Rubber Flooring Inc 1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls Review: Is It the Best Home Gym Flooring?

In this review of the 1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls, I’ll help you decide if this premium home gym flooring option from Rubber Flooring Inc is right for you.

Quick summary: These rolls are a cut above your typical gym flooring, offering minimal seams, professional-grade rubber quality, custom length sizes, and stylish fleck color options.

Model	Pros & Cons	Rating
1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls Use code KING for 30% off	Pros: Extremely professional look and feel Minimal number of seams Multiple fleck color options Rolls come cut to a custom length Better quality rubber than stall mats Cons: Difficult installation More expensive than stall mats Minimum roll length is 15 ft	Rated 4.7 out of 5 View product page

The price ranges from $2.95 to $5.65 per square foot, but the most popular options are $4.25 – before the 30% discount from code KING. While this isn’t cheap, the durability, performance, and aesthetic value make them a sound investment for serious home gym owners.

But before you commit, be aware of these considerations: the installation is time- and energy-consuming and the cost is higher than the typical flooring alternative of stall mats.

I’ve personally installed these rubber rolls in my home gym and I’m so happy I bought them.

You’ll want to hear about my experience in this review – especially when it comes to installation tips and purchasing considerations.

Why You Need Quality Home Gym Flooring

The importance of quality home gym flooring often gets overlooked, but it’s key to protecting your equipment, your floor, and even your joints.

Think about it: you’re dropping weights, dragging equipment, lifting hundreds of pounds, and possibly jumping and running around. And if you’re working out on a concrete garage or basement floor or the nice hardwood in your guest room, that’s a recipe for disaster.

A proper gym floor does the following:

• Provides support under your feet
• Absorbs shock
• Prevents damage to your equipment and floor
• Provides a safe, grippy surface for your workouts
• Ideally – it also looks nice and is easy to clean

Types of Home Gym Flooring

Now that you understand why you need gym flooring, let’s discuss the most popular types you’ll come across.

• Rubber Rolls: Rubber rolls, like the 1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls, are the gold standard of gym flooring, in my opinion. They’re durable, provide good support, have minimal seams,  and give your gym a sleek, professional look. The price falls between stall mats and interlocking rubber tiles.
• Stall Mats: These heavy-duty rubber mats are a go-to choice for many home gym owners, mainly due to their durability and cost-effectiveness. But while they’re tough, they can be challenging to clean and aren’t the most comfortable underfoot.
• EVA Foam Tiles: These foam tiles are light and interlock for a simple installation process. They are also extremely cheap. Unfortunately, they’re squishy and provide no support. They aren’t durable and will permanently depress from the weight of equipment. I owned some for a very short while and do NOT recommend them.
• Interlocking Rubber Tiles: These tiles combine the durability and support of high-quality rubber with the ease of installation of foam tiles. However, these are among the most expensive rubber flooring options out there. Plus, they have a lot of seams.

Why Rubber Rolls?

I considered all types of flooring for my current home gym. Ultimately, I decided on rubber rolls. If you ask me, there’s nothing that quite compares to rubber rolls for these reasons:

• There are fewer seams than any other type of flooring, including stall mats and interlocking tiles.
• They have even edges (lengthwise) so adjacent rolls fit perfectly together, allowing for smaller gaps between pieces – assuming proper installation.
• There are better color patterns than standard stall mats, giving you the option for colored flecks instead of just plain black.
• The combination of fewer seams, smaller gaps, and multiple color options provides an overall superior aesthetic than any other type of flooring.
• There is a consistent height between rolls, which eliminates tripping hazards. Often, stall mats have slight variances in height.
• The top surface is flat for a non-textured surface that’s easier to clean than textured stall mats. But it’s still plenty grippy.
• The bottom surface is flat so it sits evenly on the floor and evenly distributes force.

Product Overview: 1/2” Mega Rubber Rolls from Rubber Flooring Inc

I chose the 1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls from Rubber Flooring Inc for my home gym. I’ve used them thoroughly for several months now and am thoroughly satisfied with my decision.

Let me tell you about them, starting with the key specs and what that means practically:

Product Specs

• 1/2″ Thickness: With a thickness of a 1/2 inch that weighs 3.0 lbs per square foot, these rubber rolls are built to withstand even the toughest of workouts. This level of thickness provides excellent impact absorption. The heavy weight indicates just how dense and durable the rubber is. As someone who’s seen his fair share of flimsy gym flooring, trust me, you want something that can take a beating.
• 4 Feet Width: All rolls are 4 feet wide. If you end up needing a strip that’s thinner than that, you’ll need to cut it with your razor.
• Length Cut-to-Size: While all the rubber rolls are 4 feet wide, they can be cut to your requested length, making them customizable to fit any gym size. However, there’s a caveat – There’s a minimum length of 15 feet.
• Recycled Rubber Material: Made from recycled rubber buffings from tires, mixed with colored EPDM virgin rubber flecks. Not only do the flecks create an interesting visual aesthetic, but they also give the rolls an added layer of strength and durability.
• Black With Colored Flecks: The rubber buffings create the majority black color. The 10% or 20% color fleck is available in multiple colorways.
• 5-Year Warranty: Most of the options, namely the 10% fleck rolls, are covered from premature wear and manufacturer defects for five years. The typical industry warranty for this product type is three to five years, putting it at the top end of the typical range. I fully expect they will last much longer, especially in a home gym setting. The more expensive 20% fleck rolls (i.e. the “Biggie Smallz™” colors) are covered for an impressive 25 years.

