The turbo trainer is soon to be promoted from the garage to its own luxury accommodation in the spare room. At the moment this is carpeted, which I plan to pull out, and replace with an engineered wood floor.

Will a normal wooden floor with a trainer mat above it be OK, or would you go for one that’s actually targeted to cope with spills (Hydro Oak make a few)? There isn’t an enormous cost difference as it’s a small room and the Hydro-Oak stuff has a cork underlay already attached. There will be a mat between the floor and the turbo either way.

This is the one I’ve been looking at: https://www.luxuryflooringandfurnishings.co.uk/waterproof-coral-oak.html

I’m embarrassed to say that I do sweat quite a lot on the turbo trainer even with big fans pointed at me.

The surface of timber is quite resistant to short term wetting, its the ends that it can soak up quickly, from capillary action. Plus as long as there’s a finish on the timber like oil they should be ok.

But as with any water spills and timber floors, a quick mop up will be beneficial to leaving it.

I’d go real oak (looks and feels nicer) and just use a rug under bike, the feet of turbo will probably mark a bare floor anyway.

I’d go real oak (looks and feels nicer)

engineered boards are real oak (on top)

I’ve used engineered oak in a kitchen.
I Keep it oiled and wipe up any spills – it’s been fine.

I wouldn’t think twice about using it in a turbo room.

Thanks very much, all appreciated.

We’ve got engineered oak in a room that opens to the outside world, with a massive radiator, connected to a freezing cold extension, with a nice moist kitchen, and it’s been solid as a rock for the past 10 years, including 9 years of a child spilling all sorts over it. We just make sure we mop up any spills quickly.

Based on my very limited experience,I wouldn’t hesitate to use it for your purpose. I’d be more concerned about the trainer feet trashing it.

I was paranoid when we had ours done

The carpenter left some off cuts in a bucket which filled with water. I think it was 6 months before the glue went

A different order event to laminate