When it comes to selecting a floor covering for your commercial, private, or home gym, it is hard to do better than rubber matting. Let’s take a look at this effective, and versatile material, and explore what makes rubber matting the ultimate gym flooring option.
Table of Contents
- What Is Rubber Matting?
- How Is Rubber Matting Used?
- Rubber Matting Forms
- Rubber Matting Styles
- Benefits Of Rubber Matting
- Conclusion
What Is Rubber Matting?
Rubber matting at its most basic level is a rugged, resilient, rubber flooring material designed to provide the optimum levels of traction, support, and cushioning for high-impact activities. By definition, this makes rubber matting the ideal choice for covering the floor of most gyms and sports facilities.
Rubber matting can vary greatly in form, construction, and style. It is important to understand what sort of activities are most likely to be performed on your gym floor, to determine the right type of rubber matting for your specific application.
In this guide, we will explore the most popular applications of rubber matting, the various forms and styles of rubber flooring, and the advantages of choosing rubber matting for your gym flooring application.
How Is Rubber Matting Used?
Rubber matting is used to serve several important functions in gyms and sports facilities. Rubber matting helps to protect the underlying floor of the facility, provides comfort and safety for the gym’s patrons, and reduces the noise or vibration that may impact neighboring structures.
Floor Protection
Gym equipment is often extremely heavy, and full of sharp edges, and abrasive surfaces. Rubber matting protects the underlying flooring from being gouged, scuffed, or cracked by use, or accidental drops.
Comfort & Safety
Strenuous workouts and sports training push the human body to the limits, Rubber matting helps to provide a safe and comfortable surface that lessens the impact on vulnerable joints, and provides a secure non-slip surface for sure footing during exercise.
Repeated exercise on hard surfaces such as hardwood, concrete, or linoleum tile can lead to serious joint damage over time. Rubber matting not only provides a comfortable surface for working out, it also helps to prevent injuries and accidents. Rubber matting rugged surface provides traction for fast-paced aerobic activities and helps to stave off fatigue, and injury by reducing the strain of impact during strenuous workouts.
It also helps to hold gym equipment firmly in place, preventing injuries that could occur as a result of sliding, or unstable workout machines.
Sound & Vibration Reduction
Gyms are noisy places. There is the crashing and clanging sound of heavy metal weights being slammed onto the weight rack, or onto the floor. There is the din of voices talking, and shouting, and the backdrop of music for dance routines, and fitness classes playing at top volume. All of these noises can be a disruption to any neighboring businesses, or for those attempting to perform different activities within the same space.
Rubber matting serves as an excellent sound and vibration dampener, allowing gym users to immerse themselves in the workout atmosphere without concern about disturbing others with their activity. In multi-use facilities, rubber matting allows for a full-service weight room to operate adjacent to a dance or fitness class space without one activity disrupting the other.
Rubber Matting Forms
Rubber matting comes in a wide variety of forms designed for an array of different functions. For example, rubber matting can be purchased in large rolls for use as floor underlayment, or as flooring in gyms, and industrial areas. Rubber matting rolls are often best for areas with a great deal of square footage to cover, facilities where maximum soundproofing, and cushioning are needed, and facilities looking for the most economical, and effective flooring solution. Rolled rubber matting is great for covering large surfaces, but may not be thick enough for strenuous activities or heavy equipment.
Individual rubber mats come in a variety of sizes and thicknesses so you can choose the ideal rubber matting for your intended use. Because rubber mats are generally able to be laid on top of most solid floor surfaces, you are able to purchase only the amount of rubber matting that you need for your specific activity. Individual rubber mats are a good choice for applications that require thick, or heavy-duty matting in a localized space. You can place individual mats under exercise equipment or in a weight-lifting area. Rubber mats are the most versatile, and often most rugged, and protective of the rubber flooring options. That being said the cost of individual mats can make it an impractical choice for covering a large area.
