Help with flooring under weights bench

Niv

Hi,

I am looking to put a weights bench at one end of one of my rooms and have hit a quandary regarding the protective flooring to use.

The floor of the room is solid concrete with a good quality vinyl flooring which I would like to protect. I don't want to go OTT but equally I don't want to buy something that really isn't up to the job and end up damaging the floor. The area for matting is 2m x 2m

I have seen this at B & Q:
https://www.diy.com/departments/rubber-crumb-gym-floor-tiles-10mm-thick-heavy-duty-non-slip-commercial-grade-gym-mats-1m-x-1m/5059138023714_BQ.prd?srsltid=AfmBOopxPMBms7hXoEqoEAb6XVqRoySIEuKmdeIbIOssDGXW166COgCCNfU

As you can see from the link this matting is available in a range of thicknesses, But I have also seen stuff on ebay that looks more like foam (again in a wide range of thicknesses) but feels like that may be too cheap and cheerful? Also seen rubber matting that is akin to what you might use in a garage but maybe that is a bit thin and is mainly good for dropped tools etc?

Anyway - thoughts / experiences welcome!

sammyjammy

I have that rubber flooring in my bathroom, I think you can get different thickness levels.  I'll see if I can find where I got it from.

ETA https://rubbermatting-direct.co.uk/collections/rubber-matting?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23315979014&gbraid=0AAAAADyPPoghs-gxisyIpVkLTSll0NWK7&gclid=CjwKCAiAmp3LBhAkEiwAJM2JUAfgwYy_5MFqo9v46ZJ7jG50HI-eC59zBcvM25tU_MHTa31-ybknLRoC7xgQAvD_BwE

Albermarle

Niv said:

Hi,

I am looking to put a weights bench at one end of one of my rooms and have hit a quandary regarding the protective flooring to use.

The floor of the room is solid concrete with a good quality vinyl flooring which I would like to protect. I don't want to go OTT but equally I don't want to buy something that really isn't up to the job and end up damaging the floor. The area for matting is 2m x 2m

I have seen this at B & Q:
https://www.diy.com/departments/rubber-crumb-gym-floor-tiles-10mm-thick-heavy-duty-non-slip-commercial-grade-gym-mats-1m-x-1m/5059138023714_BQ.prd?srsltid=AfmBOopxPMBms7hXoEqoEAb6XVqRoySIEuKmdeIbIOssDGXW166COgCCNfU

As you can see from the link this matting is available in a range of thicknesses, But I have also seen stuff on ebay that looks more like foam (again in a wide range of thicknesses) but feels like that may be too cheap and cheerful? Also seen rubber matting that is akin to what you might use in a garage but maybe that is a bit thin and is mainly good for dropped tools etc?

Anyway - thoughts / experiences welcome!

That stuff is made from ground up car tyres, that is then rebonded together under heat and pressure and an adhesive. It is solid but has some 'bounce' .

Eldi_Dos

Look up City Electrical Factors (CEF), rubber safety matting, designed for use in electrical situations.
Not cheap but very long lasting, I had a piece to line the floor of the back of my vans, it lasted four vans and still had plenty of life in it when I passed it on.

Also try Screwfix part number 109KN which is on offer at the moment, although I have no personal usage of that product.

plumb1_2

Eldi_Dos said:

Look up City Electrical Factors (CEF), rubber safety matting, designed for use in electrical situations.
Not cheap but very long lasting, I had a piece to line the floor of the back of my vans, it lasted four vans and still had plenty of life in it when I passed it on.

Also try Screwfix part number 109KN which is on offer at the moment, although I have no personal usage of that product.

As above, I’ve got in my van for over 12 yrs, swooped from van to van . It’s great stuff 

Niv

Eldi_Dos said:

Look up City Electrical Factors (CEF), rubber safety matting, designed for use in electrical situations.
Not cheap but very long lasting, I had a piece to line the floor of the back of my vans, it lasted four vans and still had plenty of life in it when I passed it on.

Also try Screwfix part number 109KN which is on offer at the moment, although I have no personal usage of that product.

Thanks.  My query with this is, it may be great to protect against scuffs and normal activity , like walking, but would it be much use against a heavy weight dropping on it? It 'feels' like it would be too thin for that?

