Sports Vinyl Flooring Thickness Guide

Sports flooring utilising PVC vinyl material is currently widely employed for both professional competitions and public recreational activities. Its thickness typically ranges between 4.5mm and 8mm. As a manufacturer, our production encompasses thicknesses from 4.5mm to 12mm. Opting for standard thicknesses suffices for the majority of requirements.

Impact of Different Thicknesses on Sports Flooring

Core metrics directly affected include athletic performance, user experience, and durability. Variations in thickness yield distinct characteristics across dimensions such as shock absorption, rebound response, stability, and underfoot feel.

4.5–6mm: Standard impact absorption capability mitigates minor shocks. Exhibits high overall rigidity and rebound rate, with lower demands on subfloor flatness.

7–9mm: Superior shock absorption with good deformation resistance, suitable for most high-intensity training and multi-purpose sports.

10–12mm: Maximises impact dispersion but offers lower rebound. Prone to deformation under prolonged heavy loads or frequent directional changes. Exceptional wear and crush resistance, yet demands extremely high floor flatness.

Thickness Selection Recommendations

The core logic for selecting PVC sports flooring thickness is:

Priority of “protection” and “response” requirements for the sport >

Usage frequency and user demographics >

Installation environment and cost.

Specific recommendations based on application scenarios:

1. Professional competitive settings

Suitable sports: Badminton, table tennis, volleyball, handball court

Recommended thickness: 6–8mm

Rationale: Rebound rate (85%-90%) enables ‘rapid power generation without delay’; no floor deformation during sudden stops. Requires professional anti-slip wear layer (≥0.4mm thickness).

2. High-Impact Sports Scenarios

Suitable sports: Basketball, skipping, aerobics, etc.

Thickness selection: 8–11mm

Rationale: Impact absorption capacity of 25%–35% effectively disperses vertical shock from basketball landings (reducing knee and ankle injury risks);

Sufficient overall thickness provides strong resistance to compaction (e.g., sustained pressure from basketball hoop bases).

Note: Professional self-levelling must be applied to the subfloor (tolerance ≤1mm/2m) to prevent cracking from uneven stress distribution.

3. General Sports / Commercial Temporary Use

Suitable for: Communities, everyday sports venues, etc.

Recommended thickness: 4.5–6mm

Rationale: Low requirements for subfloor flatness, moderate underfoot feel.

Summary: The above represents recommended guidelines only. There is no need to pursue excessive thickness indiscriminately. Prioritise core sporting requirements while considering the installation environment.

Indoor PVC Sports Flooring Thickness Structure Specification

Top Wear Layer: 0.3–1.5mm (≥0.5mm per EN 14904 standards)

Glass Fibre Reinforcement: 0.05–0.1mm (single-layer or double-layer)

Foam Cushion Layer: 3–8mm

Base Layer: 0.8–2.5mm

Surface Treatment: 0.03–0.05mm (e.g. UV/PUR)

As a specialist sports flooring manufacturer, we offer flexible customisation across various thicknesses. With meticulous control over every production stage, we deliver premium synthetic flooring solutions that balance cost-effectiveness with performance.