The material selection of sports wood flooring is crucial and directly affects its performance and service life.
As the part that directly contacts the athletes, the panel is mostly made of high-quality hardwood. Hard maple is a very common choice. It is a long-fiber tree species with excellent toughness and moderate hardness. In intense sports such as basketball and volleyball, it can withstand frequent impact and friction. At the same time, maple has the best viewing effect in competitions and TV broadcasts. Its uniform color and beautiful texture help to enhance the visual experience. In addition to maple, ash, oak, beech, etc. are also often used. The moisture content of the panel must be strictly controlled and must not exceed the local equilibrium moisture content, otherwise it is prone to deformation, cracking and other problems. The common specifications of MFMA maple panels imported from abroad are 20mm and 26mm thick, 38mm and 57mm wide, etc.; while domestic panels are mostly 22mm thick and have grooves and flanges. This design can enhance the stability of the connection between panels.
The bearing layer plays the role of supporting the entire floor system, and single or double keels can be used. The keel is generally made of solid wood and treated with preservatives to extend its service life in a humid environment. The keel spacing is usually set to 400mm. A reasonable spacing can ensure sufficient support and meet the elasticity requirements of the floor. According to the way the keel is fixed to the ground, sports wood floors can be divided into suspended systems, fixed suspended systems and fixed systems. Different systems are suitable for different site conditions and usage requirements.
The stabilization layer usually uses large-format panels, such as OSB boards or plywood, with a size of 1.22*2.44m and a thickness of more than 12mm. It can enhance the stability of the floor system and reduce the risk of deformation of the panel. The elastic cushion layer is made of different materials such as PU, rubber, recycled rubber, PVC, etc. Its main function is to provide shock absorption performance for the system, effectively reduce the impact force when the athlete lands, and protect the athlete’s joints. In addition, the moisture-proof layer generally uses PE geotextile moisture-proof film to prevent ground moisture from penetrating upward and affecting the overall performance of the floor.
