Gymnasium floors receive a lot of wear, from bouncing basketballs to tumbling gymnasts to inline skating. Selecting the right gym floor can be complicated. Whether you are replacing the floor in a school gym or putting down a new one at a recreation center, you have a lot of options.

You can find gymnasium floors made of a wide variety of materials. How you will use the floor with dictate which type of gym floor you need to buy. Basketball floors are traditionally made of hardwood, which provides an expected bounce and firmness. Floors for multipurpose gyms are likely to be made of rubber or other synthetic material because the materials wear well. In choosing a gym floor for your school, rec center or exercise facility, keep the following ideas in mind:

1. Hardwood floors meet performance expectations for basketball and similar sports. Other surfaces might not offer the same capabilities.

2. Synthetic and rubber floors are easy to walk on and care for, making them a good choice for multipurpose gyms.

3. Installation and care of a gymnasium floor is a specialty service.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Purchase a hardwood gym floor for your basketball court from a certified gymnasium floors provider

Basketball players and coaches expect standardized performance from a basketball court. Find a gymnasium floors directory or catalog and contact a company that supplies the right hardwood surfaces.

I recommend: Robbins makes traditional hardwood gymnasium floors in a variety of sizes for a variety of purposes. Check catalogs for floors designed for different sports and building types. Hardwood Floors also manufactures and installs tradition hardwood gym floors.

Find gymnasium floors made from rubber or synthetic materials for multipurpose gyms

A complete gymnasium floors list will include floors from companies that use number of materials. When it comes to gymnasium floors, information is crucial. Surfaces range in hardness, 'springiness' and similar qualities, and come in an array of colors.

I recommend: Kiefer Specialty Flooring's Action Court is made from a synthetic material and is specifically for indoor use. The multipurpose flooring from Abacus is made from recycled rubber with special coatings.

Rely on professional installation and maintenance supplies for your gym floors

For basketball and similar sports, your gym floor needs to be seamless. For this reason, trust an experienced installer to put the floor in. And because the surface is so important, professional striping and cleaning materials are a must.

I recommend: Installation should be handled by experts such as American Sports Floors. Robert Liles provides custom gymnasium floor painting services. Hillyard provides floor care supplies for most gym floor surfaces, including hardwood.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Certain specifications are better for some activities than for others, so make sure the floor you select will 'work' for your needs. The padding under the gym floor is as important as the surface. The floor should have enough 'give' that it doesn't hurt or exhaust athletes' legs. Certain colors show marks from athletic shoes easier than others Ask for assurances or get a sample and test it before choosing a color.