The Best Home Gym Flooring Guide for 2021!

[@cameronbatko]

The girl at tractor supply said in her whole time working there, she has never had anyone come in and buy horse stall mats for horses. Everyone used them for home gyms.

[@BarbellThor]

Yea everyone just gets shavings for the horse stall lol

[@ronburgandy7571]

All that matters is .......... was she hot?

[@RogaBigCalves]

@Adam7890 Tuff Stuff multipurpose cleaner works well if they really need a deeper cleaning, but it will need good ventilation.

[@simoneorecchioni7352]

Stall mats for garage gym and professional mats for homegym

[@kozmo7]

@@ronburgandy7571 Horse face.

[@davesthrowawayacc1162]

As I've now started working out in my garage gym instead of the local gym, the bathroom is now a bit further away and behind more doors than my commercial gym's, being inside my house which I have to go through the front door and down a hallway for. Horse stall mats means I can just throw down some hay in the corner and relieve myself on it, like the champion race horse that I am training myself to be

[@haydendrew4732]

Hahahaha I love you

[@jimmyandtaylorperry7735]

🤣🤣

[@Luke-Nightingale]

Neigh - Neigh

[@AdrianaMartinez-zq7bw]

Ewwww!😂

[@scottcrocco5907]

The “metal pointy pieces” Alan Thrall recommends to maintain a tight seam between stall mats are called mending plates.

[@SteadItDown]

I use those with my mats, the only problem is sometimes the spikes don't want to dig into the rubber, and it can bubble up

[@andrewt248]

Round here they're called gussets.

[@scottcrocco5907]

@A Lil' Lost A Lil' Curious they come in both various gauges (mostly 20/22) and sizes. (2x4, 3x6, etc.), with the smaller sizes often being made from lighter gauges. The kicker though, is that because of these discrepancies, and that stall mats have various finishes for the faces (smooth, button), there isn’t a universal size to use. I have dual textured mats (smooth on one side, and button on the other that goes on the ground) and will experiment to see if the plate sizes make much of a difference as I too am confronted with this question. (I think it won’t matter too much as the plates are there simply to keep the mats from shifting around)

[@majorgear1021]

@@scottcrocco5907 Do you have any advice on what size to get? I have a bunch of 4x6 mats that shift because they are over carpeting that I cannot remove. I saw another technique of drilling holes in the mats and using zip ties to secure the mats to each other . I’m not sure how well the ties hold up as they might snap.

[@majorgear1021]

Link to Alan's video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5Wsip6Prb1jo7M . The exact plates he used are "MP24 2x4 20GA GALV Mending Plate" I just ordered 10 of them . I'm going to grab more horse stall mats to as I figured out how to arrange them to cover more of my basement gym floor.

[@jlambo9757]

I bought my stall mats from a karate business that was moving. Never dealt with the off gas, but I did almost have to hire a marriage counselor after carrying them downstairs to my basement gym with my wife. Wrapping them into a tube shape with plastic wrap or duct tape is the way to go. So much easier.

[@t-manballin2458]

Ya definitely buy the handles next time to carry the Mats

[@mikekeltner4291]

I used a piece of 2x4 to carry them

[@majorgear1021]

is your wife that knight chick from game of thrones?

[@mikekeltner4291]

@@majorgear1021 man I wish

[@majorgear1021]

@@t-manballin2458 They offer handles ? I gotta get those next time. I mean, I love exercise but lugging horse stall mats from my car to the basement gym isn’t part of my fitness plan. :)

[@Henysipper]

Stall mats are in high demand. If you’re going through Tractor Supply make sure you get put on their list for reserving quantity. They’ll call you when they get supply in. In my area it’s Tuesdays.

[@brandonhoover2120]

There’s multiple stores around me that have them in stock. Including my tractor supply. Both the 3/4 and 1/2 thick.

[@richw76]

I park in my garage, I bought an 8$ tarp from Dollar General, or Walmart don't remember. Just pull it across and Park. if there's a little rain water or a small oil drip it goes on the tarp.

[@thebarbelldpt]

When cutting stall mats (or any rubber flooring)-if you score the mat where you want to cut it, then place a 3” diameter PVC pipe that is as long as your cut underneath the mat where you scored it, the pipe allows the mat to bend and opens the score line to make it easier to cut through.

[@prcodes3479]

You can also use barbell shipping tubes.

[@majorgear1021]

This assumes that I can draw of cut in a straight line.