My Project

Here are the exact project specifications for when I installed the 1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls in my garage gym:

• Garage Size: 22’2″ x 37’8″ (minus storm room and stairs square footage)
• Flooring Choice: 1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls
• Rubber Thickness: 1/2 inch
• Roll Width: 4 feet
• Roll Length: 23 feet
• Number of Rolls: 9
• Total Weight: 2,250 lbs
• Color: Black with 10% color fleck (multiple fleck colors available)
• Total Cost: Approx. $2,509.29 + $492.45 for Shipping — This does not include the cost of tax, double-sided tape ($92), and various installation tools that you may already have.

Performance

The Rubber Flooring Inc 1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls provide excellent performance overall. Here’s where they excel:

Shock Absorption

They’re a half-inch thick, which is about as thick as you’ll find rubber rolls – although a few manufacturers do sell 3/4″ thick rolls, which is overkill for most people.

The thickness itself goes a long way in absorbing impact.

On top of that, the rubber is of higher quality than the rubber used in basic stall mats. This includes the use of EPDM virgin rubber flecks, which stall mats lack.

Plus, all of the rubber meets a higher level of standards in production. Whereas, stall mats have few if any that they’re tested for.

Generally, better quality rubber means better impact resistance.

Of course, you have to consider that stall mats are thicker than these rolls. But I would venture to say that shock absorption is comparable between stall mats and these rolls, despite the 1/4″ difference.

All that said, if you’re still deadlifting heavy weights and dropping down, you’ll feel vibrations in your home. That’s inescapable from flooring alone.

To curtail that further, you’ll want to install a dedicated deadlift platform on top of your flooring. In fact, I recommend that whether using this flooring or thicker stall mats if you’re deadlifting over 405 lbs, especially if you’re using iron plates instead of bumper plates. It’s an added precaution to protect your subfloor.

Noise Reduction: No More Echo Chamber Workouts

The last thing you want is to disturb your family’s peace or your neighbor’s afternoon siesta with the sound of clanging weights.

And that’s where the noise reduction feature of these rubber rolls comes in handy.

Noise reduction is directly correlated with shock absorption, which as I already discussed is good on the 1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls.

The noise difference compared to no flooring is significant. It will also be noticeable compared to thinner rubber rolls (e.g. 8mm or 3/8″).

What about compared to stall mats? Well, I’ve used both stall mats and these rolls. Although I haven’t tested them side by side, I’d say the noise reduction is comparable despite the stall mats being a bit thicker.

Again – you can still make plenty of noise if you’re deadlifting heavy enough. And that’s when you should invest in a deadlift platform, whether that’s a DIY platform or a pre-made one.

Grip

Ever tried doing lunges on a slippery surface? Not fun, right? The grip of your gym flooring is paramount to prevent any mishaps and to maintain proper form and balance.

The 1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls have a smooth but matte finish that nonetheless provides an excellent, tacky grip.

The rubber material used is tested to ensure it meets a certain standard for the coefficient of friction (0.084 – 0.090).

While I can’t personally put those numbers to, I can tell you from my personal experience that the grip I feel is very strong.

In fact, I think the grip may be even better than many stall mats — and that’s despite the fact that most stall mats have a textured pattern on top instead of a flat surface. I chalk that up to better rubber quality rubber.

Regardless of how the grip between stall mats and these rubber rolls compare, the fact is these rolls (and stall mats, too, for that matter) provide more than enough grip for any home gym user.

Aesthetics

Minimal Seams, Professional Look

These rubber rolls do a fantastic job of giving your gym a clean, professional look. With minimal seams, these rolls create a smooth, uniform surface that enhances the overall aesthetic of your gym.

Unlike stall mats that are typically 4 x 6 feet or interlocking rubber tiles that are usually either 2 x 2 feet or 4 x 4 feet, the 1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls allow you to cover large areas with fewer seams.

This is a game-changer in terms of the look and feel of your gym.

Fleck Color

The 1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls come in a variety of colors to match your style and taste. Whether you want a touch of baby blue, a hint of lipstick red, or a mix of colors with the “Merica” option, there’s a fleck color for you.

This feature gives you the flexibility to add some personality and contrast to your gym floor, a luxury you don’t get with standard stall mats that come only in black.

