Which Type Of Flooring Would Work Best For Your Home Weight Room?
If you're planning on turning a room in your home into a workout room, you're likely investing in benches, dumbbells, weight machines, and other exercise equipment. However, before you get all of your equipment set up, you may want to consider remodeling the flooring. Read on to learn why the flooring in the weight room is important and which options you might like to consider.
Can't You Just Use Hardwood Flooring or Carpet That's Already There?
Hardwood flooring that's used in the rest of your home can take quite a beating when weights are dropped after a set. Hardwood can become scratched, dented, and even splintered. Besides the damage, hardwood flooring can become slippery with excess sweat. Like hardwood, carpet can also be dangerous to exercise on because you won't be able to get a good grip on the surface with your shoes. Although weights may land more softly on carpet, the impact can still damage the flooring underlay.
Which Type of Flooring Works Best?
If you still want a wooden floor, consider going with cork. Cork is a green flooring option since the processed sheets don't require a tree to be cut down; the product is made out of the bark of oak trees which are then baked in a kiln. Cork is great for weight rooms because it absorbs and dissipates impacts and it's resistant to mildew.
If you want a cost effective, low-maintenance floor, consider looking at recycled rubber tiles. While some tiles are permanent installations, others can lock together like a puzzle and lay over flooring that's already there. This is a good option if you don't want to rip up the existing flooring. Like cork, rubber floors can absorb and dissipate the impact of weights without becoming damaged themselves. Because this flooring option has some flexibility, it's a good option for people with joint issues.
If you plan on using a barbell to do dead-lifts, clean-and-presses, and other lifts, then you may want to look at inlaid platform flooring. In some gyms, barbell exercises are done on elevated platforms so that the lifter will be stabilized and the sub-floor will be protected by these heavy weights. However, platforms can be tripping hazards, so inlaid platform flooring can be beneficial since there is a gradual incline instead of a step.
Furthermore, inlaid flooring options contain extra underlayments, which gives the flooring more protection when the weight is dropped. Also, some inlaid floors contain multi-nib backing, which means that the bottom of the flooring is fabricated with small air pockets to aid in shock absorption and ergonomic support for lifters.
Contact an exercise and wellness professional in your are for more information on which weight room flooring option would work best in your home gym.