Flooring Options for Your Commercial Gym
If you are designing, renovating, or opening up a brand new commercial gym you’ll want to explore different types of flooring.
If you’re operating a commercial gym for the first time, you may be asking yourself what types of flooring works best and for what purposes. Well, the answer you’ll find is that different types of floors work better for different purposes.
As a specialty fitness store, we at Akfit don’t just sell home gym equipment, we also service commercial gym clients by helping them set up their gyms for success to help them meet their communities’ fitness goals. Operating since 1989, our fitness experts pride themselves in helping you operate your gym, and part of our services to help you is that Akfit also sells gym flooring options.
In turn, our commercial gym clients often ask our advice on choosing flooring for their gym. In this article we answer those questions while exploring multiple types of flooring options for your commercial gym.
In this article……
2) Different Types of Commercial Gym Flooring
8) Setting Up Your Commercial Gym
What is a Commercial Gym?
A commercial gym is a public gym in which members can utilize their facilities to reach their fitness goals.
Commercial gyms can be found everywhere. In fact, it can be difficult to find someone who doesn’t have a gym membership of some kind.
These gyms generally offer to their clients all different types of workout equipment and fitness programs depending on the type of memberships their clients hold.
Some of the services a commercial gym might offer are:
- A variety of cardio equipment including treadmills, ellipticals, rowers, and spin bikes
- A range of strength equipment meant to build up different muscles
- A personal training workspace that could feature mats to do basic exercises
- Workout programs such as spin classes, strength training classes, and yoga classes
- A common locker and shower area for you to easily store your belongings
- Programs involving direct workout sessions with a personal trainer
- Some commercial gyms offer amenities such as aquatic pools, saunas, and steam rooms
- Some commercial gyms even offer 24 hour service (COVID-19 may have affected these hours)
So depending on what your needs are as a customer, you can likely reach your fitness goals by consistently visiting a commercial gym.
As a business owner who is opening a public gym, you’ll want to provide as many of these options as possible to your clients, and the proper type of flooring is very important to the success and maintenance of your gym.
Different Types of Commercial Gym Flooring
Alright, there are a lot of options to consider here. There isn’t just one type of floor that is the perfect fit for everyone.
There are many factors to consider, including materials, durability, safety, and cost!
In this section we are going to highlight a few different flooring options to help you narrow down the type of flooring you need for your commercial gym.
Rubber Flooring
From observation, rubber flooring may seem like the most common and obvious choice. However there are different types of rubber flooring that you must decide between.
Two of the most common types of rubber flooring used in commercial gyms are rubber roll flooring and rubber tiles.
Rubber Roll Flooring
Rubber rolling floors are the most common types of flooring you’ll find in a commercial gym. This type of flooring is known for its durability and its sharp and satisfying look.
When rubber rolls are installed properly, you can’t tell the difference between where one roll starts, and another one ends. These floors are also easy to clean, water resistant, and shock absorbing.
Further, rubber roll floors are built to take on high impact workouts, and the thicker the floor you purchase, the more durable it is. For areas where heavy dumbbells are being used, you’ll want to invest in a rubber floor that has a thickness of about 1/2”. However thinner rubber rolls that are about 1/4” thick are great for protecting your floors from heavy equipment use such as treadmills.
The price of rubber rolls widely range depending on the type of rubber material and thickness of the floor, but rubber rolls tend to cost anywhere from $1 to $7 for every square foot.
Rubber Tile Flooring
Let’s not forget that rubber tile flooring is also an option.
Rubber tiles are less common in commercial gyms and more common in home gyms, but they do provide nearly the exact same benefits and purposes as rubber rolls. The rubber tiles however are known to weigh less than rubber rolls making them easier to install yourself. The ability for self-installation can cut some costs.
As for the thickness of rubber tiles, we suggest the same thickness as what you would purchase for rubber rolls. The thicker the rubber floor, the more durable it is.
Rubber tiles generally cost anywhere from $2 per square foot up to $18 per square foot.
For a larger breakdown of the different types of rubber flooring options available, check out our types of rubber flooring article.
Sprung Flooring
Sprung flooring is usually a floor consisting of a wood or laminate surface that is shock absorbent. This type of flooring provides a softer feel and is usually supported by foam or rubber backing.
