Home gym on a wooden parquet

[leo92]

Hi coaches,

I used the search function extensively to figure this out, but I'm not sure I've got this right.

I'm setting up a home gym in an unused bedroom with wooden parquet flooring, and plan to buy only bumper plates. Given this, would I be okay if I have a 3/4" layer of high-grade plywood/ particle wood OR only a layer of horse stall mat to make a platform? Or will I need to make the entire 3" platform?

My understanding is that if I were using metal plates, then I'd need the 3" platform to protect my floor. But in my case, since I'm using bumper plates and don't intend to drop them (no Olympic lifts), would I be okay with just a single layer?

Thanks for your time and help.

Warm regards.
Leo

[Tom Campitelli]

You might be. If you are gentle about how you put things down, you might be fine. I would be concerned that the wooden platform might scratch your wood floors if it slipped. A layer of thin, dense commercial carpeting underneath the platform might not be bad. If this bedroom is on the second floor, I would be quite careful about how hard you put anything down.