With students back from summer break, schools all over Ohio are getting back into the swing of things. While every room of a school building needs adequate upkeep, there’s one room in particular that will need a special strategy to stay in good working order: the gym.

It used to be that gyms were used by PE students during the day and sports teams after school. Now the gym is used for fitness, assemblies, pep rallies, dances, and even before and after school childcare.

All of this activity—for as many as of 16 hours a day—can be really tough on any gym room floor. But with a good maintenance plan, composite floors can last decades.

Take note of these tips and you’ll pass gym floor care with flying colors:

·      Watch high –traffic areas for heavy wear. Make sure any area of the floor that gets frequent use is cleaned more thoroughly—near the volleyball net or key areas on the basketball court, for example.

·      If your floor is new, it’s especially important that it’s properly sealed. For the first few years after installation, use a solvent-based oil modified urethane coating, which is softer and has more give to accommodate the stretch and swell of the wood.

·      After the first few years, you’ll need to create a maintenance plan based on the way your gym floor is used, your concern for environmental implications and how much time you can allow for the drying process.

·      Don’t use regular floor finishes on a gym floor. They’ll wear out sooner and have a tendency to be slicker—which can cause problems for players and dancers!

·      Place matting strategically at all doorways to keep visitors from tracking dirt and sand into the gym, which are really hard on the floor.

·      Always keep the dust mop handy since it’s your best defense against wear.

·      Plan to sand the floor to bare wood, repaint and reseal every 10 years or so.

Keeping your gym floors in great shape year after year doesn’t have to be complicated, just strategic

We are proud of our continued contribution to school and recreation center communities across the Midwest. Give us a call if you would like to discuss any aspect of sports equipment installation or repair. Our knowledgeable team will answer any questions you have.