What is flooring for volleyball and Why Do We Use Them?

How to Choose Sports Flooring for an Indoor Volleyball Court

The quality of an indoor volleyball court’s sports flooring is vital for player comfort and performance. Finding sports surfaces that combine uniform support, energy return, elasticity, and minimal abrasiveness when diving and sliding is extremely important.

Underestimating this component can happen since, at the design and construction level, the choice of sports flooring is often not determined until the final phase. A state-of-the-art sports hall is built with structure and finishes in mind first, and the most important element for the quality of the game—the flooring—is often considered later. Not only will the comfort and safety of the athletes depend on the technical characteristics of the playing surface and its biomechanical behavior, but the duration of the flooring itself will also be affected.

In this article, we will further explore the different types of sports flooring for indoor volleyball courts, showing their characteristics and advantages in terms of functionality and performance.

The most common flooring for indoor volleyball courts are those made of PVC or vulcanized rubber. Here are the distinctive features of each:

PVC

Indoor PVC flooring is the most frequent choice for professional volleyball courts or high-level competitions. This material is recommended when excellent performance is required, but faster wear of the flooring is accepted. The welding joints necessary for the installation of PVC surfaces are a fast-wearing weak point. The biomechanical performances of the flooring combine the individual layers from which it is made.

Thickness and multilayer composition of the surface are the most important factors behind the performance guaranteed by the flooring. The surface finish is designed to minimize the risk of friction burns and abrasion during player dives, defensive actions, and rolling ball recoveries, which cause impact with the ground. The lower layers are usually made of differentiated density PVC foam to ensure a rapid reaction to impact with progressive deformation. PVC flooring offers ranges with solutions in category P1 and P2, according to the EN 14904 standard, both for fixed and removable systems.

Vulcanized Rubber

Vulcanized rubber flooring for volleyball courts is suitable for intensive surface use. It is an ideal solution for schools and multisport or amateur indoor facilities. The elastic underlayment ensures the right biomechanical reaction and shock absorption while the surface finish ensures the correct grip for movements.

Rubber sports flooring for volleyball combines shock-absorbing and stabilizing underlayments to the rubber surface layer, which guarantee different levels of shock absorption, from P1 solutions to those of category P2, according to the EN 14904 standard, both for fixed and loose-laid systems.

The flooring of a vulcanized rubber volleyball court has numerous advantages, including:

• Durability: The vulcanization process waterproofs the rubber and slows the hardening process typical of other synthetic materials, helping to maintain the biomechanical properties of the sports surface over time.
• Ease of installation: Heat sealing of the welding joints of the rolls is not necessary, eliminating the welding beads that often are the first elements to be damaged by wear and to become dirty.
• Greater resistance to wear and tear: For the same performance, vulcanized rubber offers greater wear resistance than PVC due to the absence of welding beads and the delayed hardening process.
• Sustainability: The rubber can be disposed of as solid urban waste in a normal landfill with significant economic savings when replacing the flooring.
• Eco-compatibility: The rubber flooring for indoor volleyball facilities has received GREENGUARD Gold Certification. This recognition, awarded by UL Environment, certifies that the product meets the highest world standards for low emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Indoor Volleyball Flooring: The Difference Between Fixed and Removable Solutions

Both PVC and vulcanized rubber sports flooring can be installed by gluing the surface on a floor foundation (fixed solution), or they can be installed using adhesive tape (removable solution), depending on whether a temporary solution is desired.

Following are the main differences between fixed and removable flooring to help with understanding which is the best choice per the facility’s intended use:

Removable Flooring

Removable surfaces are widespread in multipurpose sports halls intended to host high-level sporting and non-sporting events (concerts, public performances, etc.). This type of solution allows a facility to have top-quality flooring that can be dismantled and stored without damaging it to allocate space for other events.

The removable flooring for indoor volleyball courts can be laid both on a wooden substrate and directly on the floor foundation. At the time of installation, the surface, which comes in rolls, is not glued to the substrate but adhered with a special adhesive tape that allows the surface to be removed once use is complete. After the event or competition, the flooring can be dismantled and stored for future use.

