why rubber sports flooring

Rubber Sports Flooring: Why You Need It

By John Scillieri Hours Published on

In the age of modern sports flooring materials, requirements for flooring solutions have never been higher.  A high-grade sports flooring material should be resilient, sturdy, and safe to use.  It should also offer optimum performance with just the perfect amount of surface traction, shock absorption, and stability for multi-sports use. So why choose rubber sports flooring?

Rubber sports flooring is the only flooring material that meets all of these requirements.  It also provides several other benefits that can’t be matched by other sports flooring solutions.  Keep reading to find out why you should install rubber sports flooring in your gym or sports center.

What types of sports is rubber flooring suitable for?

Rubber sports flooring is widely regarded as one of the best surfaces for athletic flooring.  It’s suitable for many different types of indoor and outdoor sports, including:

  • Aerobics — Most aerobic routines require explosive and fast movement, which often creates a hard impact upon contact with the floor.  So, aerobic studios must be equipped with flooring material that provides adequate shock-absorption and stability.  The floor must also have just enough cushioning to help gym users stay injury-free.  Rubber flooring is the only flooring material that provides optimum results in terms of all of these factors.
  • Running — Due to its durability, rubber flooring is resilient even against running spikes and can endure heavy foot traffic.  This means that it’s an ideal choice for both indoor and outdoor jogging tracks.
  • Weight training — If your sports facility has a weight room, rubber flooring is the best option to install in it.  The material’s unique characteristics — durability, uniformity of surface, and density —are ideal weightlifting platforms.  Rubber flooring provides stable and comfortable support for efficient weight training exercises.  
  • Fitness Exercises — Rubber flooring is a popular choice for fitness centers.  It’s durable enough to offer optimal performance and provides enough grip to prevent injuries.  Rubber flooring is highly resistant to traction and laceration, making it an excellent choice for any fitness application.

Aside from the above, rubber sports flooring is also a perfect choice for multi-sports facilities. Due to its characteristics, rubber flooring can endure various intense sports activities — basketball, handball, volleyball, and indoor soccer.  If you’re looking for a general sports flooring that can support many different activities, rubber sports flooring is the ideal solution.

Advantages of Rubber Sports Flooring

Rubber sports flooring comes with a long list of advantages.  Let’s break them down.

High Performance

Rubber flooring is an exceptional flooring material.  It’s firm enough to provide a stable surface for athletes to run on but still soft to the touch.  Since it’s uniform, it offers dimensional stability, good ball rebound, and force reduction. 

Rubber flooring clears all of the industry standards for slip resistance, traction, and rotation.  It also allows for superior shock-absorption and provides excellent user protection.

Great Customizability

Rubber flooring offers excellent versatility and customizability and comes in many formats.  It can be precisely molded and formed to fit any configuration and facility.  You can pick from a variety of patterns and colors to make sure that the floor perfectly complements the rest of your sports facility.  

Moreover, unlike hardwood sports flooring, custom lines, logos, and symbols are built directly into the rubber.  This makes them more resilient and durable.

Easy to Install

Rubber flooring is commonly available in tiles, designed for straightforward and simple installation.  If you’re not looking to customize your floor, you can find rubber tiles in an interlocking format or square edge finish (for glue down setup).  The former type doesn’t require any adhesives.  So, you can install the tiles yourself by connecting and clicking pieces together.

Easy to Maintain

Rubber sports flooring is not only easy to install, but it is also much easier to maintain than other sports flooring materials.  It is water-resistant, as well as mildew and mold resistant.  All you need to do to keep your rubber floor in excellent condition is clean it with a damp mop regularly.

Durable and Resistant

Rubber flooring’s resilience and high density, along with its water and chemical resistance, make it a very tough and long-lasting material.  Depending on the rubber material’s thickness, it can handle several thousand pounds of sports equipment without scuffing, scratching, or tearing.  Its cushioning features also mean that any floor underneath it and the equipment will be protected from damage.

Environmentally Friendly

Rubber sports flooring ranks very highly in terms of high-quality, green flooring options.  Most rubber flooring solutions are made from recycled rubber and naturally renewable materials. 

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency research, recycled rubber products don’t present any potential health concerns and are completely safe.  Rubber floors are certified for indoor quality assurance and are free from any harmful PVC components.

Pick the Right Flooring for Your Facility

Rubber flooring is the most versatile sports flooring solution and offers many benefits over other sports flooring materials.  However, not all rubber floors are the same. 

Depending on the intention of your sports facility’s use, the thickness and durability requirements of your rubber floor can differ significantly.  That’s why you should know the purpose of your floor before having it installed.  It’s always best to reach out to a specialist and schedule a consultation with this in mind. 

Also, make sure to research your flooring contractor before hiring them.  Professional and skilled installation is required to ensure the best possible results of your new rubber sports flooring.  It will guarantee optimum performance and prolong the floor’s life.

At J&J Gym Floors, we can help you choose a rubber sports floor that best suits your needs. We can install sports floors in NJ, NY, CT, PA, DE & MD. 

Call us today at (973) 801-7219 or fill out our short online form to schedule a consultation or request a proposal.

John Scillieri

John Scillieri is the Founder and Managing Partner of J & J Gym Floors, bringing over three decades of expertise in hardwood flooring to the sports and fitness industry. Following in the footsteps of his father, a renowned hardwood floor professional, John launched J & J Gym Floors after graduating college, combining rich family tradition with innovative approaches to gym floor installation, maintenance, and customization.

With a passion for quality craftsmanship and a commitment to customer satisfaction, John has led J & J Gym Floors to become a trusted name in the industry. His hands-on approach and deep understanding of flooring technologies ensure that every project, from local school gymnasiums to professional sports arenas, receives the highest standard of care and attention to detail. When he's not transforming gym floors, John enjoys staying active and spending time with his family, always keeping an eye out for the next big trend in sports flooring.