Horse Stall Mats for Home Gyms (How to Cut & Install)

To cut horse stall mats for a home gym, you will need the following tools:

• Tape measure
• Marker or pencil
• Cutting tool
• Personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Straight edge

I will go into more detail shortly about using rubber mats for horse stalls when building your garage gym floor.

The best process I found follows these steps:

• Plan
• Acquire
• Neutralize
• Install
• Secure

Before we get into the process, let’s take a closer look at some options for cutting tools.

Rubber stall mats usually have a thickness of ¾”, which may not seem like much, but because it is all rubber, it can cause some cutting problems.

Power tools, like circular saws, if you have them, can speed up the process.

A jigsaw and a circular saw can make quick work of the job, but you will want to ensure you have another person to hold the rubber mat.

A heavy-duty rubber cutter is designed specifically for cutting rubber.

Still, it is a significant investment for most people, and it is not worth the investment for a standard garage, basement, or low ceiling home gym.

Not everyone has access to power saws, but there is one item most people likely have lying around, and it does a great job at cutting rubber horse stall mats—the utility knife.

“Thick, durable, and reliable, they come in 4x6-foot sheets 3/4-inch thick and weigh over 100 pounds each. These are great for eliminating impact damage from extreme workouts or heavy equipment while also insulating your home gym against the noise of your routine.”

- Joseph Lewitin, Flooring Expert

Installing rubber flooring for your home gym involves a multi-step process that is an easy and doable weekend project with the right tools and patience.

Here’s an overview of each step.

Plan

You will want to measure the space where you will install the mats using a tape measure.

These measurements will allow you to calculate how many mats you will need.

Additionally, several programs can help you experiment with mat layout and alignment patterns, like a straight line or staggered pattern, which ultimately affect the quantity of your horse stall mat order.

Once you have your layout planned, you will want to make sure you have the tools you need to complete the project, including what I listed previously:

• Marker, pencil, chalk
• Straight edge
• Cutting tool, like a utility knife with spare blades
• PPE
• Sandpaper
• File
• Material to secure mats

Mats for horse stables are readily available at your local farm supply store.

I purchased mine through Tractor Supply Co. (TSC), which were ¾” thick, 4’’ x 6’, and made of recycled rubber.

You will likely see recycled rubber, as I found at TSC, or virgin rubber, which doesn’t use any recycled materials like tires.

The thickness will vary, but a minimum of ¾” ” is excellent for sound suppression and shock absorption.

You will likely have a choice of flat mats on both sides, mats that are flat on one side and have raised bumps, or a diamond pattern on the other.

Now that you have purchased the mats, there is one more important step before installation.

Neutralize

Neutralizing the odor is critical and applies more to recycled than virgin rubber mats [1].

Some brands of mats are odorless but cost considerably more than horse-stable ones you find at your local farm store.

Odor can vary in new mat batches, even if they are the same mats manufactured by one company, but neutralizing the odor is easy.

The sun is the best option here. Leave the mats in the direct sun for several days, let the heat and light open up the mat pores, and jump-start the off-gassing process.

You’ll want to set the mats on pieces of wood so there is ventilation underneath.

So, now that you’ve gotten rid of the smell, it’s time to install.

Most people I know have cut mats for horse stalls with just a sharp utility knife instead of power tools, so this is the method I’ll talk about here.

Use your layout sketch from the planning phase to measure and draw a chalk line on the mat.

Place a piece of wood under where you will be cutting to protect the surface underneath from your utility blade.

Use a straight edge to ensure your cut is perfectly square.

You’ll want to cut the mats one at a time. To cut with your utility knife, make shallow scores over and over to cut through the mat instead of one deep cut.

You’ll find the cut opens up with each successive score.

The cutting process may be more time-consuming if you have chosen mats where one side has an uneven surface.

Place the cut rubber mats in your chosen pattern, ensuring they are flush against each other as you install your home gym floor. Remember to sand or file rough edges to get a good fit and avoid uneven seams.

You’ve got one final step before adding equipment, organizing, and making your home gym—secure the mats.

Secure

There is less chance of the mats shifting if you go wall-to-wall, but securing is always a good idea.

Here are some options:

• Mending plates: found in the decking section of your local hardware store
• Adhesive: designed for rubber, messy but effective
• Tape: Made for rubber, double-sided and secure