Choosing the Perfect Flooring for Sport and Safety

The right flooring doesn’t just complete the space; it determines how safely and effectively people move within it.

I. Flooring Classified by Performance Function (According to ACSM Standards)

Facility floors must meet specific standards for shock absorption, deflection, and sliding resistance — all designed to minimize the risk of injury. Based on standards like DIN and ASTM F2772, which are critical specifications used in the health/fitness industry to evaluate and certify the performance and safety properties of athletic floor systems, they classify flooring by the function it serves.

1. Sport Function

These are floors designed primarily to enhance athletic performance.

• Must provide the correct level of surface friction and ball bounce, with consistent impact absorption across the entire surface.
• You don’t want areas that feel “dead” or overly soft — uniformity is key.

Construction:

• Built on a subfloor system — which includes furring strips and shock-absorbing materials — covered with a solid wood or rubber surface.
• Found in basketball and racquetball courts, where quick response and rebound are vital.

2. Protective Function

Next, we have protective floors, which are focused on reducing injury risk — both chronic and acute.

• The goal isn’t just performance, but joint safety.
• Must offer sufficient shock absorption, minimal vertical deformation, and proper friction.
• For high-impact training areas (e.g., aerobics or HIIT zones), providing between 45 and 57 percent shock absorption is considered the minimum standard.

Typical Structure:

1. Bottom shock-absorbing layer made of neoprene or rubber pads
2. Middle plywood layer for structure
3. Top wood or rubber layer for performance

• Commonly used in group exercise studios.

3. Material–Technical Function

There is the material–technical function — a hybrid type that combines both sport and protective properties.

• Ideal for multi-purpose spaces, where a basketball game might be followed by a group fitness class.
• According to DIN standards, must deliver at least 53 percent shock absorption and maintain a sliding characteristic between 0.5 and 0.7 — ensuring a balance between grip and movement.

II. Flooring Classified by Material and Specialty Use

A. Materials for Wet Areas

In wet areas like locker rooms and pool decks, priorities change:

• Flooring must be nonporous, easy to clean, sanitary, and slip-resistant.

Recommendations:

• Ceramic or porcelain tiles: particularly when the tile size is 2×2 inches or smaller. The smaller size allows more grout lines, creating tiny pathways for water to escape and reducing the risk of hydroplaning. Larger tiles are not recommended, as they can trap water and become slippery.
• Textured concrete: for larger spaces like pool decks, affordable, durable, and when finished with a nondirectional texture, maintains slip resistance regardless of walking direction.
• Topical coatings: designed to enhance cleanability and traction. Performance varies depending on product and maintenance.

B. Specialized Rubber Flooring (Rubtiler Products)

1. General Flooring Tiles for Gyms and Fitness Areas

Standard Rubber Tiles recycled rubber tiles (RRT Standard):

• High-density recycled rubber tiles, up to 1100 kg/m³.
• Come in square and puzzle shapes, thickness 10–60 mm.

Recycled Rubber Tiles (RRT Premium):

• Same density as standard, but smoother top surface and more polished, premium appearance.

RT recycled rubber Slice:

• Sliced directly from a larger slab, creating a uniform, bevel-free surface — ideal for free weight zones or weight-pulling areas, thickness 6–15 mm.

RT recycled rubber Overlayer:

• Multilayer tile, with a tough upper layer laminated onto a base layer, which can be flat, antishock, or R-PAD patterned.
• Provides a super durable, smooth-surfaced floor that withstands heavy use.

Foam Floor Tiles:

• Made of high-quality, highly durable, and lightweight materials.
• Feature interlocking connectable edges for easy installation/removal.
• Surface has attractive low-relief finish, easy to clean.
• Offer excellent insulation properties.

Foam-Backed Rubber Mats (AcousticFIT Mats):

• Specialized rubber mats with a foam bottom layer.
• Top layer: rubber from recycled car tires.
• Foam underlayer: crafted from old mattresses, eco-friendly and sustainable.
• Integrated foam absorbs shocks and reduces noise from falling weights, improving acoustics in sports facilities.
• Can dampen sound over 85% better than standard fitness mats, tested Lw 33 dB, Lin 18 dB.

2. CrossFit and Free Weight Area Flooring — The Antishock Shield System

• For strength training and Olympic lifting, impact resistance is crucial.
• Tiles use rubber studs that compress under heavy loads to absorb and reverse force from dropped weights.
• Can reduce impact noise up to 21 dB.
• Heavy-duty models offer maximum shock absorption and anti-fatigue support.

Deadlift Platform (Rubtiler Strike):

• Specialized for absorbing the impact of dropped weights.
• Often includes R-PAD base (heavy-duty bottom design).
• Can feature wooden or Villerock center panels for stability and aesthetics.

3. Specialty and Outdoor Rubber Surfaces

Sled Grass:

• Rubber tiles topped with artificial turf, designed for fitness zones and sled tracks.
• Resist heavy loads and maintain their shape under pressure.

Outdoor Gym Tiles:

• Made from recycled rubber and EPDM granules (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer).
• Weatherproof, feature built-in drainage system.
• HIC-certified (Head Injury Criterion) for fall safety up to 340 cm.

Summary:
 When it comes to flooring, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Each space — whether a basketball court, group fitness studio, or outdoor gym — demands a surface designed specifically for its purpose. The best facilities match the science of safety with the art of performance — right from the ground up.