The ideal subsurface formartial arts matsinstallation is concrete, but you can also install them on top of wood or tile subfloors. However, not everytraining space has this type offlooringavailable. If, for some reason, your home or gym has carpeting installed, you can install martial arts mats on top of them.

It Can be Done,butit's Not Recommended

We suggest removingcarpetwhenever possible. This isbecausemartial arts mats, when placed on top of carpet, can shift in the direction that the carpet fibers fall. The longer the carpet fibers are, the more the mats may shift when in use. This is not unserviceable, but it can decrease performance and create a small annoyance while training. However, if carpet removable is not an option, for any reason, the mats can be installed on top of them.

How to Install Martial Arts Mats Over Carpet

If you absolutely must install your mats on top of a carpeted surface, the first thing you should do is lay down a layer of moisture-blocking plastic. This not only prevents moisture from seeping into the carpet sub-flooring,italso allows the martial arts mats to grip the plastic and stay in place more securely. You will need enough plastic to cover the entire training area.We recommend using 4 milliliter plastic vapor barriers, which are available at most hardware stores and online. To install the plastic, first roll it out over the training area and trim off the excess. A single rollwillnot likely cover the entire training area, so multiple rolls will be necessary. Multiple rolls laid downalongsideone another can betaped together using duct tape orZebra Mat Tape.You should also usedouble-sided mat tapeto adhere the plastic to the carpet itself.

After the Surface Is Covered in Plastic

Once you have the plastic vapor barrier secured together and attached to the carpet, you can continue toinstall your martial arts matsaccordingto theseinstructions. If you have any questions or issues installing your Zebra Mats, get in touch with our team atsupport@zebraathletics.com.