What kind of flooring is best for gym?

Choosing the right flooring for your home gym isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s a decision that impacts your comfort, safety and workout effectiveness. Here are some key factors to consider that will ensure your choice aligns with your fitness goals, budget and home environment.

Cost

Besides the initial price per square foot, consider the long-term costs associated with durability, maintenance and replacement. A cheaper option might cost more over time, while a pricier initial investment could prove more economical in the long run. On average, homeowners might allocate anywhere from $100 for smaller spaces with basic foam tiles to over $1,000 for larger areas or high-end materials like rubber or turf.

Equipment and Exercises

Match your flooring to your fitness regimen. High-impact workouts and heavy equipment necessitate durable, shock-absorbent surfaces, while yoga or Pilates might call for softer, more comfortable materials.

Room Chosen

Consider the room’s existing conditions. Basements might need moisture-resistant flooring, while upper-level rooms could benefit from noise-dampening materials. Also, consider the room’s primary use—is it solely a gym, or does it serve multiple purposes?

Home Value

Quality gym flooring can increase your property’s value, especially if it enhances a room’s functionality and appearance. Investing in your home gym can add value to your property, but maintaining proportionality is important. A good guideline is to spend no more than 2% to 3% of your home’s value on a complete home gym setup, including flooring.

Aesthetics

Your home gym should be a space where you feel motivated and energized. Choose flooring that complements your home’s design and makes your workout area inviting and inspiring.

Planning out a home gym can be a lot of fun. You can choose new equipment, weights, decor and more. Flooring is one of the most critical aspects of a home gym’s design.

You want to choose home exercise room flooring that is beautiful and fits in with your overall gym design but is also durable and will stand up to the rigors of regular workouts. Thankfully, many different types of flooring are great for home exercise rooms. This guide covers several exercise room flooring ideas to help you choose the best option for your home gym.

Things to Consider When Choosing the Best Home Gym Flooring

Before selecting the flooring for your exercise room, you should consider some crucial aspects. The right home gym flooring for you depends on the types of workouts you typically do and how you will use the space. However, some common characteristics to look for in home gym flooring options include the following:

• Durability: One of the most important factors to consider when choosing gym flooring is its durability. After all, home gyms should be designed for heavy use and stand up to the heavier traffic that a workout room sees compared to other rooms of the house. Dropped weights, heavier foot traffic and dragging workout equipment across the floor can all take their toll on the flooring. Workouts can be tough on your home gym floors, so choose materials that will withstand the rigors of exercising.
• Shock absorption: Flooring options that provide better shock absorption are ideal for home gyms for several reasons. First, if you drop a kettlebell, dumbbell or barbell, the flooring should absorb the impact so the object won’t bounce back up at you. Second, flooring with shock absorption qualities will better protect your joints during a workout. Protect your back, ankles, knees and more from unnecessary pain and injury with flooring that has a little give to it.
• Cleaning: You want a home gym area to be easy to clean. Many types of exercise occur on the floor, so it’s essential to keep the floor clean for each workout. Additionally, with more foot traffic, workout equipment and sweating, a gym floor can get dirty more quickly than other areas of the home. Make sure you can clean up quickly between each workout session with easy-to-clean flooring options.
• Cost: Different flooring options will come at different prices, so you’ll want to ensure your top flooring choices fit your budget.
• Home gym equipment: The exercise equipment you want in your home gym can determine the best floor for the room. Heavy machines such as treadmills, ellipticals and power racks can easily dent floors that can’t withstand much weight. Choosing a slip-resistant flooring option allows you to place exercise mats and tiles on the floor without them moving while you work out. Therefore, choose durable flooring with protective layers to enjoy your home gym daily.

Beyond the individual characteristics of the flooring options, you’ll also want to consider just how your family will use the room. You’ll want extra protection for your flooring for heavy workouts with weightlifting or large equipment. For lighter fitness routines, you can use more aesthetically pleasing options that make your home gym look like a studio. Consider whether heavy sweating will be a concern in your home gym and if you need extra shock absorption for joint protection.

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Where Should You Put Your Home Gym?