Click-together rubber matting tiles are perfect for creating a soft cushioned surface in play areas and exercise rooms. These versatile tiles are small, lightweight, and easy to install and remove. This makes rubber matting tiles a perfect choice for temporary use, multi-purpose rooms, or areas where regular cleaning is likely to be needed. Rubber tiles can be easily disconnected, re-arranged, and removed in minutes so that you can create a new workout, or play area whenever and wherever needed. These light-duty tiles offer a bit of cushioning and protection but are generally not rugged, or thick enough to stand up to heavy-duty activity.
Rubber Matting Styles
There are several different styles of rubber matting available on the market today. Let's take a look at a few of the most popular ones:
1. Interlocking Tiles
These tiles are among the most popular because they offer a variety of benefits. They are easy to install and can be done so by anyone with basic DIY skills. They are also very versatile, as they can be used indoors or outdoors. Additionally, interlocking tiles are very easy to clean and maintain.
Another benefit of interlocking rubber gym mat tiles is that they provide excellent traction, even when wet. This makes them ideal for use in showers, pools, and other wet areas. If you're looking for a rubber matting option that is both attractive and functional, interlocking tiles are a great choice.
2. Rolled Rubber
Rolled rubber is another popular option, and it is often used in commercial gyms and other fitness facilities. This type of matting is available in a variety of thicknesses, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs. It is also very easy to install, as it can simply be rolled out onto the floor.
One of the main benefits of gym rubber flooring rolls is that it is very durable and can withstand a lot of wear and tear. It is also slip-resistant, which makes it a great choice for wet areas. Another advantage of rolled rubber is that it is very easy to clean and maintain.
3. Rubber Flooring Tiles
Rubber flooring tiles are a popular choice for use in gyms, as they offer many of the same benefits as rolled rubber. However, they are also much easier to install, as they can simply be laid down on the floor.
Rubber flooring tiles are very durable and slip-resistant, making them a great choice for high-traffic areas. They are also easy to clean and maintain. Additionally, they come in a variety of colors and styles, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs.
4. Foam Tiles
Foam tiles are a popular choice for use in playrooms, as they offer a soft, cushioned surface. They are also very easy to install and can be done so by anyone with basic DIY skills.
Foam tiles are available in a variety of colours and styles, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs. Additionally, they are very easy to clean and maintain.
These are just a few of the most popular types of rubber matting. There are many other options available on the market, so be sure to do your research to find the one that best suits your needs.
Benefits Of Rubber Matting
When you're looking for new flooring material, it's important to consider all of the benefits that each option provides. For example, rubber matting is an excellent choice for many commercial and industrial applications because it offers a variety of benefits that other materials simply can't match. Here are just a few of the advantages that rubber matting can provide:
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Durability: Rubber is a highly durable material that can withstand a lot of wear and tear. This makes it ideal for high-traffic areas where flooring is likely to experience a lot of abuse.
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Slip Resistance: Rubber has a natural ability to resist slipping, which makes it an excellent choice for wet or oily areas. This can help to prevent accidents and injuries in the workplace.
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Sound Absorption: Rubber is an excellent sound absorber, which can be beneficial in a variety of settings. For example, rubber flooring can help to reduce noise levels in factories or warehouses.
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Easy Maintenance: Rubber matting is easy to clean and maintain, which can save you time and money in the long run.
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Cost-Effective: Rubber matting is a very cost-effective flooring option, especially when compared to other materials like carpet or tile.
Conclusion
Your gym floor is one of the most important parts of your facility. It needs to be able to withstand a lot of wear and tear, while also providing a safe and comfortable surface for your members. Rubber matting is an excellent option for gym floors, and there are many advantages to using it.
Rubber matting is durable and long lasting, which means it will withstand a lot of abuse. It's also slip resistant, which is important for safety. And, it's easy to clean and maintain. All of these factors make rubber matting an ideal option for gym floors.
Check our selection of rubber matting options for your gym floor. We have a variety of colours and thicknesses to choose from, so you can find the perfect option for your facility.
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