Your home gym flooring is one of the most critical aspects of your home gym setup, you may not have the money to buy commercial gym standard, the seamless rubber flooring you see in the free weights room, but you can make sure to get the best suited and safest flooring for your budget.
The first four home gym flooring mats we have reviewed are for men and women who are serious about weightlifting.
The next set of three reviews are for the foam-filled interlocking mats used more for aerobics or yoga. We need to remember, although much cheaper. They are not best suited for bodybuilding.
“Scroll past the heavy-duty rubber floor mats if looking for foam-filled- interlocking mat Reviews for Yoga- Aerobics”
No Foam Filled For Weightlifting
I’ve tried training on the cheap foam mats at a friend’s home gym many years ago, and they were a bit of a disappointment, they were way too soft underfoot, absorbing a lot of the force we put into the lift.
Also, they can rip easily if you go too cheap. However, they are perfect for Yoga and aerobics also great for protecting your floors if need some cheap flooring to go under fitness machines, etc.
For weightlifting, we need mats with the highest possible amount of density for our budget. Reviews below.
Best Home Gym Flooring Comparison Table
Editors Choice
DWC Heavy Duty- Thickness 3/4″
- Weight -115lb per mat
- Rating 4.5/5
Xmark Xmat Ultra Thick
- Thickness 1/2″
- Weight -75lb per mat
- Rating 4.3/5
Equine Stall Mat
- Thickness 1/2″
- Weight-75lb per mat
- Rating 4/5
Reviews
DWC Heavy Duty Rubber Mat Flooring 4×6′ x 3/4″
DWC – The standard in powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting gyms, they’re super heavy duty and will withstand just about any weight being dropped on them without damaging the floor underneath.
There is no better mat for durability, made from recycled tires. These mats are tough!
The mats are available in either a smooth top surface or a diamond plate surface. There is simply no better rubber mat for your home gym; these mats will last for years and years.
The only reason the DWC mats made joint first spot rather than take the first spot on their own is that the DWC mats are hard to get hold of, if you’re lucky they sometimes come into stock on Amazon.
The Good
Ultra-durable grade A rubber mat flooring
Industry standard equipment for gyms
Heavy 115lb per mat, no cheap material used
3/4″ thick
Non-slippery
The Bad
Thickness will make them harder to cut to size
Xmark Fitness Ultra Thick XMat 4×6′ x 1/2″ thick
A heavy-duty rubber mat, weighing in at 75lbs and 1/2″ thicks means the Xmark is going to be a durable mat, a very good thickness, will handle just about anything you throw at it. Slips should be kept to a minimum as the XMark mat comes with a textured non-slip surface.
It’s one to consider, slightly cheaper than the stall mat and nice and dense, not too much cushioning, just what you are looking for!
XMark fitnesses mat is geared towards the weightlifter. I could not see any weightlifter complaining about the quality, indeed good enough for any home gym. It will last for years and should be no harder to cut than the stall mats.
A good buy on the whole and a mat you will not regret buying. The density of the mat is its selling point for me.
The Good
Heavy duty
Dense and durable
At 75lbs this mat should not move about much
Easy to clean
Non-slip
The Bad
A little pricey
Horse Stall Matt by Equine 4×6′ x 1/2″
Don’t think we’re crazy recommending horse mats. They’re ultra-durable.
If a 1000lb horse can stand on them for years, then they certainly should hold up to anything us weightlifters can throw at them.
They shouldn’t move around much, the mats weigh in at 75lbs not as heavy as the DWC but still heavy enough
I use similar ones to Equines. I bought locally.
It might be worth checking out anyone local who sells them, be aware if you are buying a few of them, the weight’s soon going to add up. So if you are not planning on purchasing from Amazon, from our link below, make sure you have a pickup truck/van to collect them from the farm supplier.
The Good
Heavy duty multi-use ideal for home gyms
1/2″ thick
Made from recycled rubber
Textured surface will reduce possibility of slippage
Dense
The Bad
There isn’t any real drawbacks to the horse stall mats. Although sometimes they can be hard to get hold of as Amazon doesn’t always have them in stock
Rubber-Cal Elephant Bark Floor Mat Various Sizes 3/16″ Thick
Made in the US, Rubber-Cal mats are much thinner than our other heavy-duty mats but come in at a more affordable price.
Made from recycled rubber truck
Easy to cut using a utility knife. The lighter mats will move around more. I’d suggest using an adhesive to stick them in place. The mats have received excellent reviews.
