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I’ve recently moved my online fitness classes from my living room at home to an office which I also use as a workout space. Until I started delivering classes, I hadn’t given home gym flooring ideas a second thought, to be honest.
I’d simply used a yoga mat on the hardwood floors in my flat! However, my office is carpeted, whereas my living space had hardwood flooring.
One of the first things to consider when choosing your home gym floors, is what type of exercise and equipment you will be doing / have in your workout area.
For example, I currently deliver strength training / weight training using free weights, high-intensity workouts and bodyweight exercises using a yoga mat. This means I need to choose the best option, which is easy maintenance, good quality and of course provides a non-slip surface.
Other factors to consider include your budget considerations, whether you want to cover the entire floor or just some small areas, durability and maintenance.
So I’ve done a little research, to help you find the right home gym flooring for your fitness routine.
I feel like when you make the perfect choice of flooring for your home gym, you level up the aesthetics which surely will help you to enjoy spending time in there, right?!
Not only that though, making the right choice also plays a pivotal role in your safety, comfort and the longevity of your exercise equipment.
Let’s dive into the best home gym flooring ideas and explore a variety of options for different needs, exercises, and budgets. Including everything from resilient rubber to versatile foam and water-resistant vinyl.
Rubber Floor Tiles
If you have a garage gym or large areas like a conservatory to use as gym space, you could consider this 20mm Sprung PRO gym flooring tile – Highest Rated in the UK from Sprung Gym Flooring – The UK’s Gym Flooring Platform.
It’s heavy duty making it the perfect solution for heavy use, heavy lifting and / or heavy weights and heavy equipment. They’re basically rubber tiles (100cm x 100cm dimensions) with the advantage that they offer sound insulation. shock absorption and easy installation.
Foam Flooring – Foam Tiles
Foam tiles are versatile option and can be easily customised to fit any space. They typically come in interlocking tiles, fitting together like puzzle pieces, allowing for easy installation and flexibility in design for your space.
Compared to some other gym flooring options, foam flooring is super lightweight and often a more affordable option.
However, being lightweight means the durability of foam flooring can be questionable, especially in high-traffic areas or under heavy exercise equipment. This might be less of an issues in small home gyms like we’re talking about though.
Foam is also prone to damage in moist environments – read sweat – and excessive moisture can lead to the growth of mould or deterioration of the foam. If your space is well ventilated and you keep an eye on spills / sweat you’ll improve the longevity of your foam floor tiles.
Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl flooring is a versatile and popular choice for home gyms known for its durability and resistance to wear and tear. It’s also water-resistant, easy to clean and has a slightly softer and more forgiving surface compared to harder flooring options like tile or concrete floors.
Vinyl flooring is often more budget-friendly than some other flooring options, making it an attractive choice for individuals looking for cost-effective solutions. It also comes in a wide variety of colours, designs and patterns, which means you can choose a style that complements your overall gym aesthetics.
Carpet Tiles
While carpet tiles are an option, I don’t think they’re the best option at all! Yes, carpet is soft underfoot, has sound-absorbing properties and the tiles are easy to instal, they definitely have some drawbacks.
For example, while some carpet tiles are designed for heavy foot traffic, they may not be as durable as other gym flooring options, such as rubber gym tiles, foam mats or vinyl.
Carpet can also be more challenging to clean (I think I need a robot vacuum for my studio space), can potentially trap allergens and it’s not moisture-resistant.
Cork Flooring
If sustainability is a big consideration for you, then cork flooring is a viable environmentally friendly option. Just like many of the other options, cork flooring is shock-absorbing, resilient, has sound-absorbing properties in addition to natural antimicrobial properties.
If you choose cork flooring though, it’s best to use furniture pads / mats with heavy pieces of equipment to avoid indentations. Cork flooring can also be more expensive than some other options.
Artificial Turf
Now this one might seem a bit of a curveball, but hear me out because artificial grass can be used indoors as well as outdoors. I think this would be a great option for part of a garage / conservatory gym or even a small part of a garden, for example.
Turf offers shock absorption being a soft and cushioned surface, can withstand outdoor conditions, is low maintenance and can add a visually appealing and natural element to your home gym with a pop of colour.
On the downside though, artificial turf can have a higher upfront cost compared to some of the other flooring options, so your budget will need to be taken into consideration.
The list I’ve put together here are some of the most popular home gym flooring ideas for you to consider for your DIY project (assuming you’re gonna do it yourself!). Having the right type of flooring for your exercise room ensures that will have both a function and stylish space!
Got a personal preference for your own space?!
Elle
This post was written in collaboration with Sprung Gym Flooring.