Specialty Gym Flooring
Choosing a room in your home to use as a dedicated home gym frustrates a frugal homeowner. The room upstairs has too much cushion with the wall-to-wall carpeting, the room downstairs not enough with hard tile, and no room is just right.
Take a look at home gym flooring options to see which will fit your room and your budget.
Interlocking Rubber Tiles
If your budget allows, consider this specialty flooring for outfitting your home gym. If you’re a serious gym rat and plan on using it on a regular basis, it may be just what you need. Used in professional gyms, upgrade your home version to the ultimate comfort flooring for a vigorous workout.
They're available in a variety of styles and grades and don’t need professional installation, but be prepared to pay the price for comfort. For the least expensive option, the value priced tiles begin in the $7 per square foot range and go right on up to Olympic grade flooring at a hefty $20 per square foot.
Rolled Rubber
Rolled rubber is another cushiony option for your home gym. Available in four foot wide rolls, it's suitable for larger areas and not quite as costly as the tiles. Available in a much more affordable range of prices, with value options of $2 per square foot, this may be the answer if you’re considering turning your entire basement into a dedicated home gym. Installation wont be as seamless as simple as the tiles, but may be worth it for the cost savings.
Carpet Tile
Another budget friendly option is specialty carpet tile, which is rigid vinyl with a heavy duty carpeted surface to allow airflow and drainage underneath for moist areas such as a home gym. Expect to pay in the range of $7 per square foot for this option. The upside is easy do it yourself installation over any surface – including regular carpet!
Rubber Mats
If this blows your entire home gym budget just on the flooring alone, consider using special flooring on only parts of the floor, such as under gym equipment and in the stretching area. If you’re really stretching your budget though, there are even less expensive options, mats made specifically to be placed under gym equipment are an option. Costing approximately $5 per square foot, they protect current flooring from each piece of gym equipment, or can be used for a small stretching area. With no installation needed, it's certainly the simplest option if you're just looking for a quick fix.
Although you may not have considered specialty flooring when planning your home gym, it may be well worth it to protect your current flooring.