[@rxonmymind8362]

Marines will have a tough time. 😂

[@BasementBrandon]

Great video. I find some people are just more sensitive to the smell, kind of like how some are more annoyed by ribbed sleeves.

[@FitnessNews24]

Hate ribbed sleeves tbh

[@seank997]

Who needs amonia when you have stall mats 😂

[@Henysipper]

Ribbed for my pleasure.

[@FitnessNews24]

@Jordan Cuthbert set it on stall mats for sure, can cut around them if needed for ceiling space 👏

[@SirSketchable]

As a basement gym dweller, am I legally required to take Basement Brandon's advice over Coop's if their opinions collide?

[@vanniek71]

"I also like lifting with my purse" for the win

[@lawlessjff]

If you are going to move stall mats, get a stall mat handle (they are blue and yellow) and they make moving the mats a breeze. I use them to move mats at a horse farm as well as my own home gym. Get one for each hand. Would like a link to the turf you installed

[@chuckwaggon2435]

I put 3/8" rubber puzzle mats down in my garage and they work fine. Easy to move and install and no issues with slipping. Of course, they're not for dropping massive weights but a couple of crash pads can soak up a lot of shock,if you don't overdo it.

[@trevorpullen3199]

Horse stall mats. When I got mine, I hosed them off and scrubbed with some soap and let sit outside for a day to try to get rid of the rubber smell. They still smelled when I moved them inside, but the rubber smell was pretty much gone in about 2 weeks. Not bad. The worst thing about them is they are a HUGE pain in the ass to move. 100 lbs and they are too stiff to roll up. Well worth it though, they are indestructible.

[@johnnysandoval5238]

Bought stall mats from Tractor supply store when I first started my home gym right at the start of the pandemic cuz of a video you made awhile back. Do not regret it one bit. Thanks Coop.

[@rxonmymind8362]

Same. Went one better. Bought 3 for $50. Used. Guy had it on his carpet in his house.

[@patrickesper2252]

1. I have bought hundreds of stallmats in the past. I have found that at either Tractor Supply or Family Farm and Home (stores I can get them in MI) if my quantity is over 20 I can get a manager to give me a quantity discount. I call ahead, see how many they have in stock, and then ask if there is any discount they can offer if buy X. (only downside is at 100 pounds each you will quickly exceed the payload capacity of most vehicles and you will need to make trailer arrangements for pick up). 2. I had a poorly poured foundation at my home and did end up breaking concrete from dropping weight from overhead. (I am not super strong, pretty sure it was dropping a 185# barbell. I know people that drop over 300 without issues). But, once you have a cracked section it only gets worse. After getting the concrete repaired in that spot I used 1/2" OSB to cover the floor first, then did the stall mats on top. It's been 3 years and no more floor cracking issues. This also really deadens the sound from dropping weights as well.

[@jeffs70chevelle]

2 years in with rolled Regupol flooring and I’m glad I didn’t fill my gym with stall mats. It’s so clean, smooth, few gaps and nice to do anything on. Didn’t have the stall mat smell, seams or inconsistentencies. I have one stall mat cut into 2’x2’ squares for deadlifts but don’t need the extra thickness the rest of the time

[@KicoMendoza]

What thickness?

[@jeffs70chevelle]

@@KicoMendoza I have to find my digital receipt, I can't remember if it was 5/16" or 3/8". Either is plenty thick for most lifting. It's a good base layer for your gym. you can then use drop pads or one cut up stall mat for deadlifts or olympic lifts

[@nocarbsnation]

Exactly the comment I was looking for! Getting ready to order my Regupol role from Rogue for my basement gym, I just can't decide on 5/16 or 3/8. Leaning towards the 5/16.

[@oafkad]

Once we get a home we'll be doing our gym in the garage but I will say this much about basement gyms. In the summer when its like 100+ outside our basement is still ice cold. It makes for year round workouts without much need for climate control. Very nice.

[@majorgear1021]

this is the way!

[@ethancbaker2002]

Except when it’s 11 degrees and it’s freezing lol

[@allismg5691]

quick tip: the stall mats with the circles on the bottom are the ones that smell. eventually the smell goes away, obviously. but the stall mats without the circles on the bottom don’t smell at all. I’ve seen both kinds at Tractor Supply Co, just depends on what they have that day

[@jpizz88]

Mine don’t have the circles, they’re lined and they smell terrible.

[@sylvainh2o]

Did the smell went away?