Here’s a full list of all colors currently available — in 10% or 20% fleck:

10% Fleck:

• Confetti (green, blue, red, orange, white)
• Black
• Baby blue
• Blue
• Blue gray
• Brick red
• Gray
• Lipstick red

20% Fleck:

• Avalanche (white, gray)
• Buckeye (red, gray, white)
• Iceberg (blue, gray, white)
• Merica (red, white, blue)
• Polar (light blue, gray, white)
• Rambo (green, gray, brown, tan)
• Stallion (light blue, orange)
• Tighten Up (blue, white, light blue)

Even Cuts Lengthwise: Precision Matters

Finally, let’s talk about fit. The 1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls are cut with precision lengthwise cuts, ensuring a neat and accurate installation where adjacent rolls fit flush together.

If you’ve ever dealt with stall mats, you’ll know they’re not always perfectly straight, leading to slight gaps between mats.

Now, I should point out that the width-wise cuts aren’t always perfectly straight. You’ll have to square those off yourself with a T-square and a box cutter to ensure they sit flush against your wall. Luckily, that’s very doable since the rolls are just four feet wide – the same length as many T-squares.

My Purchasing Experience

I’ll tell you about my purchasing journey, from my pre-purchase customer service experience to shipment and delivery.

Customer Service Experience

I did have to navigate a bit of a communication maze to get a couple of random questions I had answered before purchase. It took multiple tries to get in touch.

When I ordered, they had some odd glitch where the phone number shown on the desktop version of their site wouldn’t go through to their main line. Eventually, I used my phone to look at their website and it displayed a different phone number. I tried that phone number and waited in the queue. However, it took about 15 minutes of waiting.

But once they answered, the rep was friendly and answered my questions. I have since informed Rubber Flooring Inc about the website/phone number glitch, which they said they’ve addressed.

Shipping and Delivery Experience

Shipping took about 1 week, which was great. However, I was told there would be tracking updates. Instead, it just showed up unannounced. But luckily they placed it right next to my garage, which I greatly appreciated.

Shipping cost $492.45 for my particular order. Yours will vary based on shipping weight, size, and destination.

The shipment came on 2 pallets, with 6 rolls on one pallet (weighing ~1500 lbs) and 3 rolls on another (weighing ~750 lbs).

Each roll was stretch-wrapped individually and then each pallet was stretch-wrapped to keep the rolls together. along with strapping to keep the rolls from moving.

The rolls and the pallets themselves were in perfect condition upon arrival. There was no damage to the product from transit.

My Takeaways

Even with the communication hiccups, I can’t complain too much considering the price point. I would do it again.

If you want to buy from them and have questions, my advice is to not bother emailing or using their contact form. If you do need to ask a question, use the phone line and be patient because you will have to wait. Eventually (~15-20min), though, you’ll get through.

Or better yet, just ask me in the comments below! 😉 But hopefully this review addresses any questions you may have questions.

Purchasing Considerations

Deciding on Thickness: The Trade-Offs Explained

When it comes to home gym flooring, thickness matters. But how do you choose between 1/4″, 8mm, 3/8″ and 1/2″ thicknesses?

Well, let me share my thoughts on this based on personal experience and extensive research.

First off, if you’re serious about your home gym, I’d rule out 1/4” flooring right away. With this thinness, there’s a risk of it bunching up or shifting unless you glue it down. You could tape it, but over time, if the tape eventually loses adhesion, you’re back to square one.

Now, if you’re not planning on dropping weights, 8mm or 3/8” (9mm) flooring can work for you. If you do plan on deadlifting, I highly recommend getting a dedicated deadlift platform to go on top.

If you’re choosing between 8mm and 3/8”, opt for the slightly thicker 3/8”. The price difference is minimal and that extra millimeter is nice to have.

The 8mm and 3/8″ options are thick enough that bunching up or shifting is less likely even if you don’t secure it to the floor with glue or tape — but I still strongly recommend securing them some way.

The 8mm and 3/8″ thicknesses are both notably lighter than 1/2” rubber rolls, which will make installing them a lot easier.

If you’re a strong and serious home gym lifter, 1/2” rubber rolls are the best choice for you. It’s the one I chose because it provides the best protection for your foundation against weight drops.

Importantly, half-inch thick rubber rolls give you a lot of peace of mind. It’s better for it to be thicker than you need instead of too thin.

I’m confident when deadlifting moderately heavy weights directly on the rubber flooring, especially when using bumper plates.

However, if you’re deadlifting heavy weight, and especially if you’re using iron or steel plates, you should still invest in a dedicated deadlift platform to go on top of the flooring — just to be extra safe and protect your subfloor.

The only downsides to the 1/2” thick option are that:

• It costs you more than thinner options
• It makes for a more strenuous installation process. It’s still doable, but you’ll want a friend to help.

Calculating Your Rubber Flooring Needs

On the RubberFlooringInc.com website, you can simply input the size of your home gym space in length (ft) x width (ft). This automatically calculates two different options for you — one with the rubber rolls going horizontally in your space and one with them oriented vertically.

