls can measure 25 or 50 feet long, and they're suitable for larger projects, like flooring entire rooms. However, because these rolls are larger, they're also significantly heavier; a 25-foot-long 8mm-thick roll weighs about 190 pounds. You'll definitely need multiple people on hand to help transport and install these larger rubber rolls.

Don't forget that you can also order rolled rubber in custom-cut lengths. With these custom sized pieces you won't have to worry about cutting the floor or dealing with leftover material. This option can make for a faster, simpler installation.

While you'll find that there are different lengths, widths, and thicknesses to choose from, you'll also need to consider the different rubber densities when selecting the product that's right for you. Plyometric rolled rubber is a low-density rubber flooring. It has a little more cushion than traditional rubber rolls offer, and is popular for use with plyometric exercises. Gyms often use plyometric rubber in areas where the workouts will include a lot of jumping.

Rubber Gym Paver Tiles

If you like the idea of puzzle style interlocking tiles but want something a little bit different, then consider our rubber gym pavers. These tiles are highly versatile and can even be used outdoors. Pavers connect together using different interlocking systems to create a stable, united surface. You'll find that some pavers have a lap joint style interlock, and others have a pin mechanism that holds the tiles together.

You'll find rubber pavers available in a variety of thicknesses ranging from 1 inch up to 2.75-inch. They're available in both black and full color options, and ramped borders (sold separately) are also available for some models.

CrossFit-Friendly Gym Flooring

CrossFit training centers have unique needs when it comes to their flooring. Because of the intense use that these gyms see, their flooring needs to be strong, highly durable, and capable of withstanding repeated dropping of heavy weights. Most CrossFit gyms opt for rubber gym flooring because it helps to absorb shock and is also highly durable. Additionally, rubber flooring is slip resistant, and offers sound and thermal insulation for a more comfortable gym environment.

Rubber flooring offers benefits for the athletes, too. It helps to reduce the stresses and impacts that intense workouts have on the body, especially when a lot of jumping is involved. The flooring is both firm and forgiving so athletes don't lose output during heavy lifts because of a floor that is too heavily cushioned.

CrossFit facilities often use rubber gym mats for weightlifting areas. The highly durable mats help to absorb the shock of dropped weights, so they're a great choice for high-performance facilities that see heavy traffic and use.

Rubber mats help to protect CrossFit subfloors from dropped heavy weights, and the thicker 1/2-inch mats offer particularly good shock absorption. Interlocking thicker mats are also available, so gym owners can create larger surfaces that won't shift during use. These larger floors offer superior subfloor protection even for gyms that see heavy use.

For areas where burpees, push-ups, handstands, and other exercises are conducted, consider our smooth surfaced rolled rubber flooring. This rolled rubber makes for a surface that is more forgiving when an athlete's skin comes into contact with it. You can even install thinner rolled rubber in multiple layers to create a thicker floor that offers additional protection.

Rubber Composition

In most instances, rubber flooring is black, but there are other choices that you can choose from, too. Black rubber flooring is made from recycled rubber and is eco-friendly. In some cases, you'll find that the black rubber contains color flecks. These flecks are made of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), a synthetic rubber, and they provide some variety in the flooring's appearance.

When shopping for rolled rubber, you'll be able to choose from black, natural, color flecked, and confetti options. Scraps from colored rolls are reground into black rubber to make the confetti style.
Rubber floor tiles come in a number of different color percentages, though most of the tiles are black.

Rubber mats are usually available only in black.

Rubber Thickness

Rubber flooring comes in many different thicknesses, and 3/8-inch tends to be the most popular thickness for gym use. Eight-millimeter (approximately .32 inch) is also being used more frequently, since it can accommodate heavy static gym equipment and tends to be a more economical choice than some of the thicker rubber options. These thinner rubber floors are most suitable for home gyms and commercial facilities where weights are not being dropped.

