From basketball players to dancers to marching bands, many groups walk and jump on your gym floor. Without proper care, your gym floor will become riddled with scratches, dents, and other damage.
You can guard against damage to your gym floor by taking certain precautions. Follow these tips to shield your gym floor from the damage that comes with daily use.
1. Clean
Your gym floor needs regular cleaning during periods of heavy use. Cleaning it will remove dirt as well as sweat and other body oils that can damage the flooring.
Even when it’s used less frequently, your gym still requires regular cleaning. Dirt and dust from the air lands on your gym floor every day.
The first step to clean your gym is to remove dust from its floor. Depending on how often your gym is used, you may need to do this several times a day. Your best choice to remove dust is a microfiber dust mop, which is built to trap the dirt completely.
At least once a week, you should give your floors a good cleaning. Use an automatic scrubber rather than a mop, which can clean your floors more thoroughly. Clean every inch of the floor using the scrubber and a wood floor cleaner. Start at one end of the gym and move toward the other end.
Make sure not to soak the floor, because the water can seep down and ruin the floor. Stick to just one trusted cleaner as well. Using several different cleaners can damage the floor’s finish.
2. Refinish
Gym floors typically require refinishing every 8 to 10 years. Refinishing not only improves the appearance of the floor, but it also protects it from damage and extends its life.
Refinishing the floor involves the following steps:
- Sand the floor down to the bare wood.
- Repair or replace any damaged wood.
- Refinish the floor with a sanding machine.
- Apply two seal coats to the floor.
- Paint or stain the floors.
- Apply finish to the floor, and allow it to dry.
Have a professional refinish your floor to ensure the process is performed correctly. Monthly polishing can also help your floor maintain a glossy look.
3. Use Walk-Off Mats
If you have hundreds of people walking on your gym floor, they can track in mounds of dirt and dust with them. You can prevent this by placing walk-off mats by all gym entrances and encouraging guests to wipe off their shoes before entering the gym.
If you don’t clean the walk-off mats, they’ll lose their purpose—and may even cause more dirt to enter your gym. Make sure you vacuum the walk-off mats every day to ensure visitors don’t track in dirt from the walk-off mats themselves.
4. Use Protective Floor Covers
Even with regular cleaning, your gym floor can quickly become damaged by performing groups. You can shield your gym floor by adding a protective floor cover. The cover prevents dents, scratches, and scuffing on your gym floor. Your performers may even prefer to walk on the cover’s softer surface.
A floor cover can also protect your floor from spills during a dance, a banquet, or any event where food and drinks will be present.
Floor covers are typically made of vinyl, a strong, durable material that firmly grips the gym floor. Covers are available in various sizes and weights. The heavier the floor cover, the better it can protect your flooring. You can request custom cutting for your floor cover so it fits your desired size. If you need more than one to cover your entire gym floor, you can overlap several different floor covers.
You can even paint your covers to add a custom appearance to your gym floor.
5. Avoid Tape
Tape can pull the finish from your wood floor. This damages your floor and requires you to get it refinished more frequently. If you need to create game lines, use washable tempera paint instead. It doesn’t damage the floor and can be removed at any time.
To prevent the paint from bleeding into your floor, use only white paint. Also, wait a month after your floor has been refinished before you apply the paint.
6. Say “No” to Street Shoes
Street shoes are often packed with dirt, rocks, and other debris that can destroy the gym floor’s finish. Forbidding the use of street shoes on your gym floor can also protect your athletes. As their shoes pick up dirt particles from the gym floor, they become more slippery, leading to accidents. Make sure your athletes change into a new pair of shoes before they start playing.
These steps can help you maintain a clean, beautiful gym floor throughout the year. Whether you use your gym for basketball, performances, parties, or all three, do your part to protect your gym. If you need a high-quality, affordable floor cover, count on Billboard Tarps.