Unless you have a perfectly square room, one of the options will be cheaper — whichever one has less total square footage of rubber.

Sometimes, the cheapest option will be the one that has more seams. So you may have to decide if you want fewer seams or a slightly cheaper price.

Another scenario to consider is when you have an extremely long room length compared to depth. If the rolls are very long, they’ll be difficult to maneuver for installation. In such a situation, it may make more sense to choose a roll length that matches your room’s depth, even if that means more rolls/seams.

For example, my space is 37’8”. If I ordered 38′ long rolls, that would’ve made each roll incredibly hard to install. I could’ve probably done it, but it would’ve taken significantly more time and physical effort.

I ended up going with the vertical orientation — more rolls but with a shorter length of 23’ to ensure it fits my 22’2” garage depth.

I did this not only because it saved a little extra money and made for a more manageable install, but also because I thought I may use one garage bay for my car – And if I were to damage those rubber rolls, I could replace them. Whereas if I damaged them with a horizontal roll orientation, I’d have to replace all of the rolls.

Another consideration when buying is knowing how you may be able to save money by understanding how the 4-foot roll width affects the pricing calculator.

I’ll use my example to explain — my garage length is 37’2”. If I put that in their calculator, it says I’ll need 10 rolls when using the vertical orientation. However, I ended up buying just 9 rolls.

This allowed me to achieve 36 feet of coverage with 4 feet wide rolls. I used the excess to fill the small 1’2” sliver at the end — I had sufficient excess primarily from the cutout of my stairwell and storm room space.

In general, it’s a good idea to have around 5% excess for filling gaps from minor install mistakes.

In particular, make sure you have a little extra length than you need. So if you have a 20’ garage length and are laying the rolls lengthwise in that direction, get 21’ long rubber rolls. There are two reasons for this:

• Length cuts are only done in 1’ increments.
• You’ll need to trim the ends slightly to square them off since width-wise cuts aren’t always perfectly straight from the factory.

Taping vs Gluing: Weighing the Pros and Cons

Finally, you need to decide whether to tape or glue your mats down.

Gluing gives a more permanent and durable result. However, there were a few potential drawbacks I’ll discuss that made me decide against gluing my mats down.

I decided to go the route of taping the mats down since it’s less permanent and won’t leave unsightly residue if I ever decide to sell the house in the future.

Additionally, I wasn’t sure how the glue would affect the “breathability” of my concrete foundation.

Lastly, the gluing method seemed to require more skill than I had confidence. In hindsight, I’m sure I could’ve figured it out, but I didn’t want to botch the job and have the mats permanently misaligned.

I’ll tell you exactly how to tape down your mats in this section of the review.

Even with my taping job, I made a minor mistake, which isn’t a huge deal — I’ll discuss what exactly I did and how you can avoid the same mistake when I get to the mistakes section of this review.

Recommended Tools for Installation

These are all of the tools I used for the installation process and how I used them. While you may not need every single one of these for your particular project, you will need most.

• EZGrip Stall Mat Movers: To allow you to securely grip the heavy rolls to move them. It’s 10x easier than using your hands.
• Box Cutter + Extra Razor Blades: To cut the rubber rolls to size and shape
• 48″ T-Square + Straight Edge: For making straight and clean cuts with the razor.
• Tape Measure: For measuring lengths needed for different cuts.
• Chalk Reel: This comes in handy when it’s not practical to use your T-square for making a perpendicular cut. Mark it with chalk, then use your straight edge for guidance along the line.
• Leaf blower: For cleaning dirt and debris off the floor before, during, and after installation. Also, you can shoot air under the rolls to easily make small position adjustments.
• Push Broom + Sweeping Broom & Dustpan: For cleaning before, during, and after installation.
• Mop + Cleaning Solution: To clean any remaining dust and dirt off the floor before laying and taping (or gluing) the mats.
• Scraper: To remove anything that’s stuck on the floor before installation so the rubber sits flat.
• Dolly: To efficiently move the rolls into the garage. You can skip this if you’d rather roll the mats into your gym, but the dolly will save time and energy. To save on this item, you can try renting locally or buying then returning it.

Installation Process

Below, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about how to properly install your rubber rolls based on my experience.

Pre-Installation Preparation

Here’s how to prepare your space and rubber rolls for installation:

• Make sure you have all of the tools needed before starting – see my recommended tools list here.
• Clear everything out of the home gym area.
• Clean the floor thoroughly, including scraping, brooming, leaf blowing, and mopping. You’ll likely have to do this a couple of times if the floor is dirty to begin with.
• Bring the rolls into your garage (or whatever space you’re using). Use a dolly to save your back. Otherwise, you’ll need to roll the rolls on the ground — don’t attempt to carry them!
  • PRO TIP: You may be able to rent a dolly locally for cheap at Home Depot or U-Haul. But if you can’t rent a dolly, you can always buy one and then return it. 😉
• Open up the rolls and lay them flat for 24 to 48 hours before proceeding with installation. This allows them to expand. I recommend laying them on top of each other so the weight helps encourage the flattening process. I put mine in three piles of three rolls.
• Anticipate and have a plan for complex cuts around the protrusions (i.e. in my case, my storm room, stairs, garage door track, and molding). You shouldn’t do the cuts ahead of time, but rather have a strategy for them.

