When Would You Put Plywood Over Carpet?

You may choose to put plywood over carpet to provide stabilization under rubber or foam interlocking mats or to help in connecting snap-together tiles.

Greatmats has flooring tiles that can be installed over an existing carpeted subfloor, like modular tiles, home gym rubber tiles, playroom puzzle mats, and more. By first putting plywood down, the new flooring tiles will be more level and stable.

Removing the Carpet

The ideal solution for most products is to remove the carpet, especially soft and plush carpet. Most flooring options need a stable subsurface for best results. Plush carpet is too soft and can cause flooring installed over it to be unstable.


If you can't or don't want to remove the carpet, the next best option is to install plywood over the top of the carpet, providing a more stable surface for the flooring that you want to install.

Plywood With Rubber Flooring Tiles Over Carpet

There are many different flooring products from Greatmats that can be used over a plywood-covered carpeted floor. Of the many different options, here are two of the more popular rubber options:

Interlocking rubber tiles are a great option to install on plywood over carpet. These tiles are usually 2x2 or 3x3 feet in size. Available in a wide variety of thicknesses and color options, the interlocking tiles are simple to install with the puzzle-style edges.

Once installed, these rubber tiles will stay put, lie flat, and not move or curl. They are suitable for a home or commercial gym setting, and they will withstand heavy use and abuse. The tiles are made in the USA of recycled rubber material.



Rolled rubber flooring is another popular choice for home gym flooring. These rolls can be installed over a hard surface. Double-sided tape can be used for a no-glue install option.

Rubber rolls are made with recycled rubber material. Most rolls feature a thickness of 1/4 inch up to 1/2 inch.

Plywood With Foam Tiles Over Carpet

There are many different foam solutions from Greatmats that can be used over a plywood-covered carpeted floor. Of the many different options, here are two of the more popular foam options:
Although you can use any foam puzzle mats over the carpet once the plywood is in place, the featured products mentioned will give you great results. Both of these products have a number of benefits and features, and you can’t go wrong if you choose one of them.

Just keep in mind that if you have a reversible foam tile, you’ll want to use pretty smooth plywood to avoid having protruding pieces of the plywood puncture or scrape the underside of the foam tiles.

Foam Tiles Wood Grain are premium, faux wood foam tiles that sit nicely on plywood over carpet surfaces. This product is a blend of comfort and aesthetic appeal, and they truly resemble realistic, rich hardwood. Unlike hardwood, these tiles are waterproof. They are also free of latex and lead.

With many different wood grain patterns to choose from, along with grey and black, these tiles complement any decor or style preference. They are quick to install and can be used in virtually any area of the home.



Foam Kids and Gym Mats 5/8 Premium is an affordable flooring option that works well on plywood over carpet. It’s a product that can affordably transform any space into a vibrant, safe, and cushioned one.

Each of these foam mats is ⅝ inch thick and provides thermal insulation, noise suppression, and waterproof qualities. The tiles are also stain-resistant and shock-absorbing, and they interlock to connect like pieces of a puzzle do.

These foam tiles come in bright colors. They feature a robust thatch surface texture that can withstand constant use while resisting scuffing.

Best Tiles Directly Over Carpet

For interlocking tiles that can be installed directly over low-pile carpet, consider a raised base tile. StayLock Bump Top and Orange Peel Tiles are commonly used in home gyms with carpet. The StayLock Tiles feature a raised base and tight-fitting interlocks.

We also offer options for dance floors over carpet. EZ Portable Dance Floor Tile is a popular option for tap dancing over carpet. Also, consider using our court tiles installed with a marley dance floor over carpet for ballet practice.

These types of tiles work best over low-pile carpet. Results can vary based on the padding and plushness of the carpet.

Greatmats - For Specialty Flooring

There are so many different types of flooring products at Greatmats that can be placed over a layer of plywood over carpet. From home dance studio flooring and martial arts flooring to additional foam and rubber products.


If you have questions about how to use any of the featured or other products with plywood, just reach out to the friendly and helpful staff at Greatmats. They can answer questions, send samples, and assist with ordering.

When you’re ready to purchase flooring, let the staff at Greatmats go to work for you!