Setting Up Your Sports Floor Bracket

Let the tournament begin! Not just NCAA March Madness, but narrowing down the perfect sports floor for your client’s new gym!

The thrill of the Winter Olympics has ended, but it’s still an exciting time to be a sports fan. March Madness is here! The NCAA basketball championship is a hotbed of competitive drama: powerhouse teams going head-to-head, underdogs rising to unexpected heights, and the exhilarating stakes of a “loser goes home” tournament.

For fans, it’s the act of creating a bracket that draws you in. Once you set your predictions, you can’t help but follow the fortunes of your chosen teams as they are winnowed down to the Final Four. But, as an architect you are probably setting up a very different bracket this season. The summer construction season is fast approaching and your clients have a list of criteria for new gym projects. Some are concerned with sports performance. Others require a multipurpose space. Still others are focused on budget. But more commonly, each client has a blend of needs. Then, it’s up to you to narrow down the sports floors that fit and advance to the “next round.” Just like a March Madness bracket, it’s helpful to treat each your client’s flooring criteria like an individual tournament game. Some flooring types will claim victory, while others will fall by the wayside. Eventually, you will have a champion that satisfies every requirement. Here is a list of “games” you can consider in your tournament of sports flooring decisions. We’ll leave it to you to fill in the bracket, with a few insider tips of course.

Game 1: “I need a gym that’s also a cafeteria.”
Right out of the gate, hardwoods would get crushed in this one. We’re talking an embarrassing, near shutout loss of scratches, dents, and more frequent refinishing. The winner will undoubtedly be a resilient sports floor like Padenpor or Tarkett’s Omnisports. Both have varying degrees of stain resistance, indentation recovery, and relatively easy maintenance requirements. A hardwood court will have its time to shine, but not here.

Game 2: “I want lots of graphics on the court and I have an exact color to match.”
This game is a little closer, maybe even a “nail biter.” Hardwood Maple courts can have amazing painted graphics—center court team logos that look amazing. Vinyl gym floors like Omnisports can have that, too. Both have the potential for complex painted graphics on the court and both offer a warm wood grain appearance. But when it comes to custom colors, poured polyurethane surfaces like Padenpor have the edge. Since Padenpor has a seamless uniform surface, painted graphics really “pop” more than other floors. Not to mention, the top coat of a polyurethane floor is infinitely customizable when it comes to color.

Game 3: “All I care about is basketball—high level competitive basketball.”
We told you hardwoods would have their moment in the sun. Traditional maple hardwoods, like those from Robbins, have more than just high sports performance properties. Hardwood courts are ingrained in the history of basketball. If you need Class 4 and Class 5 force reduction (ASTM F2772), Robbins has flooring systems that can provide that all day long. Resilient floors are worthy competitors, but hardwoods win out when your client is wanting a professional level, dedicated basketball court.

Game 4: “I need a space to help K-12 athletes grow. Safe. Comfortable. Game-ready every day.”
In a matchup like this, there’s one floor that is on a bit of a winning streak. Resilient floors like Tarkett’s Omnisports are a widely popular option. They offer good force reduction properties, ranging from Class 1 to Class 4 (ASTM F2772). This range is more than sufficient for young, lighter athletes that may not fully engage a Class 5 floor with their weight anyway. Omnisports is also a good example of versatility. It’s great for multiple sports and it’s easy to clean, making transitions between games and events much faster. Padenpor is also an excellent option here as well. It has many of the same properties of a vinyl sports floor. Hardwood courts are also a contender here. They have plenty of sports performance, but they would require a little more care and maintenance, which can be challenging in a busy K-12 gym. Whew! This is a close one.

Not the Final Four
Of course, these are not the only “games” to consider when narrowing down your sports flooring choices—perhaps more puzzling ones, like “I need a basketball court that I can roller skate on, and maybe play pickleball, too.” It’s never a good idea to address those sorts of challenging criteria alone. That’s what Abacus Sports is here for. We have decades of industry experience to help you navigate the complexities of selecting the right sports floor. Contact us today for a consultation.