[@vVeazel]

@@sylvainh2o Two weeks in the garage, two weeks outside with mixed sunshine, multiple scrubbings (OdoBan, Dawn dish soap, vinegar, baking soda, automotive products) and they still f--- reek. Seems like it's very YMMV. I can't tolerate the stink and will be getting rid of them. In comparison, Costo rubber tiles smell like rubber plates and I find those much more bearable.

[@gerardoserrano4801]

I’m from Chicago and horse stall Mats is the way to go. I park inside and for wintertime all you gotta do is mop more frequently. BUT make sure you have a heater or the water will freeze.

[@robertduncan6292]

For cutting rolled rubber and stall mats, Olfa knives w/black blades are sharper than your garden variety box cutter. I buy them at Home Depot. For some reason they aren't usually with the box cutters so find the isle online or spend time hunting.

[@somebodyelse5]

i'm convinced that horse stall matts smell varies greatly based on the production processes, I have been around some that are new that hardly smell... and some that are old that smell so so bad. If you have good ventilation, they sound like a good idea for the money.

[@warrenferrante8881]

Totally depends on the glue used and % latex! Cheap mats or ones rated for agricultural use often give off toxic amounts of VOCs that cause cancer! Price point shouldn't be much more. I sell them and get mine tested by a independent 3rd party! @ironmountainstrong on instagram

[@tiffanymflowers]

I totally agree about the horse stall mats. My coach recommended them when I asked about flooring for my garage gym. They are working out well. I have to look I toe the carpet tape.

[@DeadLikeYou]

Im so happy you are making this series. I got the powerblock because of you, and I really want to build out my own home gym within the year. This came at the best time!

[@TrueBlindGaming]

just got 7 horse stall mats from tractor supply a couple of weeks ago. went down amazingly and I'm so happy with them. should of done that instead of starting with eva foam which my power rack just crushed

[@beautyofgrace3915]

Just bought 6 stall mats, the smell doesn't bother me, this video was right on time

[@kylekaszynski6077]

I didn't hear this mentioned so I'll add. If you are putting any type of rubber flooring on top of LVP, it can stain and ruin your floor due to a chemical reaction between rubber and vinyl. You should put something below the rubber to protect. I read some people use craft paper underlayment. I'm paying a bit more and using a 1/2 inch 100% felt pad between my LVP and rubber floor. The extra thickness also adds protection! The felt isn't too expensive. About 100 bucks for a 10x10 pad.

[@vVeazel]

What is the science behind this chemical reaction and what happens to the LVP? I had a 3x4 stall mat in one spot for 2-ish years and the flooring looks fine, no discoloration or otherwise.

[@leedurbin1120]

Source "just trust me bro" (just kidding I work for a foundation repair and waterproofing company) Most cracks that appear on a concrete slab aren't from things being dropped on it, but from voids occuring underneath the slab itself over time. Obviously not a good thing, but something that can be repaired. If concrete cracks from an impact, while that sucks, doesn't mean you are suddenly going to have foundation issues such as settlement or concrete slab shifting. If it happens in your garage gym, then it was going to happen anyways just from the weight of the slab itself or house depending on foundation type. TLDR: Drop away on those horse stall mats

[@PoorWorksmanship]

Any tips for fixing voids (without hiring a contractor)? I'm building in the basement of an old building with a lot of issues in the concrete slab.

[@leedurbin1120]

@@PoorWorksmanship is it unlevel, cracked, leaking, or anything such as that? Also what kind of building is it

[@BINIgnitOnTop]

What do you mean by "drop away"? I don't understand the term maybe because I'm asian

[@watuzi]

Thank you for recommending stall mats for the garage. That is exactly what I need for my 30 lb dumbbells 👍

[@majorgear1021]

I’m still working my way up to 20lbs.

[@Eee00123]

Coop please do a video on the premium flooring "roll" brands PLAE etc. There is a lot of discussion on that as of late in your facebook group.

[@JadenFeddock]

I assumed from the title this was just a compilation of Coop saying “Buy Horse Stall Mats” from all his other videos 😂😂

[@Tkrebs1]

Cutting mats on a round surface helps as well. Use the tube from the last barbell you bought. Also use a silver or gold sharpie and mark your line using a straight edge. 👍

[@majorgear1021]

your barbell came with a tube? Must be nice! mine was in long box. No tube.

