Gym Flooring

For deadlifts and heavy barbell work, use at least 17mm to 20mm rubber under the bar, and 25mm to 30mm tiles if weights are regularly dropped from height. The interlocking tiles here come in 10mm, 15mm, 20mm, 25mm and 30mm, so you can lay thicker tiles in the lifting area and thinner ones elsewhere.

Choose interlocking tiles if you need to carry the flooring upstairs or expect to expand the gym later. Choose large 6ft x 4ft mats if you want fewer joins under a rack or bench and can manage a heavy lift. A roll suits a large, open room where you want the whole floor covered in long strips.

EVA foam tiles are fine for light dumbbells, bodyweight training and stretching, but they compress and can tear under heavy, dropped weights. For barbells and heavy dumbbells, use rubber tiles or mats in the lifting area. Many home gyms use rubber where the weights are and EVA foam for the stretching corner.

A rubber tile or mat of 10mm to 15mm gives a treadmill or bike a stable, level base and reduces vibration passing into the floor. The 1m x 1m rubber gym tiles are sold for use under treadmills and cardio machines. Cover the full footprint of the machine plus room to step on and off.

Yes, interlocking rubber tiles and EVA foam are the easiest to get upstairs because each piece is light. Rubber helps dampen the thud of weights for people below, though it will not stop all noise from heavy drops. A normal domestic floor carries a home gym, but if you plan very heavy equipment, ask a builder about the joists.

Commercial gym flooring has to cover larger areas and take heavier, constant use, so gyms often use rolls or large mats with fewer joins. Home gyms are smaller and often need flooring that can be carried upstairs or lifted when the room changes use. The 10mm, 1.25m wide rubber roll is aimed at fitness studios, while tiles suit most home gyms.

Edge strips are worth fitting wherever the edge of the tiles is exposed, such as a doorway or the middle of a room. They slope down to floor level so the edge does not catch a foot. The 90cm x 90cm x 14mm tiles have male and female edge strips in 90cm and 100cm lengths, in black or yellow.

Start in the corner of the room furthest from the door and work outwards, pressing each tile's teeth firmly into the next. Lay tiles in rows, cut the last row to fit with a sharp knife and a straight edge, and fit edge strips on any open side. No adhesive is needed for most home gyms.

Yes, solid rubber 6ft x 4ft stable mats are widely used as gym flooring, and several mats here are sold for both uses. They are dense and heavy, which suits weight training. Patterned tops such as bubble, amoeba or cobbled give grip, while smooth or grooved tops are easier to wipe clean.

Sweep or vacuum chalk dust first, then mop with warm water and a mild, pH-neutral floor cleaner. Wipe up sweat after sessions so it does not dry onto the surface. Avoid bleach, solvents and oil-based polishes, which can dry out rubber or leave it slippery.