Installation Tips and Tricks

From my own installation experience, I’ve come up with some best practices as well as some hacks that I recommend you use during installation:

• Get a friend to help with the installation. This will make things so much faster than going solo — especially if you have the thick 1/2” rolls and a big space like me.
• Work smarter, not harder. Use EZGrip Mat Movers to make moving the mats much less physically demanding. In some situations, it’ll make sense just to use your hands, but often, the EZGrips are the efficient choice.
• Make sure the rolls are facing right side up. Each roll will have an indicator painted on it to let you know which side should face down.
• Lay the rolls starting from one end of your gym to the other. This helps keep the rolls tight and reduces the likelihood of cutting in the wrong places.
• Use a leaf blower to shoot air under the mat and make slight position adjustments very easily by kicking the roll itself, or having a friend move it. This will help you get the rubber mat flush against the wall and flush against the adjacent mat, both of which are essential for achieving a tight, gapless fit.
• Make sure the seams are as close as possible before making cuts around obstacles and before securing the rolls to the floor with tape or glue. I can’t stress this point enough. Doing this will ensure any cuts around obstacles are tight and that your final result will appear seamless.
• Measure twice, cut once. It’s ALWAYS better to cut off too little than too much.
• You may do the cuts as you lay each roll or after laying all of the rolls. This decision depends on your layout (some cuts will be needed as you go if an obstacle is in your way) and preference (if your layout allows for it, doing cuts after laying all mats may be more efficient).
• I don’t recommend trying to make all cuts before laying the rolls in place since that’s a recipe for making mistakes.
• Square off the widthwise cuts of the mats to make them straight and flush before putting it against your wall. Unlike the lengthwise factory cuts which are perfectly straight/parallel, the widthwise cuts are often ever-so-slightly angled and thus won’t sit squarely against the wall. To correct this, use your razor and T-square square them off with a perpendicular cut. I did the widthwise cuts right before laying each roll.
• Replace blades frequently. More frequently than you think you need. You’ll slow down to a snail’s pace if you let your blade get too dull. And it will get dull fast, especially on thicker rubber rolls.

How to Secure the Rolls to the Floor with Tape

Whether you use glue or double-sided tape, I highly recommend securing the 1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls to the floor. I chose to use tape.

Securing the mats to the floor is tedious, but it’s well worth the time and will help prevent shifting over time.

While gluing is a more durable method of securing the rubber, I recommend most people doing the installation themselves use tape. It’s easier to do, less permanent, and won’t stain/leave residue on your floors.

I chose to use the tape method so it’s the one I’ll speak on. You can watch my video on how to tape your rubber flooring below:

First off — how much tape should you buy? It’s recommended to tape around the perimeter of each roll. So base your calculation on that.

EXAMPLE — TAPE QUANTITY CALCULATION: If you have six rubber rolls that are 4 x 20 feet long, then you need 48 feet of tape for each rubber roll (20 ft + 20 ft + 4 ft + 4 ft), multiplied by six rolls, for a total of 288 feet of tape. Each roll of double-sided tape is 82.5 feet long. That means you’d need four rolls of tape.

Now, let’s discuss the taping-down process:

I found that it was most efficient to do all of the cutting and laying of the mats first. Once that was finished, I went back and did the taping. Alternatively, you could do the taping as you go; after you cut and lay each piece.

Before taping, be extra sure that the floor is clean. Since I went back to tape after the initial cutting and laying process, I moved each roll and did a quick mop job before putting the tape down on the floor.

When putting the double-sided tape on the floor, be sure to:

• Put it close to where the edge of the rubber roll will lay.
• Use something to press down on the tape so it’s fully stuck on the floor before removing the plastic film on top.
• Remove the plastic film on the top side of the tape once you’re ready adhere the rubber roll to the floor.

When laying the rubber roll on the tape, try to gently drape it on top of the tape rather than dragging the rubber over it.

How do you do this?

Well, I found that after I had the first roll laid down and secured, I could move the new rubber roll onto the previously secured rubber roll. Then I’d put down the tape. Next, I’d use the EZGrip Mat Movers to slowly pull the new rubber roll back into place; leaving it just barely hanging on the edge of the previous rubber roll before walking on it push it down for as tight of a fit as possible.

Once the mat is laid on the tape, put pressure on the mat on top of where the tape is. You can step along it. Or you can use one of the empty cardboard rolls that came with the rubber – and roll it on top.

Rubber Flooring Inc recommends taping the entire perimeter of each rubber roll. That may be ideal, but I think most people only need it along the long edges of each roll.

Glueing – The More Durable and Permanent Solution

If you want a more permanent and admittedly more professional outcome, go the glue route.

