A well-installed rubber floor can do wonders for your home gym. Whether you are looking at rolled rubber flooring, rubber tiles, or rubber mats, you are making the best decision for your gym flooring. The truth is it doesn't matter whether you are installing rubber flooring in a large commercial gym or in your garage, rubber flooring is the best option for any gym.
Rubber flooring provides the best protection for your base floor. It also is the safest for you as you are training, as it gives you a sturdy non-slip surface to work out on. It is easy to clean and as durable a floor as you can ask for. As long as your rubber flooring is thick enough, you can even drop rubber bumper plates on it safely.
There really aren't a whole lot of negatives when it comes to rubber flooring.
If you want the best gym flooring, you are going to go with rubber flooring.
Now whether you go with rolled rubber flooring, rubber tiles, or rubber mats is up to you. We've got a resource to help you better understand the differences. No matter which you pick there is some work to be done installing rolled rubber flooring. But, if you look at the work as a great warmup before your lift, you can knock out two birds with one stone.
Okay, it may take longer than 10 minutes to install, but it's not rocket science. Let's take a look at how to install rubber flooring in your gym.
We'll begin with rolled rubber flooring, but many of the principles here apply to laying rubber flooring of all types.
Rolled Rubber Flooring
Rolled rubber flooring is best for covering large spaces. Almost every commercial gym is going to have rolled flooring installed.
It typically comes in sizes about 4 to 6 feet wide and 10+ feet long. This is going to be much larger than rubber tiles and rubber mats, so using it for large spaces is a great idea.
So, you've purchased your rubber flooring rolls. Now what?
The first step is to make sure your base flooring surface is ready for the install process. When picking a gym space, ensure that your flooring is level. Also, be sure that there are no cracks or uneven parts of your floor, this will affect the adhesion of the floor to your base floor. This is going to make the installation process much smoother.
You then want to thoroughly clean the surface, so sweep up any debris or dirt and then mop the floor to get any grease or stains up as well. After the floor is completely clean, allow the floor to dry completely before beginning installation.
The second step is to let your flooring air out. This is important for a few reasons. First, you want your flooring to acclimate to the room temperature. This will allow it to expand and shape to its final form after shipping. Allow 1-2 days for the rubber flooring to acclimate.
Now, this next step is not necessary but is recommended. Based on the type of rubber you purchased, it may have a distinct smell. This is probably the biggest negative of rubber flooring is a distinct, unpleasant smell. This smell typically goes away over time, but it does depend on the quality and type of flooring you have purchased. If you have found that when you opened your flooring to let it acclimate, you were hit with a wicked odor, these next steps may be for you.
There are a few things you can do to help combat the initial smell. I know these steps are going to extend the process of installing the floor, but it is much easier to do this now than wait until after the floors are installed.
The best thing you can do is gently wash your rubber flooring using vinegar and warm water.
Be sure to wash both sides. Once you have done this airflow and sunshine are going to be your best friends. If you have the space, position your flooring so that it can get airflow on both sides and flip it every so often so that it can get some of the sun's goodness. Now, you want to be careful to not leave it out in the sun for too long (longer than a week or two at a time) to avoid cracking. The poison is really in the dose here.
Now, if your rolled flooring doesn't smell bad or bad enough for you to care, you can skip this step entirely; however, be sure to let them at least acclimate for a day or two to adjust to your gym's climate and temperature.
Okay, now your floor is clean and your rubber rolls are ready to go.
Now it's time for rubber flooring installation. The next step is going to be cutting and positioning the rolls to fit your space.
DO NOT use any adhesives or glue at this point. We want to trim the rolls to get a good fit before we secure them.
Begin in a corner and ensure a secure snug fit against the wall. You want to make sure the edges of your mat are straight. At times, rubber rolls can be slightly off, so be sure to use a straight-edge and sharp utility knife to get a clean, straight cut. While you want it to be snug, you do not want it to go up or curl against the wall. Once you have a good fit, you can lay the next roll. When you hit another wall trim off the excess rubber roll. Continue the process until the floor is covered.
You want to take your time here.
Ensuring clean, straight cuts and snug fits is going to go a long way to creating a beautiful, seamless gym floor. And we all know a beautiful, seamless gym floor adds at least 45 pounds to your deadlift. Don't try and argue with science.
Okay, now you have a choice to make, you can use a glue adhesive or double-sided tape. Or I mean, if you really want to you can elect neither. We wouldn't recommend that though.