Eldi_Dos

Niv said:

Eldi_Dos said:

Look up City Electrical Factors (CEF), rubber safety matting, designed for use in electrical situations.
Not cheap but very long lasting, I had a piece to line the floor of the back of my vans, it lasted four vans and still had plenty of life in it when I passed it on.

Also try Screwfix part number 109KN which is on offer at the moment, although I have no personal usage of that product.

Thanks.  My query with this is, it may be great to protect against scuffs and normal activity , like walking, but would it be much use against a heavy weight dropping on it? It 'feels' like it would be too thin for that?

The matting that I see on the CEF site is 12mm thick which would be around the same thickness as the stuff used to floor the rear of the vans I had.

While it was in the van it had generators, waterpumps, road signs, pinch bars and sundry tools in and out of the van on a daily basis plus when on site the back of the van was used as a portable workstation, so it is pretty robust stuff and as I say still had plenty of life in it when I passed it on.

casper_gutman

A gym equipment website recommends greater thicknesses of rubber matting for use in areas where heavier free weights could be dropped, as follows: 

• 10mm - stationary equipment or free weights up to 100kg.
• 15mm - functional fitness activities and free weights up to 110kg.
• 20mm - free weights up to 140kg. 
• 30mm - free weights up to 200kg; Crossfit.
• 43mm - free weights up to 250kg; powerlifting and Olympic weight training.

The thicker mats are heavy (a 1 square metre mat weighs 30kg) and aren't cheap (currently £54.99 for the thickest mats, or £24.99 for 20mm mats, and that's with offers).

I've seen recommendations to use mats meant for stables as a cheaper option, but prices don't seem any better tbh - e.g., £37.19 for a 20mm mat. In fact, the prices on that last site are the same to the penny whether you choose gym mats or the same thickness of stable mats. I strongly suspect they're the exact same product!

Niv

Eldi_Dos said:

Niv said:

Eldi_Dos said:

Look up City Electrical Factors (CEF), rubber safety matting, designed for use in electrical situations.
Not cheap but very long lasting, I had a piece to line the floor of the back of my vans, it lasted four vans and still had plenty of life in it when I passed it on.

Also try Screwfix part number 109KN which is on offer at the moment, although I have no personal usage of that product.

Thanks.  My query with this is, it may be great to protect against scuffs and normal activity , like walking, but would it be much use against a heavy weight dropping on it? It 'feels' like it would be too thin for that?

The matting that I see on the CEF site is 12mm thick which would be around the same thickness as the stuff used to floor the rear of the vans I had.

While it was in the van it had generators, waterpumps, road signs, pinch bars and sundry tools in and out of the van on a daily basis plus when on site the back of the van was used as a portable workstation, so it is pretty robust stuff and as I say still had plenty of life in it when I passed it on.

I only see 3mm and 6mm thickness on the CEF site. If you have a link I would appreciate it. 

MyRealNameToo

The ones mentioned before on Screwfix are 12mm but they also are as much holes as rubber to allow leaks to drain away. I dont think it would give as much protection as the solid options but probably is better for the environment it's designed for than the solid gym mats. 

Niv

casper_gutman said:

A gym equipment website recommends greater thicknesses of rubber matting for use in areas where heavier free weights could be dropped, as follows: 

• 10mm - stationary equipment or free weights up to 100kg.
• 15mm - functional fitness activities and free weights up to 110kg.
• 20mm - free weights up to 140kg. 
• 30mm - free weights up to 200kg; Crossfit.
• 43mm - free weights up to 250kg; powerlifting and Olympic weight training.

The thicker mats are heavy (a 1 square metre mat weighs 30kg) and aren't cheap (currently £54.99 for the thickest mats, or £24.99 for 20mm mats, and that's with offers).

I've seen recommendations to use mats meant for stables as a cheaper option, but prices don't seem any better tbh - e.g., £37.19. In fact, the prices on that last site are the same to the penny whether you choose gym mats or the same thickness of stable mats. I strongly suspect they're the exact same product!

Thats the sort of stuff I found at B&Q but it was mooted that it can be bouncy. Looks very popular from all the places that seem to sell it. The B&Q sell the 10mm for £21 so that should do. I am no beefcake and doubt I will ever be so 100kg of free weights should suffice.