Treadmills are effective fitness tools when you want to strengthen your legs, burn calories, and improve your overall aerobic capacity. However, with all of their perks, they can easily damage your floor. The treadmill’s weight, combined with the rubbing of the rubber feet of a treadmill, can damage your floor.
Here are the damages a treadmill can cause to different types of flooring and how to protect your floors.
Will the treadmill damage the laminate floor?
Treadmills can damage your laminate floor. The weight of your treadmill, plus the vibration and friction produced while in use, can cause great damage to the laminate floor. However, a laminate floor will put up with the scratches, dents, and cracks, but it will worsen with continuous use and time.
Although the damages don’t happen overnight, you will slowly start to notice the damages on your floor, which will ruin the appearance of your floor, and you might end up replacing the whole flooring. In order to keep both the laminate floor and treadmill safe, you should invest in a high-quality rubber mat.
Will a treadmill damage a hardwood floor?
Placing your treadmill on a hardwood floor is not safe for your treadmill and the floor. This is because of the treadmill’s weight. These machines are quite heavy, and stepping on the treadmills adds to their weight. So, before placing your machine on your hardwood floor, consider the weight of your treadmill, which can make a noticeable indentation on your floor.
Additionally, treadmills are unstable when in use and could slide and slip on your floor, creating unattractive scratches. Fortunately, there are ways you can ensure that your hardwood floor is safe when you place the treadmill on it.
Will a treadmill damage a tiled floor?
Although tiles are hard-wearing, they could still break. The weight of the treadmill can break a tile. However, the quality of the tiles and where you place the feet of your treadmill on the tile can make the difference between breaking and not breaking. The problem is that you may not know if your floor can handle the weight until it’s too late.
Additionally, tiles are quite slippery compared to other floorings. This can cause the treadmill to move because the feet don’t have sufficient grip.
Will a treadmill damage a concrete floor?
It is hard to damage your concrete floor with a treadmill. However, if you remove the rubber feet from the treadmill, you can slightly scratch the surface. However, it will be a few scratches. Unless your concrete floor is fancily polished, you may not care about this.
A smooth concrete floor and the impact of running can make a treadmill move a little bit. If your concrete floor is located in the basement or garage, you won’t have to care too much about it. However, investing in a treadmill mat can prevent dust and dirt from accessing the electronics and motor. Although it’s hard to damage a concrete floor with a treadmill, it’s advisable to protect your treadmill from dust and dirt.
Will a treadmill damage a carpet?
A treadmill can be compared to a huge piece of furniture. When you put a heavy piece of furniture on a floor, it creates dents, but they tend to vanish after some time. However, a treadmill has more rubbing and vibrations, which can damage the carpet over time. This may take a while and will depend on the quality of your carpet and how often you use your treadmill. Although some dents may bounce back, you may notice some spots on the carpet.
How can I protect my floor from treadmill damage?
If you want to keep your flooring safe and undamaged, here are some options you can look at.
Bigger rubber/ foam feet
Treadmills are usually fitted with rubber feet. However, they’re quite small and may not handle the weight of the machine and the condition of the floor. The best way to keep your floor safe is to spread the weight by making the feet bigger. Foam or rubber gym flooring tiles will function well.
Treadmill mat
A rubber tile may look messy, and no one wants that in their gym. You can opt for a piece of rubber that covers the whole area. The best solution is a treadmill mat that will protect your floor and cover the whole area of the treadmill.
Gym flooring
If your treadmill is one of your favorite home gym machines, it’s advisable to install gym flooring for the whole room. Gym flooring is available in various sizes, shapes, and materials. Large rubber mats are long-lasting and give the best results. Rubber tiles are easy to remove and move around. Additionally, foam tiles are affordable and highly portable. However, they don’t last long, although they are the softest option.
Parting shot
Although treadmills can damage some types of flooring, this depends on the machine’s weight, the quality of the flooring, and how frequently it’s used. However, to avoid premature failures and damage, you should invest in a high-quality treadmill mat.