Choosing flooring for your home gym

Start with the floor you’ve got

Before choosing tiles, look underneath them. Is the existing floor level and dry? Is it suitable for the equipment you’re planning? Rubber won’t fix an uneven base, and it won’t establish the load capacity of a suspended floor.

Draw the tile layout across the room, including cuts and edges. Pay attention to doors and the join to any neighbouring floor. An awkward strip along the wall is much easier to sort before there’s a rack sitting on top of it.

Choose for the training you do

A weights area needs a firm surface intended for gym equipment. A soft exercise mat does a different job. Ask the supplier about your equipment, subfloor and intended use rather than choosing whichever tile is thickest.

When I got into power cleans and clean and jerks, I built an Olympic lifting platform. That was a change driven by the training. If you plan to drop weights, the flooring system, bar and plates all need to be intended for it. A platform or impact pads may help, but neither guarantees that noise and vibration will stay in the room.

Think about fitting and living with it

A sample is useful if you’re unsure about the finish. Find out how the tiles join, how to clean them, whether edges need ramps and whether the supplier recommends adhesive or loose laying. Rubber tiles aren’t all installed in the same way.

If the rack needs anchoring, plan the flooring and fixings together. The covering changes the finished floor height and mounting arrangement. Follow the flooring instructions and confirm the rack’s fixing method with its manufacturer or a suitable installer.

• Suitable base and intended training use.
• Tile layout, cuts and door clearance.
• Edges, cleaning and installation instructions.
• Noise and vibration beyond the gym.