Essential Guide to Gym Floor Covering: Protect Your Investment

Protecting your investment in a gymnasium floor might be high on your priority list. You might also wonder about the best ways to achieve the longevity you hope for from a gym floor covering. This topic probably crosses the mind of anyone managing a multipurpose space that hosts sporting events, assemblies, and maybe a dance from time to time.

Think of a high school gym; one minute it's hosting a basketball game and a graduation ceremony an hour later. A gym floor covering adds a barrier of defense from excessive wear, as you'll learn later in this post.

• Why Gym Floor Protection Matters
• Types of Gym Floor Coverings
  • Vinyl Covers
  • Rubber Flooring
  • Carpet Tiles
  • Considerations for Choosing a Gym Floor Covering
  • Maintenance and Upkeep for Gym Floor Coverings
• Gym Floor Covering Installation
  • Specific Cover Installation Processes
  • Handling Systems
  • Comparing Top Brands
• Advancements In Gym Floor Coverings
  • Newest Innovations in Gym Floor Covering Products
• FAQs about gym floor covering
  • What kind of flooring is best for a gym?
  • What material is best for a gym floor?
  • What is the best surface for a gym floor?
  • What is the cheapest alternative to gym flooring?
• Conclusion

Gym floors endure constant activity. Scratches and dents are something that facility managers need to prevent, so their court stays pristine. Gym floor covers are a must for any setting where you’re aiming to use the floor for multiple purposes.

These covers come in many materials, like vinyl, rubber, and even carpet tiles. Each one gives different levels of defense and durability to address different types of floor traffic. There is a whole range of things to be thinking about before we really understand which type of flooring is perfect.

Gym floor coverings come in various materials. Vinyl is the most popular. There are other materials to use when considering coverings, such as rubber and carpet.

Vinyl floor covers are often made with a polyester mesh base fabric and layered on top with solid PVC. Some gym floor covers, such as Tarps Now's Champion series, have five different thickness options. You might think thicker equals better, but the best option depends on your specific needs.

A gym floor tarp usually has fabric with additional protective layers. Many facilities select vinyl because of how lightweight it is, in addition to the material being waterproof and flame retardant.

Rubber flooring rolls offer great protection, so many buyers put them to work in areas where there’s high impact. The durable rubber gives you're look at high tear resistance. Consider where you might need this added level of protection, such as in a weight room or under exercise equipment.

You see them in a range of spots. From weight rooms to busy walkways and even as playground flooring. The Home Depot carries a line of rubber flooring options in different colors.

Gym floor carpet tiles come in many styles. These range from interlocking tiles, which work well as gym floors or for stage floors. The advantage of carpets is noise reduction with a comfy surface, as you may expect.

Carpet options can lack some of the benefits compared to vinyl and rubber materials. These modular tiles are generally very simple to set up and can offer additional cushion if one should fall down.

Consider how you’re utilizing the space to guide you. High-traffic areas demand tough solutions, so vinyl, with its solid resilience, tends to shine here. Are there a range of uses you have planned for, like sporting events, assemblies, or even a school dance?

The activity and use level is key when selecting gym flooring. Also consider the setup and ease of putting the flooring out and away again. Storage is another aspect, as some options can be stored compactly on mobile storage racks.

Keep up your gym floor cover with standard cleaning, which is important for top performance and looks. Wiping up spills helps stop any possible slipping risk. Using proper handling systems from a brand like Covermaster lets you store things neatly.

Proper care helps extend the lifespan of the floor cover. Avoid dragging anything heavy, like bleachers or furniture, that could damage it.

Getting your gym floor cover down often is a breeze. Depending on the choice, you may want storage racks or even a power winder. Some options come with easy-to-set-up solutions for storing the floor away.

Follow all company guides closely. You'll want a seamless and correct roll-out, so you avoid accidents during high-traffic activity.

Vinyl gym floor covers often come in 10-foot-wide pieces. They are simple to move. A six-person group can set down a 10,000-square-foot gym floor cover in around 30 minutes, as an example.

Rubber rolls involve rolling them out, edge to edge. Be careful with heavy weights to avoid damaging the rubber gym flooring.

Carpet tiles interlock. No adhesive is required, making them suitable as event flooring or for covering court floors.

Handling systems take gym floor installation further in many aspects. Power winders let one do rapid rollouts and removals.

These storage solutions offer safe transport with the ability to protect covers. Consider also using gym floor runners for entryways.

Several providers supply floor covers like CoverSports, Tarps Now, and Covermaster. Each brand gives a range of styles, including the Ultima Series and Master Series. Some brands may supply options to customize based on needs.

Comparing brands helps with matching a specific option. See which is ideal for the flooring. Consider CoverSports for many fabric grades that focus on event usage, or Tarps Now for heavy-duty vinyl floor tarps.

There are innovative options for covering a gymnasium floor. Materials today are aimed at green initiatives, such as using recycled materials.

Brands focus more on high-performance. Brands work on green ideas like recycling, while creating commercial vinyl flooring and other eco-friendly products.

Many suppliers are improving their current ranges. An advancement is vinyl that's tear-resistant, a feature often found in the Platinum Series. Also, companies like Greatmats make their flooring in the USA with the newest processes.

Here's an overview that displays features and characteristics of different floor coverings:

Rubber flooring is a solid pick for gyms. It's sturdy and takes impact, and keeps things from getting slippery. Rubber gym flooring and gym mats are popular options.

Rubber is king in most gyms for its durability and shock absorption. But, vinyl and foam tiles also offer value depending on the usage. There are also turf blankets if the gym features artificial grass.

For the best feel underfoot and toughness, many agree that rubber or nice hardwood is preferred. Other options include laminate flooring, wood flooring, and even outdoor flooring in some cases.

Foam tiles are the cheapest option. Yet, don't discount durable gym floor options from a brand like Home Depot or inflatable field covers for temporary outdoor needs.

There are many key things to keep in mind as you choose a solution for a gym floor covering. Consider how often you might plan on converting the flooring and also where on the premises the flooring is, whether on the main gymnasium floor, a side room, or on a football field that may need a field cover.

Also, look at the setup along with the maintenance involved with the storage space required, where a storage rack could come into play. These solutions protect a gym's floor from many activities, including graduations, dances, assemblies, or use as an indoor batting practice area using practice turf.