[@kbreef6430]

Looking forward to the rest of this series. Would really like to build a home gym. I would also like to see you do more on the budget gym series. Like the $2k $5k and $10k home gym. Keep up the great work.

[@majorgear1021]

Um. $2k will get you one Coop approved custom bar. lol.

[@Idonthaveaname__]

@@majorgear1021 not true

[@UltimateHibz]

You truly are a connoisseur of home gyms

[@StrickenBiged]

Put horse stall mats in my garage a month ago. So much better - deadlifting on EVA foam tiles over concrete with bare steel plates sounded like a gun going off every time I set the bar down.

[@sherriannbennett3208]

Thanks so much, Coop! Currently researching top tips for building a home gym. Getting ready to install and almost paid too much for interlocking rubber tiles, plus $200 to ship! Just went to local tractor supply and bought horse stall mats. The ones they carry are vulcanized and don't have much smell to begin with. Will let them air out in the sun a number of days before bringing them in. Thank you!! You saved us $$!

[@fs3994]

Been using puzzle mats in my home gym for over a decade with no problems and no smell. Even got some I use for camping.

[@nunusthirst167]

Which brand?

[@TazawaTanks]

I use stall mats. Best flooring for the price/protection! I loaded up my truck with a bunch last spring when I built my home gym. They are heavy though. It’s a good thing I lift! Lol!!!

[@lucaspeters32]

About to put flooring in my home gym as it’s finally ready to be fully finished up! This video is perfect timing!

[@ducdu4136]

Good luck man! Which flooring are you going with? If u are using stall mats, get ready to get your back wrecked. Lol

[@lucaspeters32]

Duc Du hah! Just for my wallet I will likely get stall mats. I will try to prepare my back 🤣

[@ducdu4136]

@@lucaspeters32 stall mat is the way to go man! i heard there is a shortage since everyone buying them for home gym post covid. should give your local tractor store a call to see if in stocks. they weigh 100lbs each by the way so please bring a friend or 2 lol

[@Cdahl32]

@@ducdu4136 I had to call every week for a month before I was able to get them because they were always out of stock

[@ducdu4136]

The shortage is real man! Glad u were able to get some.

[@ClarksvilleBarbellClub]

Horse stall mats are what I have in my home gym, but I'm going to do the roll flooring in my commercial gym like you did. I like that red turf idea. It's pretty cool.

[@Rocket4ce]

Turf and horse stall mats look legit together. Didn't think they would blend together that well.

[@JasonKepler]

I've parked my Ram 1500 on stall mats for about a year, I do put a large heavy duty tarp over the mats when I park, and easily pull the tarp off when it's time to workout!

[@Liverpool1616]

I own a doggy day care in Ottawa and we bought horse stall mats, I can assure you 3 years after I got them not one fucking scratch on them from all these dogs. They are incredible. I will be using the left over for my gym in the basement of my business. Highley recommend them. If you are worried about water getting between them make sure they have water channels underneath them to breath. I used black caulking on the seems of my mats. Once again I highly recommend them

[@TheAnvilMan]

That Mega Man 2 intro though. Great video.

[@benjaminontiveros7184]

THE ONLY “ONLY “ DRAW BACK for stall matts is the new tire odor!! other than that 100% recommend them, hand down the best floor for a home gym!

[@justinmacik7438]

I've been searching for mats for my home gym, and the horse stall mats are a top-tier recommendation. I'll definitely be saving money on mats that will last forever.

[@UnusHonorabilis]

I just ordered several rubber mats from Rep a couple of weeks ago and they're fantastic. Virtually no rubber smell and almost identical in size and cut

[@deminguyen2892]

Can you share what and where is Rep?

[@opetyr]

Thing to add about cutting. Don't try and cut all the way through on your first pass. It takes some time to be safe. You don't get gains in just one day and you can't really safely cut through mats in one cut.

[@Dr_Footbrake]

Can with a circ saw 😉

[@100mhopkins]

Great video for a novice. Simple, straightforward and practical. Well done!

