The floor used for sports is not just one thing, it is a wide variety of construction techniques and gym floor covers using a range of materials for a host of different sporting activities. The materials used for sports flooring are both natural and synthetic. All sports, to be played properly require a unique surface, different from one another. The floors used for basketball, tennis, indoor track events, weight lifting, etc, are all different. Gym floor covers can be portable or permanent and are used by schools, recreation centers, churches, sports clubs, Olympic training facilities and many more; wherever there is a facility dedicated to a sport, full-time or part-time, you will find gym floor covers.
Sports using a racket, such as tennis, badminton, racket-ball, etc, will have been designed and engineered for excellent foot hold, traction, shock absorption and a medium speed ball bounce. Many of the organizations that set the standards for professional sports have very demanding specifications for the floor that is to be installed and used. Table tennis is a perfect example, there is only one manufacturer that has an acceptable floor and all tournaments must be played on this floor and the color must be raspberry.
The gymnasiums that are built for schools and other sports facilities where multiple-disciplines are present unique problems for the gym floor covers. These floors are subjected to a great deal of abuse, consequently they need to be very durable and economical when it comes to floor cleaning and floor maintenance, while still providing an acceptable surface for multiple sporting activities. These gym floors are subjected to running, jumping and walking; these activities must take place on a floor which is comfortable and safe. There are a number of ways to accomplish this, and there are a number of commercial suppliers of special flooring. Basically, the floor used for a multi-discipline facility is multi-layer; the floor starts with cellular foam backing which is topped with layers of PVC which are sandwiched with a mesh of fiberglass. The unique top gym floor cover provides either slide or grip depending on the action of the athlete. This top layer is also designed to avoid the friction burns that happen when the athlete stumbles and falls.
However, even with all these engineered floors, maple floors still retain their age old popularity.
There are some sports which demand a specific and very unique floor, an example is the floor used for indoor track and field events. This floor needs to deal with competitors, some who wear spiked sports shoes while others don’t. When considering sports flooring, even thoroughbred race horses have it; the floors in the stables, although not a gym, are special textured rubber pavers that are slip resistant and easy to clean.
