How to you lay the rubber gym floor mats?/ What do you use to glue the mats to ground?Updated 10 months ago

We often get asked how to best lay flooring for a gym or home gym, so we've put together a short list of tips and tricks to help you achieve great results with minimal effort.

Step 1 - Check your area

Ensure the surface is level and even. Concrete slab floors are ideal if they’re in good condition. Timber, tiled, and carpeted floors are also suitable since the mats will sit on top without damaging the surface. Be mindful that any bumps or dips can result in an uneven finish, lifted mat corners, and potential trip hazards.

If there are stairs leading to the room, measure the step height and check your local council regulations regarding the maximum allowable step height. Raising the floor level by 15mm with rubber gym flooring might exceed the maximum height allowed.

Most rooms have at least one entry doorway, which can be tricky since the floor will be raised by 15mm, causing a swinging door to potentially bottom out on the rubber mats. If the flooring is permanent, you might shave the bottom of the doors for clearance. Alternatively, create a ‘cut out’ in the floor tiles for the door to swing open. Sliding doors won’t have this issue as they don’t cross the floor surface in the room.

Step 2 - Cutting and Laying

Next, consider the room's shape. In rooms that aren't perfectly square (most aren’t!), avoid alignment issues and excessive trimming by laying your first row along the long wall, placing the second row parallel. This way, if the walls aren't square, you won't have to trim as many mats to fit the room’s shape.

To minimize movement and keep the mats aligned, lay them in a brick pattern. This interlocks the mats, preventing them from slipping past one another. If laid corner to corner, mats may move over time, misaligning your carefully arranged corners.

Every few rows, push the mats into each other, closing any gaps and keeping them tight. When you reach the opposite wall, trim the last mat slightly larger than the gap. For a 5m run, trim the last mat 5mm wider; for a 10m run, trim it 10mm wider. Pack the last tile down by standing on it and pushing back against the other rows until it sits flat. Over time, rubber floor tiles shrink slightly, so laying them tightly packed is advisable.

To trim the tiles, use a Stanley knife with a fresh blade and a straight edge (a 1m steel ruler is ideal) for a straight first cut. Lay the mat over an edge to open up the cut, making it easier to see, and then continue cutting along the line 6-7 times until through. Light pressure with a sharp blade minimizes the risk of messy cuts or injury.

Keep any full-width offcuts, as they can be used to fill any gaps that may open up in the future.

Step 3 - Ways to secure to ground

It's not necessary to glue down the rubber flooring, especially in rental properties where it may not be allowed. To minimize movement, consider using strong double-sided tape or fitting the mats tightly into the space. If you choose to use adhesive, follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. 

Ensure the area is well-ventilated. Apply a thin layer of adhesive to the floor with a trowel, and press the rubber tile firmly in place. Lay down the full tiles first, and handle the cutting and fitting of partial tiles afterward. Since rubber flooring can shrink over time, pack the area as tightly as possible. You can always trim it later if needed. 

For doorways at the flooring edges or if you are only doing a section of the room, securing the mats can be challenging. Options include gluing the open edge down, using a steel strip screwed into the floor, or using double-sided carpet tape on concrete surfaces. 

Types of Glue

The type of glue used would depend on the surface you are setting it on top of. You can find suppliers online that sell adhesive for Rubber Tiles (example: Sports Floor Australia).

If you have used adhesive, wait for the recommended time to ensure the rubber flooring adheres properly to the floor.