[@truongnguyenquang93]

I'm surprised with some of the negative reviews. I was so impressed with the kzbin.infoUgkxMwYg0MOXR4M-oGeyBsNSYe1aPOUoRH6D cage that I got the lat pulldown attachment that goes with it. It is equally outstanding. I don't have one complaint other than putting it together is a job. The instructions and packaging of the parts are very well designed and organized. Also, I stripped and damaged the pull down cable the first day, admitting it was my stupid fault, and they quickly replaced it at no charge. I'm 6'5, 280lbs and fit in the cage just fine. Glenn B

[@vocalg1]

I agree, that’s what I have. Nice and thick and reasonably priced. You can buy sloppy seconds, the reject ones even cheaper. 😉

[@audfashionfinds]

I left my stall mat outside for a month and it still fumed up the whole garage. The smell is less intense 6 months later, but still a trace. Definitely a money saver, though. Toxic risk? Maybe, but I'd rather lift :)

[@montanaplease]

I have one 3/4” stall mat as a bed liner in my truck for 3 years now. Concrete block, premix concrete, lumber and firewood weekly and still looks like the day I bought it once I wash it.

[@NickSiekierski]

Unless you live close to a store that carries them, I would suggest just ordering the rubber gym mats and having them delivered. I bought two 4'x8' rolls for the main area of my garage gym (annoying to move around by yourself) and an adjacent part is laid with just the foam tiles. I doubt most people have an entire garage to dedicate to a gym, so it doesn't make sense to lay more floor than you're going to work out on. When ordering from one of the rubber suppliers play around with the sizes to see how the weight affects the freight cost. It would have been much more to ship just one more roll, so instead I got what I knew I needed and can make a separate order in the future at a lower cost.

[@FreddyMacT]

I had Horse Stall Mats installed in my first home gym... which was in a basement 😔... but I didn't realize that I got them because of one of your old videos that I randomly watched and retained the advice. Moved out of that house and into a new one with a guest house/pool house and made that area my new home gym but this time I dropped a bit more scratch for the Eleiko rubber mats... sound absorbing and thicker than horse stall mats... but also more expensive for less material.

[@duhchumpy1]

I used dawn dish soap to remove most of the smell from my stall matts. It removed about 80% on the smell.

[@Chris-ew9mh]

People often don't realize how effective basic dish washing soap can be!

[@sw4917]

I really enjoy watching these videos, even if it is completly pointless with current barbell/powerrack prices.

[@jaranda400]

Great video! Can you talk more about lifting platforms? I'd like to know how much noise deadening different mat brands or thickness makes when doing weightlifting.

[@DamianBrown]

I'm between getting 15mm and 20mm based on the fact I won't be dropping anything (for the most part) but I will be doing stuff like DLs etc.

[@DJUDGE6030]

I really love your home gym! Thats awesome! what a setup! how about a photo shot of your whole setup! Cheers

[@mcbc5189]

I bought a horse mat to use in my bedroom next to my bed to help ensure I get up and exercise. Very cheap indeed. However, the industrial rubber smell never went away. I only recommend you use it outdoors or in the garage. It's a very high quality low cost solution but the smell would be unbearable after awhile. But if you must....try Tractor Supply Co if you have one near you.

[@mcbc5189]

BTW, I purchased the 4x6 and laid it on my carpet. it never moved because it's so big and it weighs about 100lbs. Be sure to roll it and belt it while rolled so you can pick it up and put it in your car or truck.

[@abrahamrodriguez1569]

I'm happy for this series. Thanks Coop. This video was very helpful. I'm disappointed to admit I have some of those foam mats. NEVER AGAIN.

[@davidcassady7940]

so you are close but here are a few things to think about in your house - Horse Stall mats do not meet off gassing to be used in schools, do you really want that in your house? the smell is due to the chemical process to mfg (sulfur). The tile is based on 2'x2' since it is cut from 4' wide roll goods. Do note that the rolls are cheaper per soft, but must be glued down. you should layout a black plastic bag on the floor for a few days to see if there is moisture on the back of the black bag, If you have moisture you could get mold growth under the loose laid rubber. 3/8 thick rubber if fine but for dropping heavy weights you should double up or buy the deadlift rubber such as a 1 1/2" which tile - Architectural Tech Director for a sports flooring company.

[@EmpressOfExile206]

You can get the best of both worlds and put eva foam for the home gym "footprint" and put stall matts/rubber just under your plate storage & bench/rack 💯👍

[@vaquerobeebop9386]

I put the foam ones under the stall mats In my open area. It feels firm when I lift but soft when I jump or drop from the pull up bar when barefoot. But now i want to check them before I do the whole gym.

