[UPDATED in 2025]
Choosing your gym flooring is one of the most important steps when building a home gym. Yet, often flooring falls to the bottom of the priority list in the excitement of buying equipment and filling out your new space. The right gym flooring will provide the safest possible foundation for exercise. Quality gym flooring is worth the investment. It will help your home gym to last for years and stand the test of time.
Here are six of the best options for your home gym flooring:
- Rubber fitness tiles
- Rubber fitness rolls
- Interlocking gym tiles
- Vinyl home gym flooring
- Sprint tracks
- Foam flooring
Home Gym Flooring Essentials
You need to lay the groundwork for a successful personal workout space. That starts with the floor that you will be walking and sweating on. You might currently have a concrete floor, but in the long-term, that’s not going to be enough. Poor traction and shock absorbency mean you will be more prone to injury, falls, and slips. Concrete flooring is very unforgiving on your gym equipment. It’s a good idea to choose a fitness-friendly floor.
When shopping around for home gym flooring, you want to look out for certain qualities like:
- Durable
- Shock absorption
- Anti slip
- Easy maintenance
- Noise reduction
- Anti fatigue
When choosing gym flooring, think about your goals and what you will be doing in your gym. There’s a range of options when it comes to flooring, and some options may be more suitable for certain activities than others. The same applies to the thickness of your flooring. If you have heavy machines or weights, you should go for 30mm to 40mm thickness. Whereas, if you’re focusing more on yoga, Pilates, or HIIT, 9mm thickness would be perfectly fine.
The floor should not only look good but protect the flooring underneath if you were to drop weights. Proper flooring is essential for your home gym. It protects the floor, the equipment, and most importantly, you. From rubber and vinyl to sprint tracks, and foam, here are six flooring options for your home gym.
In summary:
What is the Best Flooring for a Home Gym?
1. Rubber Fitness Tiles
Rubber fitness tiles are one of the most popular home gym flooring options on the market. They tend to be extremely durable and offer plenty of shock absorbency suitable for any workout. Rubber flooring is easy to maintain and has plenty of benefits, including sound insulation and non-slip safety ideal for the toughest of training sessions.
If you’re looking for something that can handle hardcore weight training, the 43mm Sprung rubber antishock tile delivers the kind of shock absorption and sound insulation you need.
2. Rubber Fitness Rolls
Rubber fitness rolls have the benefits of rubber but come in a roll instead of a tile. The rolls are perfect for a larger space and create a seamless look with plenty of shock absorbency and durability. There’s a reason rubber is so in demand. You can roll it straight over any carpet and the majority of other surfaces. It’s simple to install and maintain.
3. Interlocking Gym Tiles
If you want an easy and straightforward installation, interlocking gym tiles are a great alternative. These interlocking gym floor tiles snap together, so you can create a custom-fit floor for your home gym. Interlocking tiles are also easy to clean and come in a variety of colors and styles, so you can create the perfect look for your space. Plus, these tiles are designed to withstand heavy traffic and exercise equipment, so you can feel confident that your floor will last. The rubber tiles are suitable for several activities. Due to the interlocking design, you can slot the tiles easily into place without the need for adhesive.
4. Vinyl Gym Flooring
Vinyl is another popular choice for flooring for gym in garage. It’s simple to install and durable, so will last through a lot of wear and tear. However, vinyl isn’t as shock-absorbent. You may find high-impact movements uncomfortable on vinyl flooring, in comparison, to say rubber flooring.
5. Sprint Tracks
Sprint tracks add a unique surface to your home gym. If you’re looking to increase athletic performance while reducing the risk of injury, sprint tracks are a great option. It can be more expensive than other types of flooring, but it’s fantastic for plyometrics and sport-specific training. The downside is that it can be a little abrasive when doing floor work.
"As a PT, I needed a surface that would accommodate all of my clients in my home studio. Combining the 20mm rubber PRO tiles with a Uni sled track gives me the proper space for weight-based training and functional fitness"
Paul, Harrogate
6. EVA Foam Tiles
Foam flooring creates a soft cushioning which is ideal for beginners, bodyweight exercises, and floor work. It’s easy to maintain but much less durable than other types of flooring. It’s not suitable for more intense workouts or heavy gym equipment. Foam is much more susceptible to cuts and damage.
When picking your gym flooring, always consider the space, and the type of exercises you will be doing. The right home gym flooring can reduce the risk of injury, increase stability, and boost performance.
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