Starting My Sports Flooring Project
Honestly didn’t know squat about rubber flooring costs when I first got this bright idea. Wanted to upgrade my garage gym since those cheap foam tiles kept tearing whenever I dropped weights. Figured rubber would handle my deadlifts better, but had zero clue about prices.
Measuring My Messy Garage
Grabbed my dusty tape measure first thing Monday morning. Pushed all the junk to one side – old bikes, broken tools, that weird lawnmower part collecting spiderwebs. Measured twice because math ain’t my strong suit. Came out to 300 square feet total after subtracting the water heater corner.
Price Shock Reality Check
Started calling local flooring places Tuesday. First quote nearly made me spit out my coffee – $7 per square foot! That’s over $2,000 just for materials! Then buddy at work mentioned interlocking tiles might be cheaper. Checked three online stores:
- Basic 1/2 inch tiles: $3-$4 per square foot
- Thicker 3/4 inch stuff: $5-$6 range
- Fancy rolled rubber flooring: $6-$8 per foot but needed professional glue
Playing Quality Detective
Drove to Home Depot Saturday morning feeling smart. Tapped my knuckles on every sample tile they had. Thin ones felt like pencil erasers – nope. The pricier ones bounced back quick after I squished them. Guy in orange apron told me recycled rubber costs less but smells like old tires. Virgin rubber doesn’t stink but hurts the wallet more.
My Final Budget Hack
Ended up mixing and matching like a mad scientist. Used cheaper recycled tiles ($3.80/sq ft) under where weights drop most. Put nicer virgin rubber ($4.75) where I do yoga and stretching. Took me two weekends to puzzle-piece them together with my brother drinking beer while pointing. Total damage? $1,325 counting that monster pizza I owed him.
What I’d Tell My Past Self
Thicker ain’t always better unless you’re dropping barbells daily. Rolled rubber gets pricey with installation – tiles let your broke DIY self handle it. Watch out for “free shipping” traps that disappear when they see garage addresses. Oh, and buy extra tiles! I dropped box cutter on one during install and had to drive back to store looking stupid.