Just be sure you’re okay with glue residue being left on your floors.

Also, you may want to consider how this could affect the breathability of your foundation. I’m no expert on this, and it’s just one more reason I opted for taping vs gluing.

Before going forward with the gluing method, you may want to talk to a foundation contractor or a building inspector about any risks this may pose to your foundation.

If you do decide to glue your mats down, be sure you have the skills to carry it out. It’s not incredibly complex, but it does take more skill and a sense of urgency than the taping method.

Otherwise, you can hire local professionals to do it, but that’ll cost extra.

Post-Installation

Here are my recommended steps to perform after installing your rubber rolls:

• Remove any leftover debris from the installation by using your broom or your leaf blower.
• Install any new gym equipment you may have and/or move your existing gym equipment into place. Don’t drag any heavy metal equipment that may scratch the flooring.
• I recommend keeping at least some of the excess flooring, as it can come in handy if you ever need to use it elsewhere or for other small gym DIY projects.
• Enjoy your new home gym flooring.

Optional Flooring Accessories

There are other ways to improve the further improve the aesthetic and function of your new home gym flooring. And that’s by installing gym flooring accessories.

The most common gym flooring accessory is a transition edge ramp, which creates a gradual transition between the rubber flooring and the floor below.

I already got the 1/2″ transition ramp strips that will fit my 1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls. I’m just waiting until after winter to install it.

I know it’ll look super sleek and add a bit of functionality, too, for when I start bringing equipment inside and outside.

My Installation Mistakes

Overall, my installation was a success. But I did make two relatively small mistakes that I’d fix if I could do it all over again. Let me tell you about them so you can avoid the same errors.

Mistake #1

Except for the first rubber roll that I laid down, I only put tape on one long edge of each rubber roll instead of along both edges.

My thinking was this — I was worried about the breathability of the concrete foundation below if it was sealed on both sides. I wanted one side that I could pull up if needed.

Looking back, I think this was an unfounded concern. At the same time, I didn’t realize that doing this would have the negative impact of allowing rubber shrinkage as the weather got colder.

Even though the seams were extremely tight and gapless after finishing my taping, some slight gaps appeared in the fall as the colder weather caused the rubber to contract.

It’s not huge gaps. And it’s certainly nothing that impacts performance, function, or safety. Rather, it’s a minor aesthetic annoyance. The gaps at their biggest are a hair less than 1/8″ between rolls.

But I do believe I could’ve avoided this had I secured the rolls along both of their long edges. Instead, I secured (most of) the mats along of just one long edge.

I know this because as I mentioned, I did secure both sides of the first rubber roll that I laid, as well as the adjacent edge of the subsequent rubber roll. That seam is still is as tight as it was the day I taped it down; no gap at all.

I may try to wait until summer when it expands back to re-tape, though this may not be practical where I’ve installed heavy gym equipment in the meantime.

Even if the gaps were to show at all times the minor gaps visible in cold weather, I’d still be incredibly happy with the flooring. But if you can avoid this mistake when you install your rubber flooring, then you should.

Mistake #2

When I cut and laid everything initially (before taping), all of my cuts around corners or other obstacles like the stairs were perfect — completely flush.

However, after going back and securing them to the floor with tape, there ended up being a gap.

Here’s what I think happened:

I had to wait a few weeks before finally being able to start the taping process. In the meantime, the weather had gotten colder and I think the mats contracted slightly, causing gaps. I readjusted mats to close these gaps as I started taping.

A bunch of tiny gaps, once closed, will begin to show one larger gap once they’re pushed together. Because I started at one end of the gym, the gap showed on the opposite end of the gym, which is where the drywall corner and stairs are.

If I started shifting mats at taping from the opposite direction, the gap would not have been very noticeable. This is because the other end of the gym is just a straight wall with no obstacles that require cut-outs.

Of course, the ideal approach would have been to tape shortly after laying and cutting the maps. This way, there would’ve been no time for the mats to shrink from the cold.

Additionally, I should mention that part of this gap issue could’ve been caused by not having the mats as close as possible to each other after the initial cutting and laying phase.

However, I don’t think that was the case for me since I remember laying the rubber rolls very tightly together.

Still, this is something you should be aware of if you’re cutting and laying all mats first, before taping. If you don’t initially make the rolls as tight as possible, it could cause the same type of issue where your cuts don’t match up after closing the gaps and taping.

Another strategy to avoid this mistake is to go the route of taping as you lay and cut each rubber roll. That is, you don’t wait until all of the mats are laid and cut. You go one by one: lay, cut, tape, repeat.

Cleaning & Maintenance

I’ll give you some practical instructions on how to clean your rubber rolls and maximize their lifespan.

Cleaning Method

Here are my guidelines and tips for cleaning your rubber floors:

• Remove any extra debris with your leaf blower, broom, or vacuum.
• For a deeper clean, use a mop with a water and cleaning solution after sweeping/leaf blowing.
• Avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners that may damage the mats.
• I use the ZEP Neutral pH Floor Cleaner. You only need about 2 oz of it per gallon of water since it’s a concentrate.

