School Gym Mats

Certain athletic activities at schools or private gymnasiums can be dangerous without the proper level of padding. School gym mats can provide the safest possible area for workouts for athletes.

These padded mats work well in cheerleading studios, gymnastics studios, martial arts studios, and more. Some of these mats work as flooring, creating a safe landing spot as athletes participate in practices. Greatmats also offers school gym mats that cover support posts or that mount to the wall for protection against collisions.

Size and Shape Options

Our protective mats for sale are available in a wide range of sizes. Customers can select the size of mat that will match the planned use case, whether it is for flooring or protection over a wall.


Portable mats for use on the floor often measure between 4x6 feet and 6x12 feet. Customers can lay these mats side by side to create a larger space for protecting athletes as they land on the floor. Some of these types of mats will fold up for storage or to create a thicker landing area.

Greatmats also offers rolls of pads for use on the floor, where customers can order a custom-cut length (with an order of 15 feet of length typically representing the minimum). A roll like this often has 6 feet in width.

Mats for support posts and walls are also available in multiple sizes. Mats for poles and walls can range in height from 1 foot to 8 feet. Wall mats typically measure between 2 and 4 feet in width. The width of a post mat will depend on the diameter of the post.

Material Options

The majority of our elementary school gym mats will consist of a durable vinyl cover that maintains the shape and integrity of the mat.


The interior of the mat has a polyethylene foam that collapses under the weight of a collision but bounces back to its original shape quickly. This kind of foam will largely absorb the force of the impact, protecting the athletes as much as possible.

The vinyl-covered mat works for flooring, post padding, and wall padding.

Some rolls will have a carpet or vinyl top layer that’s bonded to the polyethylene foam on the bottom layer.

Pattern and Texture Options

School gym mats that contain a vinyl cover will not have a texture over the top. The smooth vinyl material will be easy to wipe down with a rag for cleaning.


For cheerleading and gymnastics runway mats where athletes need to make a run before attempting a stunt, customers may prefer a carpet-top mat. This type of mat provides more traction for the runway than a vinyl mat.

Customers can select these high-performance mats in nearly any color. Although blue is the most common color for the vinyl cover, many other colors are available, depending on the type of mat selected, including:

• Green
  
• Gray
  
• Black
  
• Orange
  
• Pink
  
• Red
  
• Tan
  
• White
  
• Yellow
  
• Purple

Some schools may prefer to try to match the color of the mat's cover to the school's colors for its athletic teams.

Common Use Options

Schools and athletic facilities use these mats most frequently to reduce injury risk. When working on gymnastics equipment, these school gym mats will protect the athlete in case of a fall from a height. Crash mats are especially thick for protection while doing flips and other difficult stunts.


In a multipurpose gym, including PE classes, pads against the wall can protect the kids from collisions. Schools often hang the mats on the wall behind a basketball goal, protecting players.

In a martial arts studio that doubles as a yoga studio or cheerleading studio, having foldable and portable versions of these school gym mats on hand can be handy. Instructors can then move these mats into place whenever needed, rather than installing padded mats throughout the studio.

Installation Options

When hanging these mats against the wall, installers will need to use the included bracket system to secure the mats. One portion of the bracket attaches to the wall, while the other portion attaches to the back of the mat.


For a mat made to wrap around a support post, the mat should contain hook-and-loop-lined edge flaps that attach to secure the mat in place.

Pads made to provide cushioning on the floor will have a portable design. Installers can move them into and out of place as needed. They are large enough that they should not slide around under stress.

Cleaning and Maintenance Requirements

When cleaning a vinyl-covered school mat on the floor or the wall, customers can wipe it down with a rag and a neutral pH cleaner. Allow it to air dry.


With a carpet-top mat, customers can run a gentle vacuum cleaner over the top for basic cleaning. Additionally, because of the low pile height of the carpet top, a broom may do the job adequately. Brooms will clean debris from vinyl top mats too.