[@geeanderson9874]

Thank you for this. I wish I found your video before I bought my foam interlocking tiles. It is so slippery on my wooden flooring. It does come with double-sided tape but I did not put it down as I was worried about my wooden floors and the residue it may leave behind. Now I know how to take the residue off I will try it on the foam tiles to see if that will keep it from slipping. Otherwise, I will have to pay extra for a heavy-duty exercise mat: 'Viavito 6mm Heavy Duty Home Gym Fitness Equipment Mat - 220 x 110cm' as my exercise space is small - 40sq feet.

[@balleticbodybuilder]

I’ve had my grey Walmart foam since 2002 when they used stronger material

[@BacktotheOutdoors]

I have 3/8” rubber flooring with a single horse stall mat on top of that in the deadlift area. This is all over hardwood flooring. The 3/8” has worked great for me - I don’t drop anything on it though.

[@doseofreality100]

I used to be a stall mat supporter but as time goes by I'm liking them less as and less. First and foremost.... they move.... A LOT. Especially if you're in an unconditioned space like a garage.... or like me a detached garage so you don't even get residual heat/ac from a shared wall to the house. And when I say they move I mean they move... a ton. When I bought my current house last year I laid down the mats and used a mallet to push them all as tightly together as I possibly could because I knew they'd creep apart come winter (contract in cold/winter... expand in heat/summer). We're just exiting winter and into early spring and I have about half inch gaps between most stall mats at the seams. I plan on tearing down my current garage and building a new, slightly bigger garage in its place (with 10ft ceilings) in the near future but I think what I'm going to do is use the stall mats essentially as a subfloor and buy rolls of rubber to actually put on top. I'm only doing this because I already have the stall mats. If I didn't id buy 2'x2' interlocking plywood subfloor tiles that you just tongue and groove together with a mallet. These plywood tiles have s solid molded plastic underneath that allows for air movement under the floor and they're rated for tons of weight.... quite possibly literally tons. Then id buy rubber flooring in the form of a roll. Only lifting I'd need thicker rubber flooring for is deadlifting..... I can build a cheap 4x8 deadlift platform though using 3/4 inch stall mats though. So unless you don't mind your stall mats moving A TON on you - they most definitely will - id avoid stall mats. Doesn't help too that it looks like tractor supply changed the design of stall mats they now offer. Ones I'm seeing on their site have raised circles for traction now and not the "pebble" stamped top that I currently have.... unless that's what the mat looks like underneath. Still. I bought my stall mats like 3 years ago. TS was selling them for about $38 per 4x6 Mat back then. Now.....$48/mat. Still cheap in comparison to other flooring options out there. But you're paying about 40-45 cents more per square foot from just a few years ago. For an aggravating, creeping flooring option. If they stayed in place and didn't expand and contract like crazy..... they'd be s stellar flooring option for a gym with literally 0 problems. The ONE problem they do have though - is massively annoying.

[@coryddp7254]

Yeah I have those Walmart mats and they work for me. I never had any ideas on what you do for different types of flooring so this is good even though it's coming late for me and I'm old now. I may try something to put in my Lanai because I want to get a couple items in there

[@kellerhopkins3184]

Have you had any problems with mold and moisture build up under the rubber mats ?

[@Danboy35244]

For the horse stall mats, i used a long ruler to draw my line and used a jigsaw to cut my mats. Makes a little bit of a mess but clean up is really easy and MUCH faster

[@TheNaeKu]

Thank you so much. This video has been quite a help. Can't wait to finish my floor.

[@tamilina0921]

YAS to the horse stall mats! Thank you for recommending them in the past video

[@jeffs4810]

I purchase 4 stall mats for my home gym just before Thanksgiving. Installed them immediately but the stench was so bad I had to temporarily remove them. I left them outside on flat pavement for three weeks, including flipping them over two times and washing each side two times with dish soap. They still smell but it is now tolerable. Ventilation is also important - leaving a window open in the room makes a big difference. If I had to do it over I would probably wait until the weather is warmer and leave them outside twice as long. But... they do make a great gym floor and are a huge improvement over the foam tiles that I had previously. Initially tried using a jigsaw to cut them. A blade for cutting metal worked ok but I ended up using a box cutter. It was hard to get perfect lines but I think that putting a PVC pipe underneath as others have suggested would have helped a lot. The mats are heavy and I don't expect them to move - the only thing I did was put a strip of black duct tape over the seams just for appearance and it looks pretty good.

[@brockdavies7015]

How is the smell now? Gotten any better?

[@MichaelViewing]

Coop, what about if you’re using a bedroom that’s carpeted. Should I put plywood down before the mat to put my power rack there?