There have been a few issues of the flooring once unpacked rolling back up again, but that’s easy enough to fix, place it down the other way and put a few weights on top of it for a day or two, the mat will soon straighten out. The rubber cal mats have a slight texture to them, so should help with any slippage issues.
The Good
Affordably priced
Made from recycled tires
Durable
Easy to clean
The Bad
3/16″ may not be thick enough for some weightlifters needs
Rubber Flooring Buying Tips
Type of Flooring, What it Needs to Do!
- Protect the flooring underneath. Can it take heavy overhead weight drops and deadlifts?
- Is it easy to clean up?
- Does the mat absorb sweat?
- Will it reduce noise because we will definitely have grip slips, drop weights, especially if training to failure (important if you own an apartment)?
Rubber Flooring Underlying Base
You should first be thinking whether or not you will need an underlying base for your rubber flooring, if you’re going to put the rubber flooring over concrete such as in a garage, you can forgo the underlying base.
If you plan on putting the rubber on top of carpet or wooden floors, then we highly recommend you put down a layer of three quarter inch plywood underneath.
This will give you a nice solid base and will give you the extra protection if you drop heavy weights.
Density
Density will be the most important aspect of choosing the right rubber flooring for your home gym, for weight lifting you will want the densest of materials, we don’t need any bounce from it or as little as possible, “we want minimal force into the floor and maximum force into our efforts”, says Craig Cecil author of Bodybuilding At Home.
It’s best to try and avoid the mass marketed 2×2 floormats sold in packages, they are cheaply made and do not have the required density we are looking for.
Cheaply made mats are ok for placing under any cardio equipment or anything that doesn’t move and will still protect the floor but are not suited for racks.
Thickness
Interlocking Rolls And Mats
Interlocking rubber mats
- Cost more
- Easier because it’s already cut for you
Mats or cut from a roll
- Harder because you have to cut, density and thickness can make this job much tougher
- Much cheaper
- Use a utility knife to cut or a saw for thicker mats
- Mats will have to be securely placed up against each other and so may have to be cut accurately to fit.
- Might be a good idea to buy strips from a hardware store to put under mats to make more secure.
How Much Rubber Flooring Will I Need?
Walk around the space you have for your home gym and work out where you will need your rubber flooring
- Under the rack
- Under bench and feet
- Storage, it’s a good idea to have rubber flooring under the storage, its easy for slips here and weights falling, but it less important than the other two main areas. So if on a budget you could leave this part out.
Once you have chosen the correct flooring for your home gym we thought you might like a little help showing you the best way to cut the rubber flooring, here’s a short how-to video.
Best Foam Filled Mats
As we mentioned earlier foam filled mats are not considered the best idea for serious weightlifters they are however great for bodyweight exercises, yoga, and many other indoor activities.
Let’s not forget, some of the high-density foam mats can be used under your fitness equipment, here they’ll do an excellent job at protecting your floors and are, in general, a much cheaper option for this job than rubber.
Top 3 Foam-Filled Gym Mats
Editors Choice
Pro Source Foam Mats- Dimensions – 24″x 24″
- Thickness – 1/2″
- Rating – 4.5/5
Balance Form Foam Mat
- Dimensions – 24″x 24″
- Thickness – 1/2″
- Rating – 4/5
Yes4All Foam Mats
- Dimensions – 12″x 12″
- Thickness – 1/2″
- Rating – 3.5/5
Reviews
Prosource Fit Puzzle Exercise Mat
One of the best selling interlocking foam mats on Amazon and its easy to see why installation of the mats is almost effortless as they lock together with ease.
What we like most about these mats is the high-density foam used in the construct.
High-density foam is the durable stuff, it’s hard to damage and won’t rip easily under heavy fitness equipment.
What’s also nice about these top quilty mats is they provide a non-skid textured surface which will protect your floors, whilst allowing enough comfort for most indoor exercises.
Single mats purchased do have a tendency to slip which is why it is recommended to buy the whole pack, but from the many reviews I’ve read about the Prosource mats, when people have only purchased the one or a few, they say it only slips by a few inches, not a lot I know, but can be off-putting.
BalanceFrom Puzzle Exercise Mat
There’s not a huge difference between the BalanceForm and the Prosource Interlocking mats, apart from the Prosource offer you a little more grip, which can be very important if you are using the mats for regular exercise.
Again the BalanceFrom mats are made from Durable EVA high-density foam, which provides you with excellent support and cushioning. The BalanceFrom mats are super simple to put together, and just like the Prosource mats, you are provided with six tiles and twelve end borders if you choose to buy the whole package.