Cleaning Frequency

The frequency at which you should clean your gym depends on how quickly it collects dirt and debris. If you’re in a garage gym, more debris is likely to get in when the garage doors are open, especially if you’re going in and out.

Under normal circumstances, I’ll use the leaf blower for a quick cleanup every couple of weeks or so.

If you have your home gym space in your basement or a room in your house, a leaf blower won’t make sense. In that case, use a vacuum or a broom for a quick tidy-up.

Deep cleans with a mop aren’t needed that often unless you’re tracking in a lot of dirt or are profusely sweating all over the gym. Under normal circumstances, I’d say deeper cleaning with a mop and cleaning solutions is good to do every three or so months.

Maintenance Tips

Avoid dragging heavy items across the flooring that could scrape the surface of the flooring, particularly anything with an edge or a corner.

For example, I created a small surface scratch when I was handling one of my benches in a weird way while installing it. I had it on the corner of one of the feet and then accidentally dragged it against the flooring. You can barely see the scratch, but if I moved it longer or the equipment was heavier, it could cause more visible damage.

If you’re attempting to move big pieces of equipment, I recommend using furniture pads designed for carpet (not for hardwood).

Not only will this protect the flooring, but it will make moving it much easier. I used these to help slide my power rack into place.

If you’re parking in your garage on top of your rubber flooring, here are a couple of tips to prevent damage:

• Put some type of underlayment on top of the rubber area where you’re parking. You don’t want any oil to drip from your car onto the rubber as it can break it down. You also have to be aware that oil residue can be on your car tires so something should also be under the tires. I recommend looking into oil spill mats.
• Be careful when driving onto the rubber. Don’t suddenly accelerate to get over the edge of the rubber as this may damage the edge of the rubber.

Price / Cost Analysis

Gym flooring is an investment, just like any other piece of gym equipment. In this section, I’ll analyze the cost of the 1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls and compare them to the price of stall mats and other popular rubber roll thicknesses.

The Price Tag of 1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls

The cost of the 1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls ranges from $2.95/sqft to $5.65/sqft depending on the color pattern and fleck coverage (10% or 20%).

However, there is only one color pattern available for $2.95/sqft and it’s the “Confetti” pattern, which in my opinion doesn’t look great. Most people won’t want that.

Most people will end up wanting a single fleck color in the 10% coverage, which will cost you $4.25/sqft — minus 30% with code KING.

Costs of Other Gym Flooring Options

Let’s look at the prices of the most popular alternatives to the 1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls:

• Stall mats: Standard black stall mats at the time of publishing are currently sold at Tractor Supply Company for $57 per 4’x6’ mat, which comes out to $2.36/sqft.
• 3/8″ Heavy Duty Rubber Rolls: The prices on these 3/8” rubber rolls from Rubber Flooring Inc range from $2.45/sqft to $4.49/sqft. However, the most popular ones (10% fleck with a single fleck color) cost $3.09/sqft currently — minus 30% with code KING.
• 8mm Strong Rubber Rolls: The prices on these 8mm (5/16”) rubber rolls from Rubber Flooring Inc range from $2.19/sqft to $4.05/sqft. However, the most popular ones (10% fleck, single color) currently cost $2.89/sqft — before applying the 30% discount for code KING.

Flooring Option	Price Per Sq Ft (Retail)	Price Per Sq Ft (With Discount)
1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls	$4.25	$2.98 (code KING)
3/8″ Heavy Duty Rubber Rolls	$3.09	$2.16 (code KING)
8mm Strong Rubber Rolls	$2.89	$2.02 (code KING)
Stall Mats (Tractor Supply)	$2.36	No coupon codes available

What’s the Cost for Your Entire Gym?

To get the actual cost of rubber rolls for outfitting your gym, use the calculator on the product page on Rubber Flooring Inc.

However, I’ll include a few examples of flooring price estimates for different-sized gyms. I’ll use the typical price per square foot mentioned and will compare the common rubber roll thicknesses as well as stall mats:

Gym Size	1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls	3/8″ Heavy Duty Rubber Rolls	8mm Strong Rubber Rolls	Stall Mats
12 ft x 15 ft	$765.45 $535.82 w/code KING	$556.65 $389.66 w/code KING	$520.65 $364.46 w/code KING	$342.00
20 ft x 20 ft	$1,701.00 $1,190.70 w/code KING	$1,237.00 $865.90 w/code KING	$1,157.00 $809.90 w/code KING	$969.00
30 ft x 20 ft	$2,551.50 $1,786.05 w/code KING	$1,855.50 $1,298.85 w/code KING	$1,735.50 $1,214.85 w/code KING	$1,425.00

Tips for the Budget Conscious

The 1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls can be expensive, especially if you have a large space to fill. Here are some tips to save for any budget-conscious buyers:

• As already mentioned, my code KING will save you 30% on anything from Rubber Flooring Inc.
• Go with an unpopular fleck pattern like “Confetti” or choose no fleck pattern.
• Thinner rubber costs less than thicker rubber. So if you simply can’t afford the 1/2” rubber flooring, go with 3/8” or 8mm (5/16”). Basically, go as thick as you can afford. And remember that if you deadlift heavy, you’ll need to buy or build a deadlift platform — or deadlift on top of pads.

