What Are The Best Uses For Gym Flooring?

[UPDATED in 2025]

When it comes to setting up a gym—whether at home, in a commercial fitness centre, or for a niche space like a rehabilitation clinic—gym flooring plays a huge role in ensuring both safety and functionality. With the right flooring, you can support different workout zones, protect your equipment, and create an engaging, comfortable environment for your workouts.

But with so many gym flooring options on the market, how do you know what’s best for you? Well, the choice boils down to your specific needs, workout type, and space requirements. Let’s explore the best materials for gym flooring and how you can put them to good use.

What Are the Best Materials for Gym Flooring?

Selecting the right gym flooring is vital for supporting different workout styles while ensuring longevity and ease of maintenance. Below are the most common and versatile gym flooring materials:

Rubber Flooring

Rubber is one of the most popular and durable gym flooring options available. It comes in various thicknesses, making it adaptable to different workout zones. For example:

Thicker rubber (30mm - 63mm) such as AntiShock High Impact rubber floor tiles are ideal for heavy-duty areas like free weight zones, powerlifting platforms, or spaces with heavy equipment.
Thinner rubber (4mm - 15mm) works well for general fitness areas and cardio spaces and is great for home gym flooring.

Rubber flooring is non-slip, shock absorbent, and resilient—making it perfect for heavy machinery, weightlifting, and general-purpose workout areas.

Foam Mat Flooring

Eva Foam Matting is soft, versatile, and easy to install, which makes it great for lightweight exercise zones, such as group fitness classes or gentle strength training. It’s also commonly used in spaces for MMA and boxing training, providing added comfort during high-impact drills. Foam mats can also help reduce noise and protect floors from small equipment and accidental drops.

Vinyl Flooring

Vinyl flooring is incredibly versatile and durable, making it the perfect choice for multi-purpose sports halls, some unctional fitness gyms, or general gym areas. It’s easy to clean, resistant to wear and tear, and can stand up to heavy foot traffic—ideal for any area requiring a mix of aesthetics and practicality.

Wood Gym Flooring

Wood gym flooring adds a natural, sleek look to spaces such as yoga studios, pilates studios, or spaces focusing on low-impact training. While wooden floors are beautiful and calming, they are better suited to low-impact zones or areas with added mats for weight training to protect the surface.

Six Ways to Use Rubber Gym Flooring

Rubber flooring is versatile, functional, and practical, offering numerous applications beyond just standard gym zones. Here are six ways you can put rubber gym flooring to work:

Home or Garage Gym

Creating your personal workout space in a garage or spare room? Rubber is an easy choice for home gym flooring because it’s affordable, resilient, and straightforward to install. It also protects your floors from dropping weights and equipment damage.

Commercial Gyms

Rubber flooring is a staple in commercial fitness spaces due to its durability and versatility. Whether in cardio areas, weightlifting zones, or group fitness studios, rubber keeps the space safe, noise-free, and easy to maintain.

Rehabilitation Clinics

Gym-style spaces are used in rehab clinics to support recovery and low-impact movement. Rubber’s shock-absorbing properties and easy cleaning make it an ideal option for creating safe, accessible exercise spaces for recovery.

Customer Feedback:

"Absolutely delighted with the quality and aesthetic of our rubber flooring. It was really important that the surface felt comfortable for our clients sessions and it has not disappointed".

Rest and Recovery Rooms

Recovery spaces like stretching zones, yoga, or pilates areas benefit from the comfort and resilience of rubber flooring. They provide a cushioned surface that can support movement while remaining easy to maintain.

Children’s Play Areas

Rubber tiles are a fantastic option for play areas because they’re shock-absorbent, non-slip, and safe for children’s active play. They are easy to maintain and can protect little ones from slips, trips, and falls.

Outdoor Training Spaces (Bootcamp)

Outdoor gym spaces are becoming more popular for bootcamps and garden-based fitness classes. However, when selecting rubber for outdoors, opt for thicker rubber tiles with integrated drainage systems. They can withstand weather conditions while preventing pooling and slippery surfaces during wet weather.

If you plan on using rubber gym flooring outside—whether in your garden or for bootcamp workouts—it’s essential to pick the right type of rubber. Thicker rubber tiles (typically 30mm or more) are necessary for outdoor spaces to offer adequate protection, durability, and support for impact. Moreover, look for products with integrated drainage systems. This ensures water won’t build up on the surface or undercarriage, creating a hazard for slips and damage.

These outdoor solutions are designed for longevity, can handle seasonal weather changes, and maintain traction even when wet.

In summary:

Final Thoughts

Gym flooring isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about creating the right functional space for your workouts while prioritising safety and ease of maintenance. Whether you’re setting up a home gym, a commercial fitness facility, or an outdoor bootcamp space, the materials you choose will determine how well your space performs over time.

Looking to create an Outdoor Gym? - Explore our Outdoor Functional Training Surfaces