Quali sono i diversi tipi di pavimenti in gomma per palestre?

The three types of rubber gym flooring are rolls, interlocking tiles, and standalone mats. Rolls are made for large, permanent installations. Tiles are precision-cut for custom-fit or DIY projects. Mats are extra-thick, individual units designed to absorb extreme, repetitive impacts.

From my perspective on the production floor, these three formats aren’t just different shapes; they are manufactured for entirely different jobs. We create rolls by bonding recycled rubber granules into a continuous sheet, a process optimized for covering large areas efficiently. This is why they’re heavy and best for pros to install. Our interlocking tiles come from high-pressure molds, where we compress granules under immense force to create dense, uniform blocks. The interlocking mechanism itself requires precision cutting to ensure a tight fit. Standalone mats are often made in a similar way but are much thicker, engineered specifically to dissipate the force from a heavily loaded, dropped barbell, protecting the subfloor below. Each format is a direct solution to a different gym environment’s needs.

Understanding how a product is made tells you how it will perform. Let’s break down the technical details that matter so you can choose the right product based on facts, not just marketing.

How do I choose the right thickness for my gym floor?

Thickness directly dictates impact protection. Use 8mm for general fitness areas. For commercial use with moderate weight drops, you need 15mm to prevent subfloor damage. For dedicated lifting platforms where heavy weights are dropped, nothing less than 20mm to 40mm will suffice.

Thickness is the single most critical factor for protecting your subfloor. I’ve seen clients install 8mm tiles in a heavy lifting zone to save money, only to call us six months later because the concrete underneath had developed spiderweb cracks. The material simply didn’t have enough mass to absorb the impact.

Under Cardio and Light Weights

An 8mm roll, which our spec sheet shows has a high density of 1050 kg/m³, is perfect here. The high density makes it very resistant to wear and indentation from the feet of a heavy treadmill. However, it’s not designed for shock absorption from dropped weights.

Commercial Gyms and Free Weights

This is where 15mm tiles are our standard recommendation. A 15mm tile has a weight of about 13.5 kg for a 1m x 1m piece. That mass is what absorbs the energy from a dropped 40 kg dumbbell, preventing that force from being transferred directly to the concrete subfloor. It’s the minimum I would trust for a serious gym environment.

Dedicated Lifting Platforms

For deadlifting and Olympic lifting, you need maximum protection. Our 40mm and 50mm composite tiles are engineered for this. A 50mm, 1m x 1m tile weighs 35 kg. That sheer weight and volume of rubber is what dissipates the force from a 250 kg barbell drop, protecting the bar, the floor, and the lifter. The lower density of 700 kg/m³ in these thicker tiles actually helps with shock absorption by allowing more compression.

Do not underestimate the damage a dropped weight can do. Match the thickness directly to the heaviest activity in that area.

Are rubber rolls or interlocking tiles the better choice?

Your subfloor condition and installation plan decide this. Rolls demand a perfectly flat, prepared subfloor and professional installation. Tiles are more forgiving on slightly uneven surfaces and are designed for straightforward DIY installation due to their precision-cut interlocking system.

On our production line, the biggest difference is precision. Rolls are about creating a uniform sheet. For tiles, the focus is on the cutting die that creates the interlocks.

Subfloor and Installation

A rubber roll will follow every contour of the subfloor beneath it. If your concrete has dips or bumps, they will show through. Tiles, especially thicker ones (15mm+), are rigid enough to bridge small gaps and hide minor imperfections. The installation process is also completely different. Rolls require adhesive and careful seam alignment. Our interlocking tiles are cut with a die calibrated to a fraction of a millimeter. This ensures they lock together so tightly that they effectively form a single, floating floor without needing to be glued down.

Maintenance and Repair

The seamless surface of a roll is easier to mop. However, if you drop a sharp piece of equipment and gouge the floor, repairing a roll is a major task that leaves a visible patch. If you damage a tile, you lift it out and drop in a new one. The repair is invisible and takes five minutes. This is a huge practical advantage for any gym where accidents can happen.

Application and Cost

For a massive, 2000-square-meter gym, rolls are usually more economical from a material cost perspective. But for a garage gym or a commercial studio with columns and corners, tiles result in far less waste and are much easier to install yourself, saving on labor costs.

Your choice here is a practical one: weigh the seamless look of rolls against the forgiving, reparable, and DIY-friendly nature of tiles.

What do density and hardness mean for my gym floor’s performance?

Density (kg/m³) equals durability. Higher density means more rubber is compressed into the tile, making it more resistant to wear. Hardness (Shore A) dictates stability and safety; our 65±5 Shore A rating ensures a floor that is firm enough for stable lifting but soft enough to absorb impact.

We monitor these two data points relentlessly during production because they directly translate to performance, safety, and longevity.

Density is Durability

When we make a high-density tile (e.g., 900-1050 kg/m³), we are using high pressure to force the rubber granules and the polyurethane binder into a tighter structure. This minimizes the microscopic voids between granules. A floor with fewer voids is tougher. It won’t "shed" black dust over time, and it’s much more resistant to being sliced by a dropped dumbbell edge. This is why density is a primary indicator of a floor’s lifespan in a high-traffic environment.

Hardness is Stability and Safety

The hardness rating, 65±5 Shore A, is a non-negotiable safety specification for us. A floor that is too soft (e.g., 50 Shore A) can feel unstable under a heavy squat, compromising a lifter’s balance. A floor that is too hard (e.g., 80 Shore A) will act more like concrete, causing weights to bounce unpredictably and offering little joint protection. The ±5 tolerance is also critical. It’s our quality control guarantee that every tile in your shipment will have a consistent feel, ensuring a uniform and predictable surface across your entire gym.

Do not buy any gym flooring without checking these two specifications. They are the true measure of a product’s engineering quality and its suitability for a serious fitness environment.

Conclusione

To choose the right gym flooring, analyze your needs like an engineer: match the thickness to your highest impact activity and select the format—rolls or tiles—based on your subfloor and installation plan.

My role is to ensure the products we manufacture meet the highest technical standards. If you need a partner who understands the science behind the surface, my team is here to help you build your gym from the ground up. Contact us for detailed technical specs, project quotes, or to request a sample you can test yourself.