Creating your perfect gym is a lot more complicated than it sounds…
Which is pretty rough, as making the perfect gym already sounds pretty complicated.
No need to fret, we at Dyaco love a good challenge, and seeing as we have years of experience helping gym owners, fitness fans & professional organisations create their most complete gyms, this is one challenge we’re well equipped to solve.
So, we’ll be diving into our bag of essential tips, and pulling out some invaluable insights you need to understand about gym lighting & flooring.
Knowing these will give you the confidence you need to make better decisions when creating your own gym.
Ready?
Good, Let’s Start With Flooring
The flooring is a vital component of your gym, and it should be the foundation for everything else you want to achieve.
We can help build your facility from the ground up, and trust us, it’s lot easier to get this right initially than to have to rectify problems once your up and running!
So, what should you consider when installing or refurbishing your floors?
Well, The… Floor
You’re rarely going to have a perfect, flat, durable concrete subfloor to work with so its vital to fully understand exactly what the current base looks like, as if this isn’t right, it doesn’t matter what you put on top.
What does the top surface look like? Is it concrete or screed that could break down with repeated impacts? Is it a raised floor, or is there underfloor heating that would potentially weaken the structure? There are a huge amount of things to consider, even if all may appear well at first glance.
Check to see if the floor needs to be prepared before being laid.
What You’ll Be Using The Space For
Once you know what your foundation looks like, the next thing to consider is what you’ll be using each area for, and the best possible surface to facilitate that.
It sounds obvious but an area for heavy lifting will need a different surface to your cardio zone, or even a functional area that incorporates some turf so knowing your offer, and what you want to achieve from your facility will really guide these considerations.
The flooring should be in place for many years, as replacing it once you are open is costly and very inconvenient for your members, so getting this right from the off is just as important as selecting the right equipment, as it’s a lot harder to change in the future.
Types of gym flooring
Now that we’ve got the ground work done, lets move up a level and look at the different flooring options you have
Flooring Rolls
If you’re looking for a sleek, smooth gym floor then rubber rolls are the preferred way to go.
They don’t have as many joins or seams as floor tiles, and therefore look a lot nicer, but this also provides fewer points of failure where the floor can get loose or accumulate dirt.
These rolls come in various thickness and provide a great multi functional option for your gym, but they do generally need a flat subfloor and professional installation to provide the best finish so this can impact on costs.
Rubber Tiles
These are simple square or rectangular tiles that are generally used for free weights area’s and other spaces where there is the possibility of high impacts on the floor.
Rubber Tiles can come in a variety of depths, colours and quality so there are a lot of options to think about, and as they tend to be thicker than other types of flooring, another consideration would be the potential transition from one flooring height to the other and how this affects the functionality of the space.
As they are thicker, they may not need quite as flat a surface underneath them and are easier to install so there are definitely some advantages to a tiled surface.
Sprint Track / Turf
One of the most popular flooring types with athletic programmes.
This type of flooring allows users to carry out prowler, and sled work indoors as well as other multi functional exercises.
Created from synthetic fibres, these surfaces are made to replicate the resistance of grass, and provide a really versatile surface for a massive variety of workouts. The majority of commercial turf’s don’t come with much padding, so if you’re looking to make this comfortable for members to lie/stretch on, or even complete plyometric based exercises, you might consider putting a rubber surface underneath to really elevate the experience for your members.
You have total freedom over color & markings, so you can setup the space to handle all your drills, and exercises. When done right, they can transform the most boring rooms into impressive, professional fitness proving grounds.
What about those lights?
Fret not friend, we haven’t forgotten
We’ve come up with a comprehensive guide on how to make the most out of your gym’s new lighting setup to get more members, and get people hyped up to work out with you.
After all, is there anything more off putting to prospective members than a gym floor that seems to drain them of all their energy?
Have fun with colours
Colour plays a massive role in how our brains react to different situations, from red making us more alert & responsive, to yellow inducing a calming effect.
We can see the gears in your head already turning.
You’re already figuring out how these can be awesome at setting the mood for different workouts. Red for strength training, yellow for yoga… the possibilities are practically limitless.
Pro tip: If you’re lighting a spin class, try synchronising the coloured lights with the music to transform the studio into a nightclub. This inherently lets your users know that they’re about to have fun and helps them focus more on the class, and less on themselves.
But don’t forget about natural light
Natural light is a proven mood & energy booster. It’s also the most under-appreciated source of light in the fitness world.
Create as many windows as possible in your space, if your building’s layout does not permit this, try getting some sky lights to help you create a similar effect.
However, you don’t always have to have floor to ceiling windows.
If the view outside isn’t ideal, or your brand works better with a darker, more intimate environment, then you can cover the windows with tints and even incorporate some branding on there to create a very different look and feel.
This lets you have all the lighting you need while still freeing up space for your users to admire the results of their hard work, and take those awesome workout selfies.
Use light to separate workout areas
If you have an open-gym concept, you can still create the illusion of separate spaces through the strategic use of lighting. With the right lights, you can transform the energy within each space.
You could increase or decrease the lights for a particular section during a class.
If you’re doing spin classes, you can dim the lights in that section and put a spotlight on the instructor. If you’re teaching yoga, you can illuminate that spot more than usual.
This has the double effect of getting your members in the mood for the class, while also putting focus on the space. Other members will notice the change in the gym’s setting, making them more likely to inquire & sign up for the class.
Time to get it done
You’ve got all the info you need to create a stunning gym,
Unfortunately, that’s the easy part. The hard part is finding the right partner to guide you through all the hazards & mine fields you’ll face when installing all these awesome features into your gym.
Or that would be the hard part… if you didn’t know us.
Dyaco has helped hundreds of gyms transform from boring spaces to revenue machines. We supply the world’s best equipment and our extensive list of trustworthy suppliers will ensure that you get the absolute best results for your lighting & flooring projects.
The only question you need to ask yourself is…
Why would I say no to having a world class business take on all the stress of making my gym a success?
… Done thinking?
%20(2).png)
