At first glance, it can be tough to see what Wall Padding is supposed to be for. If it's not on the court, what is it for? Is it just for aesthetics? How thick does it need to be to be effective? Understanding these qualities can be the difference between having a dull, unsafe gym, court, studio, etc and having one of the most stylish and protective places around! From school gyms and recreation centers to fitness studios and professional training facilities, Wall Padding is an extremely important tool and feature that is crucial to understand.
What is Wall Padding used for?
Wall padding is mostly used to improve safety by reducing the risk of injury when athletes or participants come into contact with hard surfaces. In sports like basketball, volleyball, or gymnastics, players often collide with the walls or structures surrounding the play area, and padding helps absorb the force of these impacts to prevent concussions, bruises, and other serious injuries. Additionally, wall padding is an especially great option for Sensory rooms to keep neurodiverse people safe, secure, and comfortable.
Outside of protection, wall padding really makes any gym pop if customized right! Our wall padding can be customized to show off school spirit with colors, logos, mascots and more to really unify the look of your Gym. For multi-purpose facilities like school gyms, wall padding also provides acoustic benefits in large, echo-prone gyms, creating a more comfortable setting for things like concerts and assemblies. As a bonus, all of our padding is manufactured to meet ATSM fire safety standards, ensuring that your gym remains compliant while offering maximum protection for everybody.
Types of Gymnasium Wall Padding Foam
AirTex
AirTex is the all new, innovative foam at the heart of all Coversports Padding products, offering a sustainable, versatile solution for athlete safety and comfort. This environmentally friendly material breaks down in salt water in 30 to 90 days and is made up of 10% recycled content, so it's a good choice for the environment. AirTex is made to not tear when mice or other pests try to get in, and it dries quickly and has antimicrobial properties that help keep odors from building up over time. Because it absorbs so well, it can also be used as retention pads in farming, where it soaks up nutrients quickly.
Key Features:
- Made from eco-friendly materials; breaks down in salt water in about 30 to 90 days
- Fire Resistant
- Has 10% recycled content and is made to keep rodents from tearing it.
- Quick-drying and antimicrobial to help keep smells under control
- Excellent absorbency; doubles as agricultural retention pads
- Weeping holes and grommets in outdoor wall pads help them drain well.
- Discount on landfill space because it breaks down quickly (in about 90 days to 2 years)
Extra Firm
Extra Firm Airtex is very dense and has the best firmness and recoil, which makes it perfect for high-impact sports like advanced gymnastics, martial arts, and cheerleading. It gives you a stable, non-sinking landing surface that lets you move around safely and with confidence. It is often laminated to Flex-Firm to make it more durable and better at absorbing shocks. Extra firm foam keeps you from bottoming out and is used in competition-grade mats and training aids because its firmness is especially useful for athletes who need to stick landings from vaults or balance beams.
Medium Firm
Medium firm foam is in the middle of soft and extra firm. It provides safe, supportive cushioning for activities with moderate impact, like cheerleading, intermediate gymnastics, or wall padding. It often meets ASTM F2440 standards for impact resistance, so athletic facilities can trust it. This kind of foam lowers the chance of getting hurt while still giving you enough support to help you do your skills. It comes in both standard and flame-retardant (ASTM E-84-08a compliant) forms. Medium firm foam is used when athletes need a mix of softness and structure that is just right.
Safety Foam (IFD 50 and ASTM E-84-08a)
The firmness of IFD 50 foam is measured by its Indentation Force Deflection (IFD) rating, which is 50. This kind of foam is often used in athletic mats, seating, and padding where it needs to work well all the time and absorb moderate amounts of impact. ASTM E-84-08a is a standard test method created by ASTM International to check how well building materials, such as foam products, burn on the surface. When a foam meets ASTM E-84-08a, it means it has been tested for how quickly flames and smoke spread. This makes sure it meets certain fire safety standards.
| Foam Type | Foam Details | Recommended Sport/Applications |
|---|---|---|
| 1.5" Extra-Firm | High density offers firm, lightweight shock absorption for top recoil. Provides stable landing surface that won’t bottom out. Ideal for high-impact activities and tumbling. | Gymnastics - Advanced, Martial Arts, Cheerleading |
| 2" Medium-Firm | Medium-firm cushioning for medium impact activities. Meets ASTM F2440 for impact resistance. | Gymnastics - Intermediate, Cheerleading, Gymnasium Wall Padding |
| 2" Medium-Firm FR | Meets ASTM E-84-08a for flame retardant properties. | Gymnasium Wall Padding |
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How to Install Gymnasium Wall Padding?
Installing Wall Padding sounds like a complex task but it actually couldn't be any easier with the use of Z-Clips. Start by choosing the right size clips for your installation (1.5', 3', or 6'). This may vary depending on how much wall padding you are attempting to install, but in any case it's important to remember that you need a minimum of 4 total clips per section of padding. In order to install your wall padding properly you must have a set of clips near the top AND near the bottom of each wall padding section. From here, you just need to follow these steps:
- Step One: Measure two sets of lines along you wall. The bottom line should be no less than 4" off the ground and the top line should be the height of the wall padding away from the bottom line. This will be an outline of where your wall padding should end up.
- Step Two: Hang the Z-Clips along the wall within your lines. It is recommended that these are installed about a foot away from the top and bottom line to even weight distribution along your wall pads.
- Step Three: Install the other set of Z-Clips on the wood backing of your wall pads. For these clips, place them at least 1 1/4" higher than the wall clips, or about 10 3/4" for proper alignment.
- Step Five: Simply slide your pads down onto the Z-Clips and repeat for all wall pad sections.
Customization Options
All of our Wall Padding come with a wide variety of customization options for your needs! Each mat can be cut to your exact specifications as well as color matched with your gym's theme or be custom printed with your own logo! If you choose one of our color options as seen below, your mats are guaranteed to arrive in as little as two weeks. Additionally, all of our custom graphics options include a free "proof" to ensure that the design for your Gym is as stylish as it will be safe.
To get started with your Custom Wall Padding purchase, simply click the button below to shop by our wide range of sizes and colors! Looking for printed options? Contact us today to get a tailored quote and free "proof" for your customs design!
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If you have questions about choosing the right padding for your facility, we’re here to help. Our selection includes folding mats, non-folding mats, safety landing mats, and wall padding, each designed for specific needs in schools, gyms, and athletic programs. Whether you’re outfitting a new space or upgrading your equipment, our team can guide you through the best options for safety, durability, and performance. Reach out today to get expert guidance or request a quote tailored to your needs.
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