Gym rubber flooring has become one of the most sought-after surfacing products, with fitness becoming more and more popular in today’s society. Within the past two decades, going to the gym has been an integral part of life for millions of people in the US. According to Statista.com, more that 54 million Americans were members of one of the roughly 34 thousand fitness centers in America. However, this number is not quite accurate as many prefer to work out at home. Rubber-Cal appreciates this healthy trend, which is why we offer a diverse line of rubber workout mats that provide necessary floor protection against abrasive and heavy fitness equipment for your home’s floors while providing enhanced levels of comfort and traction for high intensity workouts.

What is the Best Flooring for a Home Gym?

Rubber is the best flooring type for a home gym due to its versatility, protection and comfort qualities. Rubber-Cal’s line of gym rubber flooring features a variety of different rubbers. Rubber flooring for gym use can be made of natural, synthetic, recycled, or reclaimed rubber or, sometimes, a blend of two types of elastomers. Natural, recycled, and reclaimed rubbers are eco-friendly and affordable options that offer great durability. This eco-friendliness and durability are both traits that gym rubber flooring get from the automobile tires they are made from. Designed to be rugged and long-lasting, tires make for the perfect origin material for workout mats. However, they lack the chemical resistance properties of synthetic rubbers. Synthetic rubbers offer enhanced strength and durability as well as resistance to chemicals while keeping the original qualities that are naturally found in rubber. Regardless of the type of rubber you choose, their basic protective qualities as gym rubber flooring are superb.

1. What is Gym Rubber Flooring Used for?

Both home and commercial gyms can be exposed to heavy fitness machines and equipment that can damage, not only the flooring it is on but the machine and equipment themselves. Gym rubber flooring can help with that and so much more! In addition to floor and equipment protection, rubber also has the ability to retain its traction ability even when moisture in present thanks to its high coefficient of friction. This provides anti-slip qualities that will help keep your feet and equipment firmly planted on the floor to prevent accidental slips and falls. Additionally, as an elastomer, rubber is able to provide comfort and noise reduction properties as they are able to absorb the force of impact and dampen the hum of vibrations.

1(a). Floor and Equipment Protection

The most important reason for using gym rubber flooring is for floor protection. Both the existing surfaces of your workout area and the equipment need to be protected as gym equipment tend to be very heavy and abrasive so, it is necessary to place some sort of cushiony barrier between them and your floors. Without workout mats in place, the sheer weight of these machines can grind down on sensitive surfaces and cause damage in the form of discoloration, markings and serious cracks. Wooden flooring that lacks any kind of protective gym rubber flooring is very susceptible to such damage; even seemingly hard surfaces like concrete can suffer a degree of degradation. Despite the massive damage rattling fitness equipment can do to your flooring, the damage can also go both ways. Proper gym rubber flooring additionally provides two-fold protection for both machines and flooring due to its vibration ablative properties. Workout equipment can suffer damage on bare floors that lack rubber athletic surfaces. Some machines vibrate a lot or make hard contact with the ground and the resulting friction can damage a machine. The cost of repairing damage to both existing surfaces and fitness equipment can be very high, which is why we recommend using rubber gym equipment mats.

1(b). Traction

Gym rubber flooring also helps to protect one other important aspect of a gym: you. It is very important to stay safe while exercising. Our workout mats are designed to keep you sage on your feet while doing movement intensive exercises. Rubber is excellent for use in athletic surfaces because it comes with a high level of friction that will keep you and your equipment from slipping or shifting when exercising. Additionally, as you are working out, the rubber surface may be splattered with sweat or a spilled drink but, with gym rubber mats, those liquids will not cause any damage to the surface as they can be easily wiped away. Our rubber flooring for gym areas will help provide more traction to your feet. Some types of out gym rubber flooring are designed with special surface textures that enhance the rubber’s natural traction capabilities. Anti-slip safety is crucial to keeping you and your guests safe in your fitness center.

