GYMS: EXERCISE YOUR OPTIONS
Text and photos excerpted from Design Ideas for Basements by Wayne Kalyn

The best bonus from putting an exercise room in your basement is not the money you will save on gym memberships or the time you save on trips to the health club. Rather, it’s that you’ll find time to work out. For some reason, people who put in a gym, as opposed to a treadmill in the bedroom, tend to actually use it.

CREATE A COMFORT ZONE
Concrete slab floors found in most basements are a blessing and a curse. They can support the heavy workout machines, but they are hard to stand on for long periods of time. Whatever you put down should be able to take a lot of wear and tear. Vinyl or rubber tiles at least 3/8-inch thick are a practical and inexpensive option: they offer more protection and cushion than carpeting and are maintenance free. (A few swipes of a damp rag will clean them.) more»