Why is Recycled Rubber the Best Flooring Material for a Gym?

If you’re thinking about adding a home gym or maybe even opening a larger commercial gym, there’s one important aspect that you cannot overlook before you get started. It’s your gym floor. 

The foundation of any gym space starts with the type of flooring you use. Your gym floor takes the brunt of wear and tear from everyday foot traffic, heavy weight equipment, dropped dumbbells, cardio machines and much more. Your gym floor needs to provide extreme durability; reduce noise in the exercise space; protect your subfloor; and deliver a safe, non-slip surface. There’s one preferred material that checks all of the boxes and its recycled rubber flooring. 

Let’s take a closer look at the unique benefits that makes recycled rubber flooring the best material for a gym.

Extreme Durability 

Recycled rubber flooring is made from recycled vehicle tires. This material is tough, resilient and long-lasting. Unlike wood, foam or ceramic tile, it will not crack, peel, scuff or dent and provides superior protection against daily wear. Your rubber flooring can last 15-20 years with proper maintenance, making recycled rubber flooring a long-term, economical investment over less durable materials.

Superior Impact Absorption and Joint Protection

Perhaps there is no greater benefit to recycled rubber flooring than its ability to protect your subfloor, your equipment, and your body. The shock-absorbing properties of rubber help prevent your subfloor from cracking (concrete) or denting (wood) and shields your equipment from drops and vibration. 

Rubber flooring is a big reason why stress is reduced on your joints during high-intensity exercising. Bare concrete or hard surfaces – in contrast – places extreme stress on your ankles and back and can lead to overuse injuries. 

RFS offers recycled rubber flooring in a variety of thicknesses for greater levels of protection. For more information, click to read Choosing Your Rubber Flooring Thickness. 

Excellent Sound Absorption

When you step inside of a busy commercial gym, the familiar sounds of weight plates clanging together, treadmills humming, or dumbbells hitting the floor are continuous. Take away the recycled rubber flooring and the sounds you hear will echo and amplify exponentially, making for a noisy experience. 

Thanks to the sound-dampening properties of dense rubber, noise levels (impact and airborne) are significantly reduced to create a more comfortable gym environment. Sound absorption is also important for multi-story spaces where residents may be sensitive to noise and vibration. 

Maximum Slip Resistance

An important benefit of recycled rubber flooring in your gym is the safety it can provide you and fellow exercisers. The unique surface texture created from recycled tires provides maximum slip resistance that cannot be replicated in another flooring product. Tiny pockets on the surface of the rubber creates a “grippy” texture with a high coefficient of friction (COF). More friction creates more grip and less likelihood of slipping.

Free weight areas, cardio equipment, water fountains/bottle filler areas and locker rooms are prone to moisture from sweat, spills and humidity. The rubber texture helps prevent slips and falls even when wet and provides peace-of-mind knowing accidental spills won’t lead to injury.  

Low Maintenance Flooring

Rubber flooring is super-easy to clean and maintain. Recycled rubber does not absorb moisture and will resist staining. It also does not promote mold or mildew growth when moisture/humidity levels become elevated. Seams in the rubber can trap dirt, dust and debris but can easily be vacuumed.

Cleaning rubber is as easy as vacuuming the surface followed by mopping with a mild cleaner, such as Betco Best Scrub Floor Cleaner. Additional care steps can include sealing the wear surface of the rubber using a mop-applied product like Betco Rescue TruMatte Floor Finish. 

For more cleaning information, click to read Is Rubber Flooring Easy to Clean?

Eco-Friendly Product

Recycled rubber flooring is responsible for removing tons of discarded vehicle tires from landfills every year. Tire rubber is not biodegradable and can take decades or longer for natural breakdown to occur, which consumes valuable space in landfills. 

Recycled rubber flooring reduces the need to use new raw materials, prevents long-term environmental pollution, and reduces the volume of waste in landfills. The flooring can often be recycled again at the end of its usable life.  

Big Aesthetics for Any Gym

RFS offers seven different color options in recycled rubber rolls, rubber tiles, and rubber mats. From solid black, popular color fleck options, and a random “confetti” color, our rubber products offer a wide range of color options for any gym environment. 

Using recycled rubber flooring in your gym is a priority investment for the longevity of your floor and, in many ways, an investment in your health and the health of others who will use the gym. Recycled rubber flooring provides safety, comfort, durability and resiliency not available in other flooring options. It is simply the best flooring material for a gym. 

RFS is committed to supplying the highest-quality, American-made rubber flooring at affordable prices.

Check out all of our products and our other blog topics for additional information and reach out to us if you have any questions.