Glue is great for a firm, permanent seal. This is ideal for commercial gyms and places that are committed to keeping the floor in the same place for a long time. This is a much more permanent decision. Double-sided tape is a great option. It is not quite as permanent as you can remove the rolls much easier, so it may be a good option for home gyms or spaces where change is possible.
While double-sided tape may not be quite as permanent as glue, you don't need to worry about your flooring moving or going anywhere it is still a very strong adhesive.
If you decide to go with flooring glue, you are going to apply the glue to the base floor where your first roll is going to be set. Be sure to follow the glue manufacturer's instructions for best results. After you have finished the first roll, you are going to remove any excess glue that may have spread and then apply pressure using a carpet roller if you have access to one. Take your time on these steps, and be sure to smooth out any air bubbles or uneven surfaces on your rolls. Once you have finished this step continue on in the same way for the rest of the room.
If you decide to go with double-sided tape, you are going to line the tape on the floor, along where the inside perimeter of the first roll will lay. It may be helpful to mark the length and width of the roll on the base floor with chalk. After you lay the tape, you can lay the rubber roll on top. It is recommended to have at least one other person helping you, whether you are using glue or tape. After the tape and mats have bonded, you will want to use a carpet roller to ensure a tight bond and seamless look for your mats.
Allow the adhesive to fully bond, then, you are all done. Your rubber rolls are installed and ready for all the training you can throw at them.
Rubber Mats
Because rubber mats are essentially small rubber rolls, the process is essentially the same as the one above. However, let's cover just a couple of differences or things to consider when you install rubber gym flooring mats.
First, rubber mats are smaller and easier to move. For this reason, it is probably best to use double-sided tape. This will allow you to move them around more easily if needed.
Second, rubber mats are going to have more seams. For this reason, it is even more important to take your time to smooth out any creases or air pockets for that beautiful seamless finish.
Rubber Tiles
There are two main types of rubber tiles we will discuss - both are interlocking but look different.
The first is the "puzzle piece" interlocking rubber tiles. These look like puzzle pieces and connect pretty easily. These are essentially even smaller rubber mats. The installation process is very similar to rubber rolls. These are even easier to pick up and move, so I would not use glue. Tape is okay, to use but depending on the use you have planned for them, you may not want to use adhesive at all (especially if you plan on moving them around often.)
While they may slide some, rubber is pretty heavy and if your surface area of rubber gym flooring is large enough, you shouldn't be too worried about sliding - especially if it is underneath a power rack or dumbbell rack that can help keep the tiles in place.
The other type of rubber tiles are the interlocking tiles that look like grid squares.
These interlock below the surface. They basically have two pins that connect each tile to the next. If you are installing these begin on the perimeter of the room and then carefully go row by row until each space is covered. Again, with these, I would not use glue. Because they are easily moved, we want to keep that flexibility. The process of double-sided tape discussed above would work for these interlocking tiles. You may have to trim tiles when you get to the end of a row, be sure to use a sharp utility knife and straight edge to ensure clean cuts.
Interlocking tiles are the easiest to install and move, but will certainly show seams whether you are using puzzle piece tiles or grid squares.
Whichever rubber floor you go with, these guidelines will help ensure you install rubber flooring that is beautiful and seamless - or at least as close as possible.
Sources
Gitre, Ciana. “How to Install Rubber Flooring: 11 Tips to Know.” Flooring Inc, 28 February 2024, https://www.flooringinc.com/blog/how-to-install-rubber-flooring/. Accessed 21 September 2024.
“Gym Flooring Installation.” Synthetic Experts, https://syntheticexperts.com/gym-flooring-installation/?srsltid=AfmBOooQX4pqTUlULfn8N2EY6QYftE1AmXliygMFSzlmpYFj6Ln8ELbf.
“How to Install Interlocking Rubber Tile Flooring in 12 Easy Steps!” Rubber Flooring Experts, https://rubberflooringexperts.com/rubber-flooring-buyers-guide/rubber-floors-12-easy-steps-installation/.
“A Quick Guide On How to Install Rubber Flooring Rolls By Yourself!” Rubber Flooring Experts, https://rubberflooringexperts.com/rubber-flooring-buyers-guide/rubber-floors-laying-rubber-flooring/.
“Rolled Rubber Flooring Installation over Tile or Concrete.” Greatmats, June 2017, https://www.greatmats.com/greatmats-videos/rolled-rubber.php.
Steward, Tim. “Getting the Smell Out of Your Rubber Gym Floor.” Gym Crafter, 4 December 2023, https://gymcrafter.com/get-smell-out-rubber-gym-floor/.