[@almossawi]

Would you recommend the same options if the gym is on an upper floor? Thanks for your great content!

[@SamisSweetLife]

Thank you for the in depth review. My worry is potentially putting our home gym in the house where we have tile floors. Will there be any weirdness having the stall mats over tile flooring as far as moisture or mold issues? We would do drops on a platform so I am not too worried about cracking tiles, just maybe messing them up by locking in moisture.

[@punkdigerati]

Coop, if you don't have one, get a lapel mic. Horsetall? And probably should have emphasized in the Q&A that if they're going to be dropping weights with any regularity, and not just for bailing in an emergency, to just use a lifting platform.

[@2atya]

Coop, what about stall mats on unfinished wood flooring? For outdoor shed gym?

[@TheComputerCowboy]

Next do Garage Gym decor. My favorite garage gym decor / accesory: 72 Chevy C10

[@jesustorres4725]

Can you talk about leveling out a garage gym floor?

[@ForTehNguyen]

use roofing shingles as shims

[@dniederd]

Or don’t level out the floor - it’s that way on purpose so you don’t get standing water on your slab.

[@TheGarnet818]

Self levelling concrete

[@hwright3798]

Hey Coop, Where did you buy the turf strip from? Any advice on what type of turf to buy as in performance turf or shock turf?

[@TCAPRecipes]

I'm curious how the horse stall mat will work with my setup. I use my dining room as a gym.

[@MrSamiam]

Do you recommend gluing rubber roles to concrete or let it float on top?

[@Someone-tn8ur]

Don't glue it as at some point you might want to NOT have rubber on it and I don't know how you ever get rid of the glue.

[@lanceeckhart7621]

Great video! Totally going with stall mats for an upstairs weight room dojo after watching this. QUESTION... Not dropping weights but may do some falls/grappling. Thoughts on putting some carpet padding down on the hard wood laminate in between the stall mats to protect floors and add some cushion? Thanks!

[@michaelmills2914]

Coop, or anyone else with experience, I have a question. My home gym is in a spare bedroom, I have stall mats that are currently on top of the LVP flooring, with a concrete subflooring. But I'll soon be moving, and the spare bedroom at the new place has carpet. Its brand new carpet, and I dont plan to be there very long so I dont really want to tear it out. So my question is, can I just put the stall mats on the carpet? Will it stain? Will it be unstable? Should I put down a base of maybe plywood first? Other suggestions?

[@infiniteg7852]

How’d it work out !

[@michaelmills2914]

We decided to put the gym in the living room of our new place, which had LVP floors. We made the spare bedroom into a den/tv room

[@infiniteg7852]

@@michaelmills2914 ah ok. Did it have carpet? Did you lay plywood down ?

[@michaelmills2914]

@@infiniteg7852 naw no carpet in the living room, just put stall mats down on the vinyl plank flooring

[@jaydubbs15]

I wish you would review more flooring options. My wife wants a low VOC option. More how-to's and do's and don'ts would be welcome. For example, we are considering just flooring about 3/4 of the garage to allow an enter and exit walkway on the concrete to spare the flooring of tracked in dirt. I'm not sure if we'd be better off putting flooring uniformly over the entire garage. There is also a metal pole in the middle of the garage. What's the best way to floor around or through it?

[@bigvdawgy7981]

One way to reduce smell from stall mats is by using an ozone machine. Find a contractor to set up an ozone machine in the gym and let it run for about 8 hours. The mats will off-gas reducing the intensity of the smell tremendously

[@WheretheJones]

Yep. Just a couple shock treatments with Ozone will take care of it. Just not people, plants or pets while the shock treatment is going

[@NorseMuscle]

Love the channel love all the advice I will put in that simple green as a gym cleaner doesn’t sanitize it only deals with surface dirt so if you are wanting to truely sanitize your floor some Lysol mop mix would work better

[@bmstylee]

Bleach properly diluted will be just fine. People overthink this sanitization issue. If bleach won't kill it you have something really nasty.

[@NorseMuscle]

@@bmstylee I 100% agree bleach does great that’s what we used to treat our wrestling Matt’s with but some people have sensitivity to bleach fumes or can even have skin reactions to Matt’s or equipment cleaned with bleach so that’s why I went with something like Lysol to each their own aslong as it kills the creepy crawlies left behind then it’s fine

[@danhyde2656]

I use old rugs in my garage. Lift and work on vehicals bare foot. Leaves a nice stench of blood sweat and oil. Wife approved

[@joshuacasas5391]

Hey Coop! My question is, how do you anchor the equipment to the floor? Through the stall mats/flooring, or cut out the flooring where the legs land and anchor it directly to the concrete slab?

