Vinyl plank flooring can support a lot of weight, but can you put a treadmill on vinyl plank flooring?
You can put a treadmill on vinyl plank flooring, but there needs to be a protective layer between the floor and treadmill to prevent damage from repeated usage of the treadmill.
Keep reading to find out why treadmills can damage vinyl plank flooring despite their relatively low weight, and what you can do to keep your floor protected.
Can A Treadmill Go On Vinyl Plank Flooring?
Treadmills weigh between 60lbs (27kg) and 210lbs (95kg), depending on whether they are motorized or manual, which is not a lot of weight for a vinyl plank floor to support (Single planks of vinyl can support up to 500lbs individually).
The problem, however, is that when a treadmill is being used it will cause repetitive force directly into the floor, which can only be slightly reduced by the technology used in the treadmill. This repeated force is what can lead to damage in the form of scratches and indentations.
Over time the individual planks may start to become loose and gaps can appear, depending on the quality of your installation.
So, you can put a treadmill on vinyl plank flooring, but you really need to provide a layer of protection to reduce the force between the treadmill and floor if you want to avoid future damage.
Why Does The Weight Matter?
Whilst manual treadmills are lighter, this doesn’t correlate to less damage to your vinyl floor.
Lighter treadmills are more prone to moving whilst in operation, which is the main cause of scratches on the floor. Motorised treadmills on the other hand are less likely to move but have more force going into the floor which can lead to indentations.
Can You Exercise Equipment On Vinyl Plank Flooring?
Treadmills are particularly prone to damaging floors because of the force exerted through them when they are used, but what about other exercise machines like rowers or bikes that don’t have the same effect?
Generally, exercise machines that only exert their weight into the floor even when being used are much less likely to damage vinyl plank flooring. Despite this, you should still keep a protective layer between the machine and floor to make certain that your floor will stay protected.
How To Protect Your Floor From A Treadmill
So, what is the best way to keep your floor protected from a treadmill?
Interlocking mats, like the ones commonly used in gyms, are a great and affordable way to achieve this goal. Not only will they absorb the impact from your running, but they will also reduce noise as well which is beneficial in apartments.
Another option is a floor protector mat, but these tend to be less thick and more expensive. The advantage however is that they are more subtle and tend to be made of higher quality materials that are less likely to degrade over time.
Protective mats are typically only viable for manual treadmills which weigh much less. For heavier motorized treadmills thicker interlocking mats are the best option.
Choosing The Right Material
Interlocking mats tend to be made from either foam or rubber.
In the case of treadmills, you want to pick the most durable material, which would be rubber. Rubber can last years and is not likely to deform under a constant force, which makes it a great choice.
Foam, on the other hand, might be cheaper but it can deform quite easily and even break down over time which means you will have to replace it quite regularly especially if you are an avid runner.
What Types Of Floor Are More Suited To Treadmills?
General vinyl, laminate and even hardwood floors tend to struggle with treadmills.
Whilst the weight doesn’t cause too much concern, it is the likelihood of scratches and eventually indentations that causes problems. But what types of floors are actually suited for treadmills?
Any floor that is fitted with interlocking mats will work with a treadmill, which is why this type of flooring is used in gyms around the globe.
Concrete with a small layer of carpet on top can also do well for treadmills, as long as the carpet is highly durable and thin.
Final Thoughts
Keeping a treadmill on a vinyl plank floor can definitely be done, but you should make sure that you have a layer of protection between the treadmill and floor before you use the machine.
The best options include interlocking rubber mats and floor protector mats, but generally, the interlocking mats will provide more protection alongside sound muffling.
If you have any other tips when it comes to treadmills on vinyl floors then we would love to hear them!