Depending on what room you plan to put your home gym in, you can choose different floors to complement the space and location. Some living areas can withstand certain temperatures and outside elements, which impacts your decision. Take a look at two circumstances that can influence your choice of home gym floors:

• Basements: If you plan to put your home gym in the basement, pick a flooring option that provides extra warmth while you work out. Cold climates can make it more challenging to sweat it out while running, lifting or stretching. Therefore, the layers of comfortable fluff from carpets can make it easier to work out in a warm space whenever you desire.
• Garage or mudroom: If the room has a door that exits outside, pick a durable flooring option with water-resistant surfaces. Mud, moisture and other outdoor messes can make their way into your home gym, impacting the quality of your floors. Selecting a flooring option with protective layers and water-resistant materials can make your home gym easy to clean and maintain its look for longer.

Best Flooring for Home Gyms

While you can do a workout in just about any room of the house, if you exercise regularly, you should have a dedicated space for these activities and design a room for this use. Choosing the right type of flooring will better protect your subfloors, equipment and health. For any home gym or workout room, consider these top flooring options.

Luxury Vinyl

For a versatile and affordable option, luxury vinyl flooring is excellent for home gyms. This flooring type is available in tiles or planks and comes in various colors and styles, even mimicking the look and feel of wood floors. Luxury vinyl flooring resists mold, mildew and moisture, making it an excellent choice as a durable gym floor. It’s also very easy to clean and maintain.

Below are some of the advantages of using luxury vinyl flooring for your home gym:

• Versatility: Luxury vinyl can stand up to the wear and tear of different home gym fitness activities, from stationary bikes and treadmills to weightlifting and yoga.
• Easy maintenance: Caring for this flooring material is as easy as frequent sweeping, vacuuming or applying a damp mop.
• Waterproof: Luxury vinyl stands up to spills, splashes and leaks for 24 to 72 hours.
• Cost: Homeowners who use luxury vinyl for their gyms or fitness rooms save significant money over more expensive flooring options.

No matter what style of flooring you choose for your home gym, you may also want to consider extra protection for your flooring, equipment and yourself. Add some quality rugs or rubber mats, depending on your style and type of exercise, to use during your workouts and your flooring will last even longer.

Carpet

You may not think of carpet for this type of room, but it is one of the most popular choices for home gym floors because of its comfort, continuity and flexibility with the rest of the home. The best carpet for exercise rooms is low-pile or commercial-grade style. Carpet provides excellent shock absorption to make workouts easy on the joints, good traction for cardio workouts and good sound-dampening qualities. However, regular carpet cleanings are a must with sweaty workouts.

Read through the benefits of installing carpeting in your home gym:

• Durability: Although many owners don’t consider carpeting a highly durable option, low-pile gym carpets can provide many years of reliable service, even for the most demanding workouts.
• Versatility: If you don’t dedicate a room strictly to fitness, having carpet lets you quickly transform the space for other functions, like recreation or family gatherings.
• Easy installation: Carpet is among the fastest and least expensive options to cut and install, saving you money while allowing you to enjoy your new gym floor sooner.

Laminate

For an attractive and affordable flooring option, consider laminate floors for your home gym. This flooring provides hardwood’s beauty at a lower cost and can work very well for certain workouts like dance, aerobics, yoga and more. However, we don’t recommend laminate floors for weightlifting or other workouts using heavier equipment, as they can easily scratch and dent.

Some advantages of choosing laminate floors for your home gym include:

• Cost-efficiency: Laminate flooring solutions offer significant cost savings compared to natural materials like hardwood and tile.
• Low maintenance: These floors are easy to care for with minimal sweeping and mopping, enabling you to dedicate more time to fitness.
• Diversity: Laminate floors come in an extensive range of colors and patterns, allowing you to create a perfect look that complements your style preferences.

Hardwood

Hardwood flooring is perhaps the most aesthetically pleasing option for many home gyms. Wood floors give exercise rooms that professional studio look while providing long-lasting durability. If you plan to sell your home in the future, hardwood floors can increase the value of the home. This type of flooring is ideal for several different types of workouts, including dance and yoga. However, if weightlifting is your preferred exercise method, note that dropped weights can splinter, crack or dent the wood flooring.

Take a look at a few pros of choosing hardwood for your home gym:

• Attractive: Hardwood is an attractive flooring option for any room in the home. You can choose hardwood flooring for your home gym for a sophisticated and strong look that can motivate your workouts.
• Life-span: A long life span can also be beneficial if you decide to sell your house in the future since hardwood has a better return on investment.