Gym flooring question

[MR2FC]

Hi All,
Currently doing up a single garage as a "workshop". I'm not great with my hands, hence the ""! I have no intention of putting the car in there, just a space to store tools, have a bench and perhaps learn some of the things my dad was keen to teach me in my earlier years.

Anyway, my question is: having purchased some gym-style flooring tiles to male the floor more comfortable and less cold to stand on, I have discovered that I can either join them together chequerboard fashion, just next to each other, or I can lay them in a brickwork fashion, so each line of tiles overlaps the next by half a tile?

Just wondered if there was any pros or cons either way? I wondered about expansion due to heat, but the garage doesn't get much direct sun at any point during the day because of neighbouring buildings (that, and it's in England!)

Thanks in advance for any thoughts

 

[MR2FC]

 

[MR2FC]

 

[MR2FC]

Obviously, these don't show the interlocking parts along the edges

 

[ekuhn]

Just layout as in the first pattern, where the joints are all in line it will be the easiest

 

[Forgottonia]

If tiles interlock either way would be quite easy. One thing to thing about: will one side be more hidden than another? If so, lay the tiles so you'll end on the hidden side. For example, if one side will be hidden under a workbench or shelves let that be the last row of tiles you lay. That way you'll "hide" the partial row that you finish up with.

Have fun!

 

[wreckdiver1321]

I really doubt there's an advantage to doing it one way or the other, it would be purely for aesthetic reasons. Remember that since it's a kit, all of the floor tiles are the same material and the same thickness, so there shouldn't be much differential heating. Even if there was, gym flooring material has enough stretch to make up for it.

I've been in a lot of gyms and I've not seen anything other than the standard checkerboard layout, so I think that would work just fine. But the brickwork pattern would be cool because it's strange. Either way, have fun with it and show us some pictures when you're done!

 

[kngelv]

What type of tiles do you have. Are they the dense rubber for a gym or the foam type you see everywhere. IMHO both are a bad choice for a shop. The foam won't last long and the dense ones are a pain to keep clean in that environment. RaceDeck or PVC tiles are much better for a shop.

James

 

[MR2FC]

Thanks for everyone's replies. I'm on a budget, so cheap foam tiles for now at least.
I do not envisage the garage getting a lot of use (my wife seems convinced it won't get used at all, but I'll show her!) and I have enough for replace any that get damaged or worn.

Thanks again. I must add, I am mega-jealous of the spaces you guys have over there!

 

[BetterDays]

What type of tiles do you have. Are they the dense rubber for a gym or the foam type you see everywhere. IMHO both are a bad choice for a shop. The foam won't last long and the dense ones are a pain to keep clean in that environment. RaceDeck or PVC tiles are much better for a shop.

James

What makes the dense rubber stall mats a pain to clean?

 

[kngelv]

I don't know about stall mats. I'm talking about gym tile. Not the same.

 

[Bulldog13]

I’ve had my gym tiles in place for about 2 years…no issues other than a little buckling in the Florida sun…got these from HD and did the garage in about a day.I kept a few extra tiles in case I damage them but so far no damage.I wouldn’t recommend rolling a heavy Jack over them but I mainly did it because I’m too old to be rolling around on concrete.

 

[BetterDays]

I don't know about stall mats. I'm talking about gym tile. Not the same.

Thanks for the clarification. I asked since I have almost 1k sq ft of stall mats in my basement gym