These floors date back to the 19th century and are generally considered the best option for dance programs, indoor sports, and for physical education programs, and provide the ideal shock absorption that doesn’t involve the use of heavy equipment.
That is why sprung flooring is commonly found in commercial gyms that offer a variety of workout programs such as spin or yoga classes.
The cost of sprung flooring varies depending on the different layers of the floor.
Concrete Flooring
Another option for commercial gym flooring is concrete.
Most basement or ground based floors are already constructed with concrete flooring. In turn, concrete is usually the most simple and affordable option for commercial gym flooring. If you are looking for minimal work and affordability, then concrete flooring may be the best choice for you.
Although concrete is a simple and budget-friendly choice, they do pose a safety concern. Concrete floors provide little to zero grip and they aren’t always water resistant. With this, there are dangerous risks including slips and falls.
Concrete flooring also has no sound absorption or impact reduction. As a result , dropping weights on the floor can be extremely loud and actually cause chipping in the flooring. Further, activity on concrete flooring can be harmful to your joints and muscles
When it comes to cleaning, it is important to note that these floors tend to generate a lot of dust.
In conclusion, concrete flooring is not ideal
for a commercial gym or even a home gym. While it may be cost-efficient, concrete flooring raises many safety concerns which will ultimately be a liability in your commercial gym.
Turf Flooring
Turf flooring comes in either rolls or tiles. Turf Flooring is a very common style of flooring in commercial cross-fit and specialty gyms.
This type of flooring is known for its durability, allowing for a lot of sled pulling and pushing workouts. Turf flooring is also supportive of high impact weight training, as well as personal training programs that involve mat exercises.
Similar to sprung flooring, turf flooring also provides shock absorption for joints and muscles. However, some styles of gym turf flooring require an extra layer of protection including an under layer of rubber. This means trickier installation and an additional fee. While this may not be as simple and effective as a sprung flooring, it does make turf flooring very versatile.
If fact, turf flooring is commonly used for indoor fields. This is a great option if you are looking to open a gym that caters to training athletes who play sports such as football, rugby, or soccer. As previously mentioned, the shock absorption of turf flooring it ideal for agility and speed training while preventing injuries. Perfect for athletes!
Moreover, turf flooring is also sound-absorbing making it a good option for heavy weight-lifting and high-intensity workouts.
When it comes to cost, turf rolls are traditionally cheaper than turf tiles. Turf rolls cost anywhere from $2 per square foot to $7 per square foot. Whereas turf tiles cost upwards of $10 per square foot.
Foam Tile Flooring
Another cost friendly option for your commercial gym is foam tiles. These floors are soft to lay on and are non-absorbent. The foam tiles usually have interlocking edges and are easy to assemble.
Foam is a popular material for cardio and aerobic facilities, such as martial arts and gymnastic gyms.
With this being said, it is important to note that foam tile flooring is not highly durable. In fact, placing heavy machines on foam should ultimately be avoided.
Higher density materials such as EVA foam tiles can withstand the use of some cardio equipment while providing a safe grip for underneath the machines and a comfortable surface to walk on. Though EVA foam tiles are stronger than traditional types of foam, these floors underneath heavy weight and cardio equipment are prone to damage and may need to be replaced every couple of years. Keep in mind that these floors also lose traction while wet.
For a home gym, foam may be an excellent option, but for a commercial gym there are other types of flooring that are built to take on the use and movement of multiple clients with multiple pieces of heavy equipment.
The average cost of foam tiles can range anywhere from $1.20 per square foot to as high as $3 per square foot.
Setting Up Your Commercial Gym
If you’re ready to go ahead with setting up a commercial gym, we can service your needs.
At Akfit, we don’t just offer consumer and commercial gym equipment, but we also sell a variety of different gym supplies that includes flooring, mats, hygiene, storage, and maintenance products.
We recommend talking with one of our representatives who can help you narrow down your selection based on your goals and budget. We love to share our fitness expertise with the clients we serve, and we take pride in helping customers find the equipment and services that work best for them.
To get started, simply contact us and provide a short description of what you’re looking for. We’ll get back to you soon to help meet your fitness needs.
