In a year where your gyms may have been closed, and work-from-home office models took shape, it's become more important than ever to remember to take care of yourself. Adopting healthy habits like early yoga morning sessions or afternoon runs are great in theory, but where do you put this exercise into practice? When it comes to working out, home gyms take the cake as they provide a space to exercise from the safety and comfort of your own home. Whether you're looking to renovate your old workout space or finishing the basement and installing new gym equipment, now is the time to invest in new home gym floors. Flooring is the fundamental element to any functional home gym as it needs to be durable enough to withstand impact from not just you but any machines or weight equipment you have installed. Check out this year's top four floors for home gyms: luxury vinyl, tile, hardwood, and soft-surface flooring.
Resilient Luxury Vinyl Flooring
Thoroughly MO 6 by Shaw Floors in Interstate
Luxury vinyl planks are an easy option for home gyms, with their natural wood-look and resilient features. Since most luxury vinyl is waterproof, these floors have the benefit of being easy to clean, and you don't have to worry about breaking a sweat or spilling your energy drinks during your workout. Luxury vinyl is especially ideal for spaces where you're looking to perform a renovation, as the click-and-seal installation mechanism for this flooring makes it quick to install new floors over existing concrete or old wood floors.
Strong Tile Surfaces
Virtuo by Daltile
For those looking to install heavy exercise equipment and regularly use dumbbells or lift weights, consider tile floors for your home gym. As the strongest flooring material, porcelain tiles are designed to withstand heavy impact and resist scratching or dents. The strength and density of porcelain tiles allow them to be used as outdoor flooring, which is useful if you have gym space that opens up to the outdoors during the warmer months. Plus, porcelain has slip and skid resistance which is essential for doing those HIIT workouts or using the space as a yoga studio. Instantly elevate your gym space with porcelain tiles available in unlimited colorways, styles, and designs from top brands like Daltile and Emser.
Timeless Hardwood Flooring
Waterproof engineered hardwood offers a natural solid surface for home gyms that will tie in perfectly with the rest of your home's aesthetic. Choosing engineered hardwood over solid hardwood is a safer option for home gyms as engineered hardwood has a stronger wear layer and can be installed below grade. This material offers strength and flexibility while still allowing you to have a contemporary white oak look or sleek walnut that naturally illuminates your room. Plus, most engineered hardwood has a waterproof rigid core to hold up to sweat and spilled water bottles.
Alternative Soft-Surface Gym Floors
Alternatives to hard surface floors include interlocking foam tiles, rubber flooring, carpet tiles, and cork floors. These floors work two-fold to provide comfort underfoot for long workouts while minimizing impact and risk of injury. Foam tiles provide cushioning for weightlifting and plyometrics, while rubber cushioning gives you a non-slip surface to work out on. Adhesive carpet tiles give you the stain and water resistance of luxury vinyl. They're also simple to replace; however they don't have the stunning wood-look of luxury vinyl that often creates cohesion between the gym space and the rest of your home.
Show us how you've renovated your home gym and the stunning floors that you use to break a sweat!
