Foam has become a very common product for use as a floor covering in recent years.  Foam initially became popular in the flooring industry when it first started being used as a base pad in the carpet industry due to its soft cushioning characteristics and excellent insulating qualities.  Eventually closed cell foam was discovered called Ethylene-vinyl acetate, or EVA in short, which allowed a new type of foam flooring to be created.  EVA foams primary properties are that it is more durable than open cell foam flooring, is water proof, and very resistant to UV radiation which means that it is resistant to fading in direct sunlight.  These properties allowed foam flooring to then be used as a finished floor surface and not just a carpet underlayment.

Over the years, EVA foam manufacturing technology has advanced a great deal and allowed for many specialty flooring products to be created.  Most EVA foam flooring sold today is sold as interlocking foam tiles or what is commonly referred to as puzzle tiles or soft tiles.  These soft foam tiles are available in a wide variety of thicknesses and colors and have been used in numerous applications including home gyms, as portable foam mats in commercial gyms, as kids play room flooring, trade show flooring, etc.  However the advancements in manufacturing technologies has allowed a whole new group of specialty foam backed tiles to be created which includes foam backed carpet tiles, wood grain pattern foam tiles, and rubber topped foam tiles.  In this article, I will explain how each of these new cutting edge foam floor tiles is manufactured, explain the benefits of each, and give some tips about where they would be good to use.

Foam backed carpet tiles were the first specialty foam floor tile created and are manufactured by placing polypropylene carpet strands into the foam tile mold so that the carpet strands are incorporated into the top surface of the tile.  Foam carpet tiles inherit all of the same qualities that make plain foam carpet tiles a cheap and useful flooring surface however the addition of the carpet strands help to create a carpet look and adds durability to the tile.  Foam as a surface can be scratched easily by sharp objects however the carpet strands help to protect the surface and hide scratches to the surface.  Foam backed carpet tiles are often used as home gym flooring, as portable aerobic flooring in commercial gyms, as a durable trade show flooring that can better resist punctures from high heels, and as a basement or rec room flooring.

Wood grain pattern foam tiles were the second specialty foam floor tiles created and are growing in popularity very quickly in the US.  These tiles are also constructed of 100% EVA foam however they are printed with an ink jet system to have a wood grain appearance.  Multiple colors of wood grain tile are available to match many any home décor however it is important to note that these tiles are still made of 100% foam.  Many customers initially believe these have a wood veneer top and a foam backing however that is not the case since the wood pattern is only printed on the foam tile.  As such, these tiles have similar durability to that of regular foam tiles.  Wood grain pattern tiles are commonly used in places where a more upscale appearance is desired from a foam tile.  Many parents use these tiles as children's playroom flooring or as temporary foam play mats for kids.  These tiles also work well in home gyms where only light duty exercise equipment or cardio equipment is used such as treadmills, elliptical machines, exercise balls, and light hand weights.

The newest specialty foam flooring tile that is available has just started being manufactured within the last few years.  This tile is a rubber topped foam tile.  Essentially a thin piece of recycled rubber flooring is adhered to a foam tile with an adhesive before the tile shape is punched out.  This type of tile was designed to have the same great shock absorption qualities as other foam tiles but to also have an extremely durable top surface layer.  If you are looking for a light weight and portable gym flooring solution that can withstand sharp or heavier objects, rubber topped foam tiles offer an excellent solution.  This tile is most commonly used as a home gym flooring.