Should you glue down your rolled rubber flooring?

Direct Answer:
Ideally - YES. Rolled rubber flooring is urethane bonded. 

It is designed to be fully glued down with moisture cured urethane adhesive that has a vapor barrier in it. This seals the concrete and holds flooring in place in different temps and humidity swings.

If you want a pro level gym with tight seams and great look. Do it once and do it right (budget or DIY Allowing).

Factors you need to consider for YOUR gym situation:

1. How Long is your lease? 
1-2 years - Don't glue
3+ years, probably glue down on small gym. Huge Gym. Take it with you later.
5+ years or own building - 100% Glue it down

2. Rolling Load Caused Wrinkles/Shifting:

Rolling Loads will displace your floor. Pallet jack, bumper plate stacks, rolling racks, etc.  Moving equipment can be very frustrating to have wrinkles in floor and have to re-lay floor 10 times.

3. What is your expectation of performance: 

1. Expectation of perfect look? Gaps collecting some hair, grit and premature wear at seams reducing the life of your floor.
2. Are you willing to carry and set all equipment in place without rolling loads
3. Are you diligently willing to circle back and extra work to move rolls back together/deal with spots periodically.

4. Difficulty: Full Glue down is more difficult and can be frustrating and result in bad installs for an amateur.  Take your time and call us for advise BEFORE you lay it.

Gluing Rolled Rubber Flooring - Understanding the Basics:

Understanding how rolled rubber is made is an important aspect of understanding when to glue the rubber down. Recycled rolled rubber flooring is made by mixing particles of rubber with a urethane binder (glue).  Which means the rubber is NOT melted down or solid; like many people think. Rolled rubber has air pockets trapped in between the rubber and bind.  These air pockets allow air/moisture to have an effect on the rubber flooring...similar to how moisture can expand and buckle a wood floor.  Areas of high humidity or hydrostatic pressure under the concrete/wood floor/sub-base can allow moisture to affect the rubber floor. This moisture can buckle and wrinkle your rolled rubber floor.

What does the glue do to help with moisture problems? Moisture cured urethane adhesives have moisture barrier technology included in the glue.  This moisture barrier seals the concrete/wood substrate against moisture passing through and into your rubber floor.

Is taping down my rolled rubber going to work?

Yes - Overall it helps but tape isn't that cheap these days.

Double sided carpet tape is not a commercial grade solution and not the manufacturer recommended method of installation. 

However, you absolutely CAN loose lay, tape or spot glue things to get by and start your business to save some money.

Many users choose to tape the floor to avoid the cost and permanent installation of a glue down installation.

Generally, double sided tape installations will perform well in dry climates and on substrates that are sealed against moisture. If you have concrete or substrate with a moisture problem; you should seal the substrate prior to laying the rolled rubber flooring. 

You can likely install your rolls without the moisture causing buckling and wrinkling. However, if you drag equipment or roll equipment across the floor...it may shift or wrinkle forcing you to relay it over and over.