DIY carpet mat?

[Mark Schoenhard]

Right now the floor in the fitness room I use is covered with martial art puzzle mats.  I would like to have a gymnastic carpet mat, but they are expensive.  Would it be possible to find the carpet fabric and then double tape it onto the puzzle mats?  Thank you.

[Cole Dano]

The stuff used for gymnastic carpet mats is quite thin, I think it would be a nightmare.

Maybe an indoor outdoor type carpet would work, not sure if taping would be worth it over just tossing it over the puzzle mats. Roll it up when you don't want it on the mat and you have the best of both worlds. (or worst?)

[Mark Schoenhard]

26 minutes ago, Cole Dano said:

The stuff used for gymnastic carpet mats is quite thin, I think it would be a nightmare.

Maybe an indoor outdoor type carpet would work, not sure if taping would be worth it over just tossing it over the puzzle mats. Roll it up when you don't want it on the mat and you have the best of both worlds. (or worst?)

Thanks Cole, thickness is my concern too.  Stopped by a local flooring store and discovered it is a needle punch fabric and is generally not carried by carpet outlets.  Salesperson thought that hobby stores might carry this type of material.  I am not finding much on the internet. 

 

[Fabio Pinna]

I used outdoors party carpet. Literally the one they sell for parties. Sold from an huge roll, per linear meter. It's advertised as "red felt carpet", 3mm in thickness, and there are different weaves/textures  Almost any kind is good. The key is finding carpet which has just the right amount of friction - there are glossier ones out there, they be no good. The puzzle mats are okay under it, if they're the right thickness. I had it double taped over multiple layers of foam puzzle garage flooring, which I got used for very cheap, putting the good ones on top and the bad ones under, and then secured the seams between each strip with 50mm cloth tape.

Generic acromat is "just" that: closed cell foam padding under a very thin layer of felt carpet. Quality of this DIY solution will of course vary, but I suppose that you don't need it for hardcore tumbling, so as long as you have the right padding and decent friction, you'll be set.

Here in Europe you can get it at Leroy Merlin stores. Check your local Home Depot, I'm sure you can find a texture you like at the right price. This looks like a good starting point:
http://www.homedepot.com/b/Flooring-Carpet-Carpet-Tile-Carpet/N-5yc1vZbzsm - I would go for the cheapest one that has the right texture/feel/friction. Just brush your hand over it and you'll instantly know which one is good/acceptable.

Of course if you need the floor for anything more complex than basic exercises, real acromat is unmatched, and well worth the investment. You can sometimes find used (but in good conditions) strips for very cheap, from gym that are renovating (or closing completely...). A friend got some from an high school that discontinued their gymnastics program... and he got away with two 2x16mt strips of real acro mat for around 150€, which is an excellent price. He cut them in two and made his own 4x8mt (13x26ft) floor!