The Best Home Gym Flooring Guide for 2021!

⏬ Click the links below to save BIG on the Best Home Gym Flooring! ⏬
✅ Tractor Supply ¾” Rubber Stall Mats - www.garagegymreviews.com/go/t...
✅ Rubber Flooring Inc 8mm Rubber Rolls - www.garagegymreviews.com/go/r...
✅ Rubber Flooring Inc Modular Grid-Loc Tiles - www.garagegymreviews.com/go/r...
✅ Rubber Flooring Inc Performance Turf Rolls - garagegymreviews.co/RubberPer...
One of the most oft-asked questions I get is, "what flooring should I put in my home gym?"
The answer for most is pretty simple. Buy 4'x6' 3/4" Horse Stall Mats. They're cheap, thick, and protect your foundation against damage from dropping barbells and plates.
However, some of you are like me and want something a bit different. This is where turf, rolled rubber flooring and all sorts of other options come into play.
Regardless, the one type of flooring you SHOULD NOT buy is foam exercise mats. They're awful. Avoid at all costs.
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[@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

[@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.

[@vanniek71]

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

[@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. :)

[@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?

[@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. 😂

[@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!

[@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.

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@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

[@newjeans8285]

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

[@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 $$!

[@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.

[@KurtUy888]

Thanks Coop! Super helpful info. Love it

[@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.

[@UltimateHibz]

You truly are a connoisseur of home gyms

[@607AAG]

Excited for this series!

[@fateful30stm]

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

[@tamilina0921]

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

[@MrLickMyBallz]

Appreciate you! Doing a lot of the homework for me

[@TheNaeKu]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@eb5671]

Thank you for this video! super helpful

[@greggcoleman7768]

Good stuff as always!! 👍

[@mikehuckabay5514]

Perfect! Awsome info!

[@chisaomusician7752]

Thanks! Perfect video dude!

[@DJUDGE6030]

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

[@JadenFeddock]

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

[@n8strength]

Sold on the horse matts, thank you!

[@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!

[@sw4917]

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

[@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

[@haroldneaus6225]

Great Video!

[@shauncobbs6155]

Man this was crazy helpful

[@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.

[@NoFate247]

Transitions on point

[@TheAnvilMan]

That Mega Man 2 intro though. Great video.

[@100mhopkins]

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

[@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.

[@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!

[@hectordiaz6762]

This guy has everything lol awesome 👏

[@ajfisioclinica488]

Very helpful thanks!!

[@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

[@quinlansee1]

Thanks for this!

[@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

[@TheEnvelopeOZ]

Thank you Brother Coop.

[@beautyofgrace3915]

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

[@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

[@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.

[@DRGUANE]

Good stuff thank u 🙏

[@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

[@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.

[@JBobo-qd4eh]

Hey Coop, you rock!

[@GarageGymReviews]

No, you rock!

[@vocalg1]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@mariomolnar3184]

great video

[@0dq0]

Thank you!!!

[@jaimegutierrez5520]

This guy is the best

[@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!

[@frankflynn2896]

I love working out, I love home/garage gym and now thanks to coop I love mustache

[@Rocket4ce]

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

[@bannerhulk4607]

Thanks!

[@Largetalons]

This is probably said a lot but I'm glad I found this channel.

[@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?

[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@magicmamba3224]

Coooooooooooooooooop!!!!!!! You the man!!

[@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.

[@TheComputerCowboy]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@shawnspalding9737]

Loving the NES style title screens

[@polishakon]

Best gym review content on the web, thanks COOP! You mentioned at the 6 minute mark that you went with a 3/8th rubber roll mat. However in your link its to an 8mm link. Just curious what you actually have in your garage 8mm or 3/8th? Any reason to go with 3/8th and spend more if you recommend getting a platform for dropping heavy weight anyway?

[@lukecast6360]

Thank you

[@jesussolis6840]

Haha, yea I got some stall mats for my squat rack back in 2018. Good video

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@seank997]

My tractor supply finally got stall mats in and I LOVE THEM!!!

[@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?

[@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.

[@superboy305]

Stall mats are life.

[@satinderjit4]

Would love lighting stuff and organation stuff for garage gym.

[@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.

[@Dr_Footbrake]

I’m glad I’m not the only person with a well over the top leaf blower for cleaning out the garage lol

[@balleticbodybuilder]

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

[@arshkhosa7204]

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

[@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

[@lonntrinidad6018]

Thanks for what you do, I appreciate all the information u have given. Where did you buy the red turf?

[@turkishdelight6032]

Can’t wait for the video explaining why you purchased so many Eleiko training disks

[@soleking]

Let’s gooo!!

[@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.

[@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