[@Dr_Footbrake]

I used to cut them out, but if you move your equipment even just a couple of inches it renders that section of flooring virtually useless

[@jasonhartsell993]

My basement (where my gym is) leaks after a hard rain so I laid down 7 16' pressure treated 2x6s with 6 sheets of 3/4" plywood on top. Then I laid 8 horse stall mats on top of the plywood. I just screwed my mats straight into the plywood and 2x6s underneath. Just remember to use washers. As for securing your equipment, screw it straight through the mats. I have a punching bag stand with a 100 lb. bag hanging from it screwed through the mats and it hasn't budged at all.

[@neverendingweekend]

I installed rolled rubber as well. You can find thicker stuff than what Coop used. I have the equivalent of .71” (18mm). But it’s definitely more expensive than stall mats.

[@n8vy]

Is that from Plae?

[@neverendingweekend]

@@n8vy I know plae will have it but there are many companies out there. I used a local company that specializes in rubber flooring.

[@Nick19837]

What’s your opinion on epoxy garage floor? The contractors are coming to apply it in a few weeks. I’ll be using bumper plates and all rubber coated dumbbells. Will I still need something on top of the epoxy floor?

[@connortovee-galey2894]

Just in the process of buying my first house (with a garage) and this series couldn't have come at a better time. Looking forward to the future episodes!

[@connortovee-galey2894]

@@FritzDWhite I took both my mother's last name and my dad's last name. It's fairly common in the UK.

[@andreagnew162]

Great advice! I’m looking to convert a carpeted (plush) bedroom into my gym. Do you recommend laying down some plywood first, then a mat?

[@timothyeddinger4720]

Would you be able to tear the carpet up and use the plywood underneath that?

[@andreagnew162]

@@timothyeddinger4720 That’s not an option for me as I only recently laid new carpet - hence my question

[@Param-Singh]

Hey what did you end up doing? Have a extra bedroom with catpet and want to convert it to a gym. Thinking of putting plywood ontop of the carpet.

[@andreagnew162]

@@Param-Singh I’ve not done it yet, but I plan to use two layers of 1m x 1m plywood (screwed together). Each of these ‘tiles’ will be affixed to the adjacent via brackets. I’ll then place a 1m x 1m 15mm gym mat on top (and screw this into the underlying tile with washers). This will ensure the flooring is secure, and the 1m x 1m sizing will mean I can easily disassemble, remove, and store the flooring if/when needed.

[@n8strength]

Sold on the horse matts, thank you!

[@AlexLaurs]

Great video - a couple of Qs. I have the 8mm tile and want to put the performance turf next to it... did you go for padded or unpadded performance turf from rubber flooring inc? I ask because I want padded but am concerned that it will be significantly higher than the tile. Which did you go for? If padded - does the height difference bother you? Next Q - did you glue it down? In your opinion is glue completely necessary? I'm leaning toward not doing that as I'd like it to be portable....thoughts all around?

[@docbrown3218]

As far a cutting stall mats. I’ve never had luck with a carpet or box cutter. I have had great success with a jigsaw with a standard wood cutting blade. Makes the process actually enjoyable. With a knife it takes a long time to cut 3/4 inch mats.

[@jonathann6783]

Started there and had a heck of a time before using a utility blade

[@xArshhh]

Tractor Supply at Ripon, CA is loaded with stall mats. I pick up 6 this weekend.

[@fateful30stm]

I'm new to your channel and your videos have already been so useful in my buying decisions ❤ thanks a lot!

[@RezaDastmalchian]

Can you talk about flooring indoors where there is currently carpet?

[@mcbc5189]

you can lay a 4x6 ft horse mat on carpet and you shouldn't have a problem. It's wide enough and heavy enough not to move while you're lifting heavy or even jumping up and down.

[@threesondad]

I'm in same boat, no basement and a 3-car garage I can barely fit one car in. I'm putting a sizable power rack, etc in a spare room with wood sub-floor and expensive new carpet I'm not about to rip up. I'm not doing any lifts where I need to drop weights, and need mat on about half the floor. Will probably end up doing plywood under stall mat in a pattern where the seems don't line up, otherwise I could picture the stall mat seems being really unstable on carpet.