Rubber Rolls vs Other Types of Gym Flooring

There are many types of home gym flooring available besides rubber. I’ll tell you about all the most common alternatives to rubber rolls and how they stack up in comparison.

Stall Mats

Often found in horse stalls (hence the name), these are thick and heavy rubber mats that measure 4’ x 6’ x 3/4”.

Stall mats are the typical go-to for home gym enthusiasts because of their price, thickness, and accessibility.

Stall Mats Pros and Cons:

Pros:

• Great bang for your buck
• Durable
• Thick (3/4”)
• Available locally to save on shipping

Cons:

• Lots of seams
• Hard to cut
• Smelly
• Inconsistencies in thickness between mats
• Odd textures depending on the mat style
• Only black

Stall Mats vs Rubber Rolls:

• Rubber rolls have fewer seams, smaller gaps, better patterns, and consistent height than stall mats.
• Rubber rolls have more shock absorption and noise reduction — at least when comparing similar thicknesses.
• Rubber rolls have more aesthetic appeal and customization options than stall mats.
• Rubber rolls are more expensive and harder to install than stall mats.

Interlocking Rubber Tiles

If you’re looking for a middle ground between stall mats and rubber rolls, interlocking rubber tiles might just be your answer.

These square or rectangular tiles fit together like puzzle pieces, making them pretty darn easy to install. But they come at a high price.

Interlocking Rubber Tiles Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Easy to install
• Seams are tight
• Customizable color patterns
• Replaceable (if needed)

Cons:

• Expensive
• Lots of seams

Interlocking Rubber Tiles vs Rubber Rolls

• Rubber rolls have fewer seams than interlocking rubber tiles.
• Rubber rolls have similar shock absorption, noise reduction, and grip as interlocking rubber tiles — when comparing similar thicknesses and styles.
• Rubber rolls are harder to install than interlocking rubber tiles. This is because you have to install one large roll at a time instead of one small tile at a time. Plus, even though some people choose to glue or tape interlocking tiles, it’s very much optional because the interlocking feature keeps the seams together even when the rubber expands and contracts.
• Rubber rolls are less expensive than interlocking rubber tiles per square foot when comparing similar thicknesses and styles.

Interlocking EVA Foam Tiles

Interlocking foam tiles, made of EVA foam, are another popular choice mainly due to their low cost.

However, I simply can’t recommend them to anyone starting a home gym – unless maybe they’re just dipping their toes in to see if a home gym is right for them.

Interlocking Foam Tiles Pros and Cons:

Pros:

• Extremely cheap
• Easy to install
• Easily removable (if needed)

Cons:

• No support (soft/squishy)
• Not durable (prone to indentation and tears)
• Not shock absorbent
• Not noise reducing

Interlocking Foam Tiles vs Rubber Rolls

• Rubber rolls have fewer seams and typically have more and better color patterns.
• Rubber rolls have significantly more shock absorption, noise reduction, and grip than interlocking foam tiles.
• Rubber rolls have more aesthetic appeal.
• Rubber rolls provide significant support because they’re dense while EVA foam tiles are soft and squishy.
• Rubber rolls are more expensive and harder to install than interlocking foam tiles.

Overall Rating

Final Verdict and Recommendations

The 1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls from Rubber Flooring Inc are the best gym flooring for serious home gym owners who want a premium, professional, and durable flooring solution at a reasonable price.

It will cost more than the traditional stall mat route, but not as much as you may think — especially if using code KING for 30% off.

The aesthetic and functional benefits of rubber rolls over stall mats are significant and very much worth it if you can afford it. Remember, the flooring is the foundation of your entire home gym.

Importantly, it’ll be difficult to upgrade stall mats with more premium flooring in the future since you’ll have to take all of your equipment out to replace it. So if you think you want rubber rolls now, go for it and save yourself the future hassle.

Just be prepared to install it properly and you’ll be incredibly satisfied with the results. The tips I’ve provided in this review will help you save time and avoid mistakes.

If you want to save extra money, you can also consider the 3/8” rubber rolls (my second choice) or the 8mm rubber rolls (my third choice) — but for both of those options, you’ll definitely want a dedicated deadlift platform to protect your subfloor.

Still, the 1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls are my top recommendation for maximum protection and peace of mind.

You can purchase your flooring from Rubber Flooring Inc using the links below:

• 1/2″ Mega Rubber Rolls — Use Code KING for 30% OFF
• 3/8″ Heavy Duty Rubber Rolls — Use Code KING for 30% OFF
• 8mm Strong Rubber Rolls — Use Code KING for 30% OFF