Hi friends! It’s your favorite blogger Kathleen, and today, we’re going to talk about treadmills and the reason for placing a treadmill mat underneath.
Do you have a treadmill sitting in your garage or your home gym? If not, you should check out these awesome treadmills. Does it have a rubber mat underneath? Let’s talk about treadmill mats, why you need one, and what do treadmill manufacturers recommend.
I’m often surprised at the number of people who spent hundreds or even a thousand bucks on a treadmill but failed to get a treadmill mat. I can hear you saying, “Do I need a mat under my treadmill? Isn’t that just a sales pitch?”
Of course, if you’ve been using your treadmill without one, you’ll think that this is just another unnecessary add-on, but think again. I wouldn’t try to sell you a treadmill mat unless I thought there were benefits to having one.
Do I Need to Put a Mat Under My Treadmill?
Unless you have a rubber floor, such as the rubber gym flooring you find at your local gym, you should have a mat underneath your treadmill.
Whether you have hardwood floors, concrete floors, a tile floor, or carpet, both you and your treadmill will benefit immensely from a rubber treadmill mat.
First, you want to protect your floor, right? Delicate flooring surfaces, such as hardwood floors, can be damaged by this piece of fitness equipment.
Even if you think that your treadmill is sturdy and has rubber feet, did you know that having a rubber treadmill mat will help extend the life of your treadmill?
It’s true! Let me tell you how this works.
Do I Need a Treadmill Mat If I Have Carpet?
Yes, you should, and here’s why.
Chances are that your treadmill isn’t going to damage your carpet any more than large pieces of furniture would, but as you are using your treadmill, the belt will kick up carpet fibers and dust that can get inside the motor and cause excessive wear.
These small carpet fibers can also get underneath the treadmill belt itself, causing hot spots, which can shorten the life of your treadmill.
I recommend rubber mats underneath all pieces of exercise equipment to help keep them steady, keep dust to a minimum, and keep your treadmill clean inside.
What About Other Types of Floors?
Whatever your floor type is, unless it’s a rubber floor, you’ll need a mat underneath your treadmill. Besides preventing dust, dirt, pet hair, and fibers from getting inside your treadmill motor, there is another reason for having a treadmill mat- vibration and noise.
This is especially true if your treadmill is on a second floor.
One of my good friends had a treadmill in a guest room on the second floor, and if you were on the bottom floor, you knew instantly whenever she was using the treadmill. The noise and the vibration was much louder than I imagined possible from one piece of folding equipment.
This is most likely because my friend had a hardwood floor underneath her treadmill, and when she operated it, the treadmill would move just a bit.
Although I don’t recall her mentioning that her treadmill damaged the delicate flooring surface, the noise and vibration were really noticeable to those on the first floor.
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What Is the Best Thing to Put Under a Treadmill?
Some people say that you can use anything, such as a carpet, a rug, or even a yoga mat, but I have to disagree with that.
We’ve discussed how carpet fibers can mess up your treadmill belt and motor, so I think it’s safe to rule out using a rug or piece of carpet.
A yoga mat would do in a pinch, but it won’t stand up to the weight of a treadmill.
You need a treadmill mat that is a commercial-grade model for extra protection. It’s also a good idea to look for treadmill mats that are a bit longer and wider than your treadmill.
A high-quality treadmill mat will keep dust out, ensure that your treadmill doesn’t move or vibrate, and protect your carpet or other types of flooring from damage.
Let’s not forget that most treadmills need a bit of oil for maintenance or a silicone spray underneath. Those substances can get onto flooring and make it slippery, and even just one drop of oil can cause an ugly stain on your carpet.
These are just a few reasons for investing in the best treadmill mat that you can afford.
There are probably hundreds of mats that will work under your treadmill, but I recommend that you choose one that is made from dense rubber. If you have a choice between a thicker or thinner mat, go with the thicker choice, such as this one from Amazon Basics.
How Thick Should a Treadmill Mat Be?
If you want a treadmill mat that really lasts, and if you use your treadmill frequently, you need a treadmill mat that is about 3/8 of an inch thick.
While this might seem really thick, you will find that most manufacturers recommend this thicker choice of mat for nearly all home treadmills.
You could even go with a thicker mat of 5/8 of an inch to help dampen noise and vibration, especially for those second-story home gyms and delicate floor types.
