Why You Should Not Buy 4x6 Ft x Rubber Stall Mats for Home Gym

Although 4x6 rubber stall mats with 3/4 inches of thickness have quite a few advantages in the right use case, these are not always the best choice, especially for a home gym workout space. 4x6 rubber stall mats are sometimes used in home gyms because they are cheap and readily available at local farm supply stores. However, one of the biggest regrets that people have about these mats is the smell. 4x6 rubber mats have a high odor and the off-gassing can take awhile. If the space is not well-ventilated, the odor can spread throughout the house.

A common alternative is 3/8-inch rubber flooring. Some of the biggest reasons to go with 3/8-inch-thick rubber tiles or rubber rolls instead include:

• 3/8-inch flooring are a nice cost-saving alternative
  
• 3/8 mats can protect the subfloor from dropped weight up to 150 pounds, which is plenty for many use cases at home
  
• With rubber bumper plates often in use now in CrossFit workouts, 3/8 mats are more than adequate for subfloor protection
  
• 3/8 flooring has multiple configurations available, including rolls or interlocked tiles
  
• 4x6 rubber mats can shift and slide
  
• 3/8 mats are easier to cut to fit a special size
  
• low-odor options for rubber flooring designed specifically for gym use
  
• Shipping costs for 4x6 rubber mats often necessitate large minimum orders and freight delivery

The thinner designs are easier to manipulate into place than the 4x6 rubber mats with 3/4 inches of thickness as well. The piece of thicker matting can weigh around 100 pounds, making it difficult for one person to do the installation alone. The 3/8-inch pad for sale would have about half as much weight at 4 by 6 feet.

What Are Some Uses for 3/8 Inch Rolls of Rubber?

Commercial gymnasiums appreciate the value and large coverage area they receive with a roll of 3/8-inch rubber versus 4x6 rubber mats. Home workout spaces also can make use of these rolls for a variety of reasons, including:

• Sound dampening
  
• Subtle insulation against cold concrete
  
• Subfloor protection against heavy objects

Rolls of rubber allow for versatility during installation, as installers can place them directly over concrete, ceramic, and other hard and flat surfaces. For a temporary install, adhere the roll using double-sided floor tape. Use glue for a permanent installation.

As another difference from 4x6 rubber mats, these rolls have a base black color with color flecks embedded. The 4x6 rubber stall mats only appear in black.

Select among more than a dozen color options with the 3/8 Inch Color Geneva Rubber Flooring Roll. The selected color fleck appears in a 10% concentration against the black background.



There’s also an all-black option with the 3/8 Inch Black Geneva Rubber Flooring Roll. It measures 4 feet in width, and customers can select a custom cut length of between 25 and 100 feet.



Understand that this type of rolled rubber isn’t designed for anti-fatigue relief, as it has an extremely firm consistency. Each of these rolls consists of recycled rubber to create an environmentally friendly product.

Are Interlocking 3/8 Inch Rubber Tiles Good for Home Gyms?

For those who want to cover a smaller space, such as for a home gym in a spare bedroom, rolls may not be the best choice. It may be difficult to maneuver the roll into a confined space like a bedroom. Instead, consider a 3/8-inch-thick interlocking tile. These tiles offer between 3.5 and 15 square feet per tile, which means setting up a precise coverage space takes very little time.


For the easiest tiles to carry and maneuver into place at 8 pounds each, consider the Interlocking Rubber Floor Tiles Gmats Light Gray 2x2 Foot product. The top layer of this rubberized tile has a smooth surface that provides just the right level of grip for those working out on it.



At 18.5 pounds each, the Geneva Rubber Tile 3x3 Foot product still works for a DIY install, although the process goes a little faster with more than one person involved. Manufacturers use block rubber to precisely cut each of these tiles, which ensures they will not curl at the edges. Due to the 3x3 foot size, this is ideal for large home gyms.



The Rubber Tile Interlocking 10% Color CrossTrain Pacific product has unique color options for a more personalized look to your home gym. These are also 2x2 foot interlocking tiles.



These 3/8-inch interlocking units are all smaller than 4x6 rubber mats, which simplifies the process of laying them out inside a room for weightlifting or other athletic workouts.

Additionally, because the precisely cut interlocking edges fit tightly, installers do not need adhesive to put them together. Quickly lay out the interlocking rubber floor for the workout and disassemble the tiles afterward to return to the original subfloor.