Using a Treadmill On Hardwood Flooring – Everything You Need To Know

Treadmills are a great machine to help us get our blood pumping and burn off calories, however using one on hardwood flooring can cause some damage over time, and not to mention become very noisy when you start using it.

So to solve the issue of having your treadmill on a hardwood floor, you can put a treadmill mat underneath, this will help protect your hardwood flooring from any scratches and has several other benefits too, allowing you to use your treadmill on any kind of surface.

To help you figure out whether a treadmill mat is worth it or not, we have put together some information that should help you decide whether a treadmill mat will be beneficial for you.

So without further ado, let’s get into it!

What Is a Treadmill Mat?

First of all, before we can get to know more about treadmill mats and how they can help you use your machine on a hardwood floor, let’s understand what one is.

A treadmill mat is essentially like a yoga mat and will be a little longer and wider than your treadmill, these mats are made of heavy-duty rubber to help protect your floor and keep the treadmill stable while in use.

Some high-quality mats will have features such as rounded edges to stop you from tripping over the sides of the mat when moving around the machine.

Benefits Of Using a Treadmill Mat

Apart from of course protecting your hardwood floor from getting damaged, using a treadmill mat underneath your machine has a few more benefits that you might not have considered.

We have listed several of them out below.

• Reduces noise – Treadmill mats will absorb some of the sounds your treadmill will make against the floor, helping you make your machine more neighbour friendly.
• Protects the machine from the floor – That’s right, it’s not only the treadmill that can damage the floor, the floor can also damage the machine and cause scratches.
• Stops your treadmill from slipping – Without you knowing, your treadmill can move forward when in use, having a mat underneath however will keep your machine stable in one place, no matter how hard you run.
• Stops vibration – As we mentioned above, having a mat under your device will stop it from being so noisy and moving around, however it can also absorb vibrations which is kinder to your running deck and can help prolong the life of your machine.
• Easy to clean – These mats are super easy to clean and catch sweat or other liquids easily, just a simple wipe down or vacuum will do the job.

How To Find The Best Treadmill Mat

Now we know the benefits of using a treadmill mat, let’s figure out what features you need to be looking for in the best one, so as you can be certain your mat will protect your floor and your machine.

• Material – First of all, let’s start with the material of your mat. You should be looking for a high-quality material such as rubber to get the most benefits out of your mat, many more affordable mats on the market are made out of PVC, which isn’t bad, but isn’t as good as rubber. You may also come across EVA foam which is durable like rubber but lighter.
• Size – On average, a treadmill mat should have measurements of 6.5ft by 3ft, as this is the average size of a treadmill. No matter what, your mat should have at least 6 inches to spare around all side of your treadmill for the best effect.
• Durability – Ensure that your rubber mat has some kind of promise or warranty so as you can be sure you are buying a durable mat that will not start wearing off only after a couple of months under your treadmill.
• Colour – Treadmill mats can come in all sorts of colours, ensure yours matches your treadmill for a more uniformed look.
• Waterproofing – Your mat should be able to absorb and cope with sweat or other liquid which could potentially fall on it.
• Thickness – Thickness on a treadmill mat is very important. Your treadmill mat should have a thickness of at least 1/4 of an inch but you could also try and find mats that are 3/8 of an inch too, this will reduce vibration and noise from your machine considerably.
• Price – To put it simply, if you spend over £30 on a high-quality treadmill mat then it will likely come with all the best features and last you a long time, however, grabbing a cheap mat will not be as beneficial to your floor and your treadmill.

Can I Use a Treadmill On a Carpet?

You might be wondering if you can use your treadmill on a carpet rather than on a treadmill mat, the answer is, a treadmill will benefit from being used on a carpet as it’s an extra cushioning which can reduce noise and vibrations, however, you should still use a treadmill mat underneath.

A treadmill is a pretty heavy piece of equipment, meaning it can cause some damage to your carpet with permanent marks over time. Using a mat underneath your treadmill will additionally stop dust from the carpet going up into your machine.

Can I Use a Treadmill On Cement?

If you are planning to install your treadmill in a garage with a cement floor, this is typically fine and won’t damage the floor, meaning you can get away without a treadmill mat.

However, if you would like to reduce the noise that your treadmill makes when in use, you should consider using a mat, as noise can echo around a cement floor.

Will a Yoga Mat Be As Effective As a Treadmill Mat?

Rather than fork out for a treadmill mat, you are probably asking yourself can’t you just use a yoga mat instead, surely it does the same job?

Well, no, a yoga mat unfortunately will not do as good of a job as protecting your floor as they are thinner and are not designed to take the impact of a heavy machine, meaning the mat will wear down quickly and not protect your hardwood floor.

Is It Possible To Use a Treadmill Upstairs?

Since we are talking about the best places to put a treadmill, there might be a situation where you are forced to have to put your treadmill upstairs, this could be due to limited space or maybe you live in an apartment.

Structurally, there should be no reason why a second floor can’t take the weight of your treadmill, but the main problem of having it upstairs would be the noise produced. This is where a treadmill mat will come in handy again as it will stop the machine from being so noisy.

Frequently Asked Questions About Using a Treadmill On Hardwood Floor

If I’m using my treadmill on very thick carpeting, do I still need to get a mat?

Yes, use a treadmill mat, this will prevent indents on your carpet, make it more stable and prevent the dust particles from the carpet from getting into your treadmill.

How big should a treadmill mat be? 

This really comes down to the size of your treadmill, but a mat should ideally comen 6.5ft long and 3ft wide as this is the average size of most treadmills, it should have a 6-inch gap on all sides of the treadmill.

What’s the best material for a treadmill mat?

The best material for a treadmill mat tends to be rubber as this absorbs the most shock and will help stabilise the machine and protect your flooring.

Last Words

Overall, there is no reason as to why you can’t use your treadmill on a hardwood floor, just make sure to put a high-quality thick treadmill mat underneath to help protect it. Never use your treadmill without one of these mats underneath on this type of flooring, not only can it damage the floor, but even the machine itself.