Related Post: Can I Plug My Treadmill into a Regular Outlet?
Aren’t Treadmill Mats Expensive?
Not at all!
In fact, a good mat will only set you back between $50 and $80. That’s some cheap insurance when you consider that you probably spent several hundred dollars on your treadmill! Or your hard floors, for that matter.
A good treadmill mat will probably outlast your treadmill! You can use a single, solid, one-piece mat or use those snap-together rubber tile mats that can cover your entire floor.
No matter what type of treadmill mat you decide to put underneath your treadmill, you will never regret having one.
Do I Need Rubber Mats If My Treadmill Is on Concrete?
The answer here is both yes and no.
Of course, you can put your treadmill or another piece of exercise equipment directly on a cement or concrete floor. Your treadmill won’t damage the floor, and the floor won’t do much more than collect dust.
However, a treadmill mat is still highly recommended. With this floor type, treadmills tend to move or slide, and you will find that many treadmill manufacturers will still recommend that you use a treadmill mat or rubber mat of some kind.
I also like how a treadmill mat tends to repel dust, or at least, they don’t collect dust as a regular cement floor does.
I have a concrete floor in my garage, and it seems like there are dust and dust bunnies in every corner and underneath everything, except underneath my treadmill.
There is probably more dust in places that I cannot see, but I use a floor duster and there is almost no dust when you have a mat under your treadmill as I have.
When Do I Not Need a Treadmill Mat?
If you’re lucky enough to have a rubber floor (some garages have rubber floors) or large rubber mat that covers most of the room, then you can skip the mat in those instances.
I know that most people have other hard floors like laminate or tile, and they will tell you that you don’t need a mat, but I would have to disagree.
You need a rubber surface of some type to prevent dust buildup and keep the treadmill sturdy. If you have a rubber floor, terrific!
If you don’t, you will want to buy a treadmill mat.
What If I Don’t Care About the Floor Underneath My Treadmill?
I know what you’re saying here. If you’ve got a garage, or you’re using some other room with a floor that you don’t give a hoot what happens to it, you still need a treadmill mat.
Even if you don’t care that the treadmill might mark up or damage the floor, you still want to protect your treadmill, right?
On a hard flooring surface, treadmills tend to scoot or dance across the floor. Treadmill mats help stabilize your treadmill, absorb vibration and sound, and as mentioned before, they also prevent dust from damaging your treadmill.
If you have a carpet that you don’t care about, that’s fine too, but a good mat will protect your treadmill investment.
Where Is the Best Place to Put My Treadmill?
This can be a tricky question because everyone is different.
My mother used to keep a treadmill in her bedroom. She had a large room with a television, and she liked the privacy of using her treadmill while watching TV. She also believed that seeing that treadmill in front of her every morning and evening kept her motivated to use it.
I have my treadmill in the garage, which I use as a home gym. I like the privacy of using my garage. No one knows that I’m out there unless I tell them. Having my treadmill and other equipment in the garage means more space inside my house for living.
Where you place your treadmill is a personal choice. You can be like my mother and put it in your bedroom or in a guest room, or you can put your treadmill in the basement or garage.
Wherever you will feel comfortable using your treadmill is probably going to be the best place to put it.
Regardless of where you place your treadmill, you need a treadmill mat to ensure that both your floor and your treadmill have the best protection.
The Final Takeaway
Do you NEED a treadmill mat? Of curse, your treadmill will operate without one, but there are so many good reasons to place a mat underneath your treadmill.
You will protect your carpet or hardwood floor, your treadmill will be protected from dust or carpet fibers, and the treadmill will do less dancing across your floor.
Let’s not forget that your treadmill will be quieter and vibrate less when you place a thick mat underneath it.
You could go without a treadmill mat underneath your expensive piece of exercise equipment, but with so many good reasons to have one, why would you go without it?
Whether you buy those interlocking mats that cover most of your floor, or you get a more typical, thick treadmill mat, you will be happy that you did.
Stay healthy and happy friends! Life is too short for anything else!
Written by Kathleen Langdon – TheHealthPot.com Founder
Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), Certified Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES)
Kathleen, a mother of two, struggled with ongoing weight and health issues. She created this website after she turned her life around. She built Thehealthpot.com to help inspire and motivate others with their fitness goals. Read more about Kathleen here.