Permanent Flooring

Permanent indoor flooring is the most used solution in schools, and multisport and amateur facilities, or in structures dedicated mainly to sports use. These are prefabricated synthetic surfaces (PVC or vulcanized rubber) whose installation requires being laid and glued directly to the floor foundation or on a waterproofing and stabilizing membrane. In both cases, the flooring will be fixed and cannot be removed except when being replaced.

The use of waterproofing membranes as a substrate insulates the flooring from the floor foundation, effectively improving its durability over time. Sports halls may have rising moisture problems, which could damage the glues used to install the flooring and the flooring itself.

Fixed solutions guarantee excellent biomechanical reactions not only for volleyball but for numerous team sports. They are an excellent choice for multisport halls and multipurpose structures where the budget to purchase and maintain removable solutions is limited. They can also be covered with special protective flooring when the space is to be used for non-sporting events.

Technical Standard UNI EN 14904 “Surfaces for Sports Areas”

The UNI EN 14904 standard, "Surfaces for sports areas - Multisport indoor surfaces - Specifications", is the European reference standard for all sports flooring for indoor facilities. This standard was developed to indicate the performance parameters that surfaces must meet to be suitable for sports use according to their different biomechanical behaviors. Aspects include:

• Shock absorption
• Vertical deformation
• Friction coefficient
• Ball bounce
• Load and impact resistance

In vertical deformation, i.e., the level of deformation of the surface subjected to a load, much will depend on the type of surface substrate. Depending on this deformation, the EN 14904 standard classifies surfaces into three types:

Point Elastic: This category includes PVC or synthetic rubber sports flooring where deformation occurs at the force’s application point. These types of flooring are ideal solutions for every level of volleyball and can adapt, according to the regulations in force, to high-level competition facilities.

Area Elastic: This category includes the wooden sports flooring installed on elastic sub-bases. The surface deformation during the force application affects a larger area than the point of impact. This type of flooring is ideal for basketball or for multisport facilities where volleyball is not the prevailing discipline.

Combi Elastic: This category includes sports flooring that combines an area elastic sub-base with a point elastic surface finish. This kind of flooring guarantees excellent shock absorption and outstanding surface versatility.

What to Consider When Choosing a Volleyball Court Flooring

Rubber Pad & Poured Polyurethane Surface for Volleyball Courts

Poured floors offer many benefits for volleyball courts. One of the primary advantages is that they are seamless. This means that there are no gaps or cracks where dirt and other debris can accumulate, making the flooring much easier to clean and maintain. Additionally, because the flooring is non-porous, it will not absorb liquids or moisture, keeping the court surface dry and safe to play on.

Another significant benefit of poured flooring is its durability. It can withstand a lot of wear and tear, making it perfect for high-traffic areas like volleyball courts. Additionally, if needed, the surface can be resurfaced relatively easily. However, it is less cushioned than vinyl, as the base layer is made of rubber and not foam.

Wood and Synthetic Combination Flooring System for Volleyball Courts

This type of flooring is often referred to as a high-performance sports floor because it offers the best of both worlds. The wood offers high stability spread over a large area, while the vinyl provides local flexibility when compressed, which is what offers optimal shock absorption for volleyball players. Additionally, the top vinyl layer provides interesting colors and patterns, ease of maintenance, and durability.

The popularity of volleyball makes it one of the most important sports to integrate into any gymnasium. Importantly, these spaces can also be used for many other activities. Built to last, this type of sports flooring can handle multiple sports, activities, and events.

What Factors Should You Consider When Choosing Indoor Volleyball Court Flooring?

When choosing indoor volleyball court flooring, consider a few factors. The material of the flooring will impact the level of bounce and traction, so you’ll want to find a material that offers both. You’ll also need to think about the level of cushioning and shock absorption the flooring will provide, as well as its durability.

The Importance of Performance in Volleyball Flooring

Performance volleyball court flooring is important because it provides a surface that is both safe and durable. It also gives volleyball players the traction they need to make quick movements on the court. A good sports court flooring will also have a consistent surface that is not too slippery and not too sticky.

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