Types of Sports Flooring and How to Choose the Right One for You

Sports and exercises are an essential part of life. From kids to teens and adults, everyone can participate in one way or the other. While some engage in it for leisure, some partake in it for the competition. There are professionals who earn money but for some, it is just to keep the body and mind in good shape.

There are hundreds of sports types available. This ranges from soccer to basketball and volleyball. There is also lawn tennis, table tennis, wrestling, hockey, skating, swimming, gymnastics and badminton to name a few. Different sports can be divided into different categories. While some are team sports, some are individual. Some are indoors while others are outdoors, etc.

One common denominator in most sports is that to play a particular sport, you need a court or a pitch. This can sometimes be referred to as a field. The name it is called is all dependent on the kind of sport and the kind of flooring the court is made of. There are football pitches, basketball courts, golf courses, ice hockey rinks, cricket fields and running tracks.

No matter the name it is called whether it be field, pitch, court, course, rink, or tracks, every playing surface needs a special floor for sports. The flooring is also dependent on the sports, how it is played and where it is played. For some, the flooring can be a range of surfaces. For others, the flooring can only be one type of surface.

For example, a tennis court can be made of vinyl, wood, concrete, clay, or grass. A soccer pitch can only be made of grass although this can be natural or artificial. The only other alternative is to play soccer on the sand. This most often is not the case except for beach soccer. Playing soccer on any other surface will result in a lot of injuries for the players. There is what is called indoor football. This can be played on other surfaces but most soccer games are out on the field.

Types of Sports Flooring Surfaces

The flooring or surface of your sports venue is an important asset. It is as important as the sport that is to be played there. This is because the health of the athletes must be put into consideration to avoid unnecessary injuries, cuts and bruises. As mentioned previously, the type of flooring is largely dependent on the type of game that is to be played at the venue.

There are a variety of surfaces available for sports centers. Below are some of the common surfaces that are used.

Artificial Turfs

Artificial turfs are rapidly becoming the preferred choice for a lot of people. They are made from polyethylene and are used as an alternative to natural grass. It is also suitable for a lot of sports and can be used either indoors or outdoors. It is ideal for schools, colleges, as well as professional and international tournaments. The beauty of artificial turf is that it requires little to no maintenance.

It is also consistent, durable and is suited to any kind of weather. Artificial turfs are ideal for field sports especially soccer, baseball, golf, rugby, etc. They offer a similar response to real grass and are available in a range of thickness, infill systems and heights. Modern ones are soft and non-abrasive. They have an e-layer or underlay that acts as a cushion and prevents shock and injury to players.

There are also different types of artificial turfs. These are:

3G Pitches: This is a type that is closely similar to natural grass. It is used widely in sports such as soccer and rugby. It incorporates a rubber infill with a longer pile.

Sand Filled: These usually have short pile heights. They are popularly used in games like five-a-side, hockey and others.

Sand Dressed: This combines a shorter pile with sand packed below it at a gap of around 4mm to the surface. You can learn more about artificial turfs here.

Wooden

The most important characteristic of any sports flooring type is to protect athletes from getting injured. This is one thing that makes wood a great choice. It is used in a lot of indoor facilities and it is reliable. The hardness of wood makes it able to absorb impacts, strains and shocks when in use.

At times, there is criticism of wood in the sense that it may not offer good friction which is fair. If you have this concern, then you need to choose a flooring company that is very experienced. They will test the surface and make any adjustments necessary to ensure it provides the right level of friction.

Vinyl

Vinyl is a type of flooring material that is good for surfacing multi-use game arenas. It is hard and this helps to support the feet making it suitable for games such as netball and basketball. It is used by a lot of leisure centers and schools for surfacing their games center. One type of vinyl that is popular is PVC.

PVC is a material of high quality and it is durable. It is flexible and can withstand a high degree of pressure. It comes in different variations which makes it a good choice for several sports.

PVC is especially ideal for indoor racquet sports such as tennis and badminton. It can be designed in a way that the bounce and speed of the court can be varied. It can also come in a variety of colors including red, green, blue, etc. Other sports that can use PVC include basketball, gymnastics and so on.

In selecting a PVC surface, some important things must be kept in mind. This include things such as its thickness, its speed and if necessary, its degree of bounce.

Polyurethane

This may be the most versatile of all flooring surfaces. Polyurethane floors guarantee top quality in any climate and for most sports. It has maximum resistance to slipping and is wear-resistant. Polyurethane floors are durable and can last a long time. They also provide optimal performance when it comes to ball bounce.

Polyurethane floors are seamless, have maximum shock absorption, are quite easy to maintain and renovate. They can also come in different colors.

Rubber

Rubber floorings are all-weather and all-purpose surfaces. They are ideal for any location and can come as rubber matting or interlocking tiles. They can also be used on concrete to prevent shock and injury. Rubber is comfortable and it is easy to install as well as maintain. It offers safety and maximum protection and can as well come in many colors.

Ice Rinks

Ice rinks are frozen water bodies or hardened chemicals. They are smooth and used for ice sports such as skating, ice hockey, bandy and broomball. They are also used for others such as figure skating, speed skating and ice stock. The two main types are natural and artificial rinks but a third type is a synthetic one made from plastic.

Choosing the Best Flooring For Your Sports Court

The choice of flooring for a sports court is often the last thing that is determined. Usually, the structure and finishes are decided but it is not uncommon to underestimate the flooring. Interestingly, this is the most essential element of the arena.

Two important factors to consider in choosing a flooring are its performance and durability. The right flooring will make it safe as well as comfortable for athletes. The durability on the other hand determines how long it will last and you give value for your money.

These two factors are paramount for most sports centers and schools. Therefore, whatever flooring you choose must offer you these. A part of a floor’s performance is the elasticity of the surface. This is how it absorbs and deflects impacts.

A surface’s elasticity areas can be point, mixed, area, or combined. Different surfaces are excellent in different areas. While considering its performance and safety, you should keep the flooring’s elasticity at the back of your mind.

In the end, asides from performance and durability the best flooring to use will depend on other factors. This includes your budget, what the surface is meant for and where it is located. While some surfaces are suitable for the indoors, they may not be ideal for outdoors games and vice versa.

Some specific sports also require specific and standardized surfaces. For games such as soccer, cricket, baseball, you can only use either natural grass or artificial turf. For ice-based games, such as skating and ice hockey, you only have the option of ice rinks.

While these are straightforward, others especially indoor games such as volleyball, badminton, basketball and the likes are not. If you are at a loss as to which flooring to use, you can reach out to sports flooring experts for advice. You may also check out the guide here https://recmanagement.com/feature_print.php?fid=200305fe00.

Conclusion

The flooring on your sports arena is perhaps the most important component of the court. This is because it needs to be safe and comfortable for use by athletes who utilize the court. For ball games, it must also have a good bounce. The right flooring will have good performance and will be very durable.

 

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