A well made durable set of home gym mats, great for keeping your floor protected but offer you less grip for exercising than the Prosource mats. Both the ProSource and BalanceForm mats are water resistant.
Yes4All Interlocking Exercise Foam Mats
Another popular choice amongst many people looking for budget mats to place under there workout stations is the Yes4all Interlocking exercise mats.
Priced slightly cheaper than the others, but that’s only because they are half the size, which means they are quite expensive.
They are very well designed little mats with excellent grip if you want to use them for floor workouts, but what’s slightly disappointing about the high-density mats is the many customers who complain the mats are left with
To Sum Up
Xmark make some of the best heavy-duty fitness equipment on the market, their weight bench is a beast, one of the toughest we’ve ever seen, and their floor mats are in the same league.
So, yes, if you have the cash we’d certainly recommend the Heavy Duty Xmark xMats or The DWCs 3/4” for serious weightlifters.
Still if funds are limited and you’re looking for something a little cheaper, I’d go for the Rubber Cal Mats, whilst they won’t protect your floors as well as the thicker rubber mats, they are a very affordable rubber option that beat the foam alternatives hands down.
I do consider all the ideas you have offered on your post. They’re very convincing and can certainly work. Nonetheless, the posts are very short for beginners. May you please prolong them a little from next time? Thank you for the post.
I am often to blogging and i really appreciate your content. The article has really peaks my interest. I am going to bookmark your site and keep checking for new information.
Great post! I work at a gym and the DWC flooring is the exact kind we use. It’s worked really well for us, and holds up great. These type are exactly what you say. They are easy to clean and durable. We do Olympic lifting all the time and drop weights from overhead, and so far it has held up nicely.
Hey Alex, thanks for the comment.
Hi Jake! I’ve been thinking to build a home gym at some time now. I think I’m going for the Rubber-Cal Elephant Bark Floor Mat as I’m just a starter at weight-lifting so maybe I won’t lift those super heavyweights in the meantime. I’m thinking can I stack the mats up in the future as the weight increases? Or I’ve no choice but to buy the thicker but pricier floor mats?
Cheers~
Jerry
Hi there,
I like that you have included the beautiful pictures with your very thorough description. This helps someone like me who is more of a visual person.
I also enjoyed all the graphs you put in to show the ranking. Those gave a quick visual image of the ranking.
HI Jake!
I would go with the DWC rubber mat. Haha.
Thank you for that informative article. Since years I go to my local gym and never thought about making my private gym.
Unfortunately, I live in a flat and have no extra room for setting up my home gym, but your article makes me wanna still do it.
I did not know that people sell horse mats to build gym flooring?
Is there any significant mistake I can make when I set up your Gym Flooring?
Thank God you implemented that video in the end 🙂
All the best
Johann
Hi Johann,
yes mate those DWC mats are awesome!! Mistakes? The only big mistake you can make is not measuring the floor space first, make sure you have the right cutting tools especially if you are buying rolls and always a good idea to have a friend to help, as some of the mats are heavy!
I’ve been thinking about buying some equine mats from a local Tractor Supply for our home gym. They are quite expensive. I see that you have price listed as a con for the equine mats, but from what I can tell, they are actually a bit cheaper than the DWC mats. Am I seeing that correctly?
Hi Ryan, you might of missed the DWC mats thickness, the DWC mats are 3/4′ and the equine 1/2′. DWC are commercial gym standard the thicker the better and worth the little extra you pay. Thanks for looking in.
I honestly didn’t exactly think about my floor when considering having a home gym. I’ll keep this in mind for a while. I have a question though, how long would it take to set this up or did I miss it? Would it depend heavily on the type of material that we are going to put in?
Hi Javier, when assembling your gym floor from mats or from a roll, you will want to make sure everything fits together securely. This isn’t a big problem with interlocking mats as they are already factory cut and are much quicker to fit together.
Rolls and individual mats may require some adhesive under them to keep them in place especially if you have smooth underlying surfaces which may allow the mats to slip a little. Local hardware stores sell inexpensive strips for securing your mats at the corners and edges.
The thicker and denser the mat the harder it is to cut, so yes the thicker you buy the more time it will take.
Very interesting as I have been looking to introduce a home gym in to my house and have actually been stuck on where to get started! The type of flooring is often ignored but is definitely one of the most essential parts of having a home gym! Good work keep going with these articles
Hey Olly, thanks for the comment.