It can be a daunting chore if you have been tasked with installing rubber flooring for exercise room. Why? Some rubber mulches are toxic and hard to install. Others may not last as much. But why is rubber flooring good for exercise rooms, for example, gyms?
Rubber is durable, shock and noise absorbent, and therefore it’s the best type of flooring material for an exercise room. It can withstand the load of exercise equipment. The flooring should be thick enough to protect your body from harm when working out. Also, it protects your floor from cracking.
This article takes a look at the advantages of rubber flooring, whether it’s toxic and if it can damage your hardwood floor. Also, you get to learn what an underlay is and its importance.
Read on.
What is The Best Type of Flooring Material For an Exercise Room?
Whereas a great set of weights and equipment like a rowing machine and a stationary bike are vital components in an exercise room, a solid foundation is critical.
The ideal flooring material has high shock absorption ability and proper grip. The flooring prevents damages from heavyweight exercise equipment and dropped weights during exercising. Additionally, the proper traction helps to protect against slipping when working out.
Moreover, the best type of flooring material provides enough cushioning, which helps in protecting joints and knees. Else, you might injure your knee or sustain chronic joint aches.
The best floor material is strong enough to withstand the impact of your exercise routine and the rigors of the exercise equipment. Not only do you need to cushion your body while exercising, but it’s also imperative to protect your floor from gouges and scratches.
A professional, clean floor encourages you to do meditation or pump iron. Also, it helps reduce noise by absorbing sound, especially for the exercise rooms located in upper-floor apartments or the second floor in your home.
The best flooring provides you with a soft place to land and helps protect your floor from damages by exercise equipment.
Rubber Flooring For Exercise Room
Rubber flooring is the ideal option for an exercise room as it’s an excellent cover for any surface and concrete floor.
Rubber provides maximum shock absorbency, suitable for high-impact workouts or when you’re working out with weights. It prevents slips and falls and helps to prevent serious injuries if you fall.
The rubber flooring is usually thick enough to absorb the impact of dropped weights. Additionally, it won’t scratch, gouge or scratch as most flooring would.
What’s more? It can withstand wear from heavy equipment and lots of footsteps for many years.
Rubber flooring is available in interlocking tiles, mats, and large rolls. The rubber mats are ideal for small rooms, whereas the interlocking tiles are for larger spaces — as rolls. You can lay whichever way is easiest for you.
Rubber flooring is also easy to install and requires little to no experience, making it an easy option.
Mildew or mold doesn’t grow on rubber floors. Additionally, it doesn’t absorb water, making it one of the best flooring options for exercise rooms.
Moreover, you can roll it up and store it or transfer it to another place.
How Do You Lay A Rubber Exercise Floor?
Properly installed rubber flooring looks seamless and level. Anyone can neatly lay rubber on an exercise floor.
So, here’s how to lay a rubber exercise floor:
- Clean the floor: Eliminate any dust or dirt which could interfere with the adhesive tape. Additionally, mop any oil, excess moisture, grease and ensure the floor is dry before laying the rubber. Spread the rubber rolls in their length for them to flatten and relax.
- Lay the double-sided sealing tape entirely around the inside borders as per the length and width of the roll. While at it, don’t remove the release paper. Placing the rubber roll against the wall, unroll it over the floor. If the rubber exceeds the floor area, cut the edge using a utility knife and a straight edge.
Additionally, if you’re laying the mats lengthwise, mark the extra rubber using chalk and trim at the line so that the adjacent rolls are even.
Remove any bubbles or curls by pressing firmly on the rubber. Then, fold back the mat at the width point at the beginning of the seam so that your tape is visible.
Remember the release paper? Remove it and place back into place the rubber, and press to stick. Use this process for the rest of the floor.
- Roll the rubber matting thoroughly using a carpet roller to ensure it’s completely bonded with the tape. Only do this after 60 minutes. The adhesive will have started to set. Ensure that you don’t shift the rubber roll when doing this, though.
Rolling ought to be done lengthwise as well as widthwise. Repeat this process two more times, after 75 and 90 minutes.
Do I Need an Underlay for Rubber Flooring in the Exercise Room?
Yes, you need an underlay for rubber flooring in the exercise room. Why? The underlay protects the concrete surface from damage and the top flooring since it has something to compress into underneath the weight.
Otherwise, the rubber flooring would wear out. If you drop a 20kg dumbbell onto a rubber floor 20mm thick with no underlay, the concrete or board surface is at risk of damage. Rubber flooring can’t protect the surface entirely on its own. Additionally, an underlay makes a big difference to the floor quality by making it feel softer.
The way you can tell the difference with a household carpet is similar to how you can with a rubber flooring with an underlay.
Moreover, the underlay extends the lifespan of the rubber flooring by acting as a dampener and ensuring it doesn’t come in direct contact with the surface.
If you disregard using an underlay, your floor could get damaged. Weight sets could crack the concrete surface under the rubber flooring or break a board. The exercise room floor, therefore, feels more solid when it has an underlay —thus, creating a better surface for you to workout confidently.
How Thick Should An Exercise Floor Be?
For enough cushioning for weight lifting or high-impact aerobics, choose rubber flooring with a thickness of 3/8 inch minimum. However, for more serious weight lifting, ½ inch thickness would be ideal for protecting the floor and the weights from damage.
Here’s what I’m saying; for rubber flooring ½ inch thick or less, you won’t experience much of a difference on your body as the rubber material is pretty hard and typically lays flat.
Besides, the thicker the rubber flooring, the more protection it offers your subfloor. Increase, therefore, the thickness of the flooring as you increase the weight you use for your exercises.
Additionally, if your exercise routine involves a lot of dropping weights, consider going thicker, especially if there are neighbors nearby. It helps reduce sound transfer.
Also, the thickness provides more excellent impact shock absorption – hence, protecting your body during exercises.
After all, floors that don’t provide enough shock absorption are hard on your joints, so thick flooring is ideal for high-impact exercises.
The thickness of the floor is also vital for protecting your equipment from being damaged. For example, dropping a weight set on a hard flooring can damage the equipment and possibly crack or chip the floor.
FAQS
Do Rubber Floors Smell?
New rubber flooring has a rubbery odor when you initially install it, but the smell goes away after a while. The rubbery scent is the smell of volatile organic compounds (VOC) trapped in the rubber. However, when the mats are laid out and exposed to air, VOC’s release slows down, and eventually, the odor fades away.
Is Rubber Matting Waterproof?
Rubber matting is water-resistant, and hence it’s waterproof. When wet, it offers grip. Even so, go for vulcanized rubber to be entirely sure that your rubber matting is waterproof.
Are Rubber Floors Toxic?
Even though a lot of materials make rubber flooring, it’s non-toxic. Studies of recycled rubber prove no health hazard associated with rubber. Therefore, quality rubber flooring is safe for you and your loved ones.
Does Rubber Damage Hardwood Floors?
Rubber is safe and doesn’t damage hardwood as it has a solid gripping ability but won’t stick to your floor. It’s, therefore, ideal for the hardwood flooring as it doesn’t stain it.
As a result, it doesn’t cause discoloration to the floor.
Wrapping Up
Safety in the exercise room is a critical consideration. A slippery floor with a poor grip can quickly take you from the exercise room to the emergency room. To prevent nasty falls and serious injuries, ensure you use rubber flooring for the exercise room.
Rubber is an ideal flooring material because of its high shock absorbency. It’s strong, durable, and resilient. Moreover, it’s available in different sizes and thickness options to suit your customized needs.
Carefully follow all the steps and adhere to the guidelines for a neat final look. A well-floored exercise room eases your mind, and you can focus on enjoying your workout.
