Gyms are everywhere. Whether you go there to shoot some hoops or to train regularly for your favorite sport, gyms provide us with numerous opportunities to enjoy our time and have lots of fun with our friends. When it comes to flooring, it can be said that gyms are made of material that can withstand foot traffic and pounding. It’s kind of understandable, right? The material needs to be as durable as possible to satisfy everyone’s needs and withstand all the poundings. In this article, we are going to review some of the materials that are mostly used for gym flooring.
1. Maple Hardwood Flooring
Maple hardwood flooring is one of the materials that is mostly used for indoor courts. In fact, hardwood courts are the ones that are mostly preferred and suitable to practice and play on. As for maple hardwood flooring, there are three grades it available.
The first grade has a uniform look and no visual defects. The second grade features knots and color variations. The third grade has plank knots and color variations too. This is also the least expensive one.
Marple hardwood flooring is an extremely strong and resilient material. For that reason, almost all bowling alleys’ surfaces are built with this material. What’s more, it’s also an attractive material, and it looks really pleasant to the eye.
The only downside is that it needs to be refinished every decade. Also, screening and recoating the floor needs to take place around once a year.
2. Pad and Pour Polyurethane Flooring
Pad and Pour Polyurethane floors are some of the toughest, most durable when it comes to gym flooring. This material is ideal for indoor gym sports as it has excellent shock absorption. In addition, it can come in so many colors, so you can pick whatever color that matches your school or facility’s colors. You can even choose the colors of the line as well! Isn’t that awesome?
When it comes to the advantages of the pad and pour polyurethane flooring, we can mention its nonporous surface, the fact that it’s really easy to maintain and cleaning it takes close to no effort at all. In addition, the floor may require some repairs now and then, but they are quite easy to handle. And, last but not least, the material is extremely durable and resilient. For this reason, the pad and pour polyurethane floors can easily stand up the weight of bleachers, chairs, and all the foot traffic.
3. Vinyl Flooring
When it comes to costings, we can mention that vinyl flooring is one of the most affordable, cost-effective gym flooring options. Also, just like pad and pour polyurethane flooring, vinyl flooring can be customized according to your preferences as it comes in various colors and patterns. This way, you can achieve the perfect look for the gym of your school or company. It also looks similar to hardwood flooring.
Vinyl floors are usually more common in K-12 school gyms. Because they have multi-purpose characteristics, they’re ideal for many sports. For that reason, K-12 schools prefer this kind of material to provide their students a place where they can play any sport they want or hold other activities.
Vinyl flooring has many advantages. To begin with, it has shock-absorbent properties which means that it’s comfortable for athletes to play and practice on. In addition, it is a very durable material. It is of high quality and can even last up to 20 years! Also, vinyl flooring is really easy to maintain, clean, and it’s resistant to moisture and debris. The only disadvantage is that it can be a bit difficult to repair, and it’s not possible to be resurfaced.
4. Recycled Rubber Flooring
Rubber flooring is another excellent option for gym flooring. It is actually made from old vehicle tires, hence the name “recycled rubber flooring”. The flooring comes in different thickness levels which can be adjusted according to your preferences and the weight the floor needs to withstand on a daily basis. Also, recycled rubber flooring is resistant to water and very easy to install and maintain.
However, this is a material not exactly suitable for competitive sports. For that reason, it is mostly used for surfaces of weight rooms, fitness centers, and training rooms.
Recycled rubber flooring is also easy to clean. However, it has to be vacuumed every day in order to keep it free of debris.