For free weightlifting areas and gym floors that will see heavy use, we recommend a 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch rubber gym mat flooring to adequately protect the subfloor. These thicker options provide better shock absorption. The heavier the weights and the more often that they're dropped, the thicker the flooring you will need in order to properly protect your subfloor.

Rubber flooring that is installed in weight rooms will see more demanding use than your average flooring located in other areas of the gym will see. This means that your weight room's flooring may have a shorter lifespan than the rest of your gym's flooring. Most rubber flooring is guaranteed for at least 5 years, but also has an expected lifespan of 10 years or longer. Re-vulcanized rubber is more durable than non-vulcanized rubber, so it's a good investment for weight rooms.

Alternatives to Rubber Gym Floors

We offer many different flooring options that can be used in gyms. With dense rubber, soft foam, durable polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and even multi-functional carpet tiles, you'll have plenty of options to choose from.

While rubber is the heaviest and most durable flooring, foam tiles are lightweight and forgiving and can be ideal for multipurpose spaces and aerobic floors. PVC flooring also provides plenty of cushion, and is somewhere in between rubber and foam in terms of its cushion and durability. Carpet tiles can also be used in areas where you have stationary exercise equipment.

PVC StayLock tiles are often used in place of rubber flooring. These tiles offer great cushion, so they're popular for areas for aerobics or weight training. The tiles are waterproof and easy to clean, and are available in bump top and orange peel surfaces. PVC tiles offer the same benefits that you see in high-end ergonomic flooring, but you'll have plenty of choices of colors and patterns when you use these tiles.

PVC tiles are highly durable, but they're also forgiving enough to make a comfortable floor for aerobics. The raised vinyl tiles and modular PVC tiles can both be installed over carpeting if needed. The raised-base design lets both air and moisture circulate beneath the tiles, which speeds drying to help prevent mold and mildew growth.

If you're looking for a luxurious appearance but need your flooring to be high-performing, our modular vinyl-topped snap-together tiles may be a great fit. They're available in sleek wood grain and stone designs that are striking and realistic. These long-lasting tiles create a beautiful finished surface that looks highly professional and can elevate the appearance of any gym.

For home gyms, Pebble Gym Floor Mats offer durability with the benefit of being lightweight and easy to install. The mats are strong enough so that they can be used beneath heavy exercise equipment. Made of a high-density ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foam, the mats won't become indented by a heavy piece of home equipment. Both lead and latex-free, the mats are easy to clean and are waterproof. They're ideal for home gym use.

Because foam tiles make a softer surface than rubber, they're preferred for use in home exercise rooms, floor exercises, martial arts, basement floors, and more. Foam tiles come in varying thicknesses ranging from 10mm to 1-5/8-inches thick. You can choose from a wide range of colors and styles, which gives you creative freedom over the appearance of your home gym. Affordable and easy to install, these tiles ship via ground service and arrive right at your front door.

Installation and Care

Most of the rubber mats for gym use can be installed without professional help. Interlocking tiles are simple to install, because of their convenient size and the fact that they need no adhesive.

Rolled rubber can be dry laid for simplicity, but when your installation covers more than 400 square feet, it's recommended that you use a glue or tape down method. Rolled rubber can be heavy, so be sure to have multiple people on hand to help.

When installing our modular and snap-together plastic floor tiles on a concrete floor, you'll need an underlayment to cushion the floor.

For wall-to-wall installations, you can use a utility knife to cut most flooring materials to fit. This also allows you to install flooring around an obstacle, like a pole.

Our gym floors are designed to be easy to clean. It's important to keep both foam and rubber flooring clean of dirt in order to preserve their lifespan. You can clean foam flooring with a common household floor cleaner. For rubber, use a neutral pH floor cleaner.

Shipping

Most of our flooring products ship via freight delivery, though smaller orders may be able to be shipped via FedEx or UPS. Ground deliveries to your door usually save you some money when compared to the cost of freight deliveries.

If your flooring is shipped via freight, you will need to be available to meet the truck at the delivery time.