1(c). Comfort

Beyond the security provided by better traction, the rubber in our gym equipment mats is designed to provide comfort. Exercise can eventually wear you down and pressure is known to build up in the leg joints or lower back area and cause pain. Some of our gym rubber flooring options are designed specifically with anti-fatigue properties in mind for even the most intense workouts such as cross-fit exercises. Without reliable anti-fatigue support and comfort, your discomfort may end up in a painful accident. After using our rubber as athletic surfaces, you will be glad they are there.

1(d). Noise Reduction

Another feature about our gym rubber flooring you are sure to appreciate is their ability to absorb vibration and dampen sound. If you have ever been to a commercial gym, one of the things that may stand out to you is the noise of the place; even home gyms can be noisy due to the vibrations emitted by various at-home fitness machines or equipment when in use. To counter this noise, many gym goers often turn the volume of their headphones and earbuds up. Gym rubber flooring can provide a better solution though. To counter this noise, many gym goers often plug in a pair of headphones and crank up the music; however, gym rubber flooring can provide a better solution. Some gym equipment mats are meant to be placed under machines such as treadmills and ellipticals to help reduce the overall noise levels in your fitness area. Rubber spreads the vibrations of the machine over the athletic surfaces of the workout mats to help keep your home gym quieter.

2. Different Forms of Athletic Surfaces

Rubber flooring for gym use is available in several different forms and different thicknesses for the more intensive workouts. You can opt for a roll of gym rubber flooring to cover larger surfaces or smaller workout mats to simply cover specific areas. Another option when it comes to rubber flooring for gym use is interlocking tiles which is popular for their easy customizable sizing. Finally, pre-cut mats are available specifically to be placed under single fitness machines to provide padding for the flooring underneath. Whether you are looking to cover a large space or a smaller space, there is a form of gym rubber flooring that is best suited for your needs.

2(a). Gym Matting Rolls

Gym rubber flooring rolls are ideal for covering large areas of space with many fitness machines and equipment out and about being used. These mats are generally used in commercial gyms because they have larger spaces, but they can be used residentially as well since they have customizable length options. These rubber rolls can be cut to a custom length up to 50 consecutive feet meaning that they can be used for smaller applications and not limited to larger spaces. Additionally, gym matting rolls are sturdy flooring options for gyms as they are meant to be permanently installed in commercial gyms; however, they can be installed using double-sided tape for a less rigorous application.

2(b). Interlocking Gym Rubber Flooring

Interlocking tiles are the most mobile form of rubber flooring for gym. These are especially easy to install, even by a single person, due to their manageable size. They are also the most customizable form of gym mats available. Simply add more tiles to create a larger mat or remove some tiles to create a smaller mat. They come with the added benefit of allowing you to replace single tiles if they suffer more wear than others and end up damaged.

2(c). Pre-Cut Workout Mats

Pre-cut workout mats are usually made for a specific application. For instance, gym equipment mats are available to be places specifically underneath fitness machines such as treadmills or ellipticals to protect the subflooring as well as reduce the amount of noise produced. They are available in a couple different sizes to ensure that even unusually large equipment can still fit on top of the mat. Pre-cut workout mats are also great for floor exercises as they can provide a cushiony barrier for added comfort.

How Can Gym Rubber Flooring Save You Money?

Fitness centers, both residential and commercial, are expensive to set up. Gym rubber flooring is a great investment for long-term protection thanks to the long-life of rubber and its variations. The cost of repairing damage to existing surfaces like hardwood and workout equipment can be astronomically high. Even seemingly-resilient surfaces can be protected by installing proper athletic surfaces and gym equipment mats. Concrete is a very popular subfloor used by gymnasiums everywhere and, despite its hard and rough nature, it is still susceptible to damage under the right conditions. The cost of repairs for repairing even the most minor of cracks can be as high as several hundred dollars. As a consumer, would you rather routinely pay hundreds of dollars in reparations or would you rather install a cost-effective set of gym rubber flooring and avoid the problem altogether?

Rubber gym equipment mats are a cost-effective way to safeguard against damages while also keeping you safe and comfortable. Gym rubber flooring can also save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in repairing expensive subflooring or in constantly replacing gym mats made of other, less durable materials. Whether your athletic surfaces are made of chemical-resistant synthetic rubber or eco-friendly recycled rubber, you can rest assured that you will be getting the safest and most efficient workout.