A treadmill is a large piece of equipment. Unless you have a giant home gym or studio with ample space on the ground floor, you’ll probably need to consider fitting a treadmill in your space. It’s hard enough to find a treadmill that has everything you want; worrying about it working in your home is another story.
Fortunately, we’re here to help. We aim to help you find your perfect treadmill that aligns with your goals AND fits in your home. No, we’re not wizards, Harry Potter; we’re treadmill experts, and if you could see how many treadmills we’ve packed into our testing area, you’d be impressed.
We’d win if there were a Guinness World Record for how many treadmills can fit into one space. Yes, this is a weird flex, but hey, you’re here, and our guidelines are laid out below for you.
Fitting A Treadmill In Your Home: Factors To Consider
If you already have a treadmill, you can skip the first two sections. Keep reading if you’re searching for a treadmill to fit in your home.
Types Of Treadmills
What kind of treadmill are you looking for? Treadmills come in all different types and sizes. Some are made for large home gyms, while others can work in apartments and upper-level floors. There are non-folding, folding, manual, motorized, under-desk, compact, and commercial treadmills, among others.
Non-folding treadmills are typically large and heavy. They require a good amount of space and sometimes can only be used on a ground level because of their weight. Folding treadmills can still be heavy but have decks that fold up or designs that fold flat so they can be stored or at least pushed over against the wall when they’re not in use.
Manual treadmills are convenient for where you can use them because they don’t require being plugged in. Curved, manual treadmills are large and don’t fold up, though.
Motorized treadmills come in many different types, but they need to be plugged in. It’s a good idea to plug them into a wall outlet rather than an extension cord.
Under-desk treadmills are made for the office and are usually pretty small, although you’ll need to be sure they fit under your adjustable desk. Compact treadmills are smaller and generally lighter, so they can work in more homes.
Commercial treadmills and commercial-grade home treadmills are often non-folding and heavy. They’re made to handle a lot of use, but they might only be appropriate on a ground-floor level.
Running Surface Dimensions
Although there are several different types of treadmills, their deck sizes vary a little less. The longest deck size on home treadmills that we see is 60 to 65” long. The NordicTrack X22i has a 60” long deck. 22” wide is usually the widest on both folding and non-folding treadmills.
Length is more of a concern for floor space and your stride than width. We consider 60” long enough for all stride lengths and fitness levels.
Shorter 55” long decks can still work for running if you have a shorter stride. Treadmills with this deck length are often considered compact running and jogging treadmills. Decks shorter than this are most likely made for walking only. Many under-desk treadmills, like the WalkingPad A1 Pro, have short decks. The A1 Pro is 47” long.
Considering the deck length is important when picking a treadmill that will fit in your home and align with your training goals (more on this in a moment).
Treadmill Dimensions
Of course, to fit a treadmill in your space, you’ll need to consider its dimensions. Dimensions vary, but running treadmills are usually around 70” to 85” long and 30” to 40” wide. The Freemotion t22.9 REFLEX is one of the most enormous non-folding treadmills we’ve tested. Its dimensions are 87.7” L x 34” W x 66” H.
One of the smallest treadmills we’ve tested is the Sunny Health & Fitness Walkstation Under-Desk treadmill. It is only 50” L x 21.5” W x 6.5” H.
As you can see, treadmills vary greatly in dimensions.
Your Training Goals
Consider your training goals to determine which treadmill is right for you. If you want to run, you must ensure the deck, motor, and treadmill are built for that. Considering what you want to do on the treadmill, what it’s made to handle, and the weight limit is important when finding the ideal treadmill for you and your home.
After all, a treadmill is only suitable for your health and fitness if you use it.
Your Space
Now that you have the kind of treadmill and what you want to use it for in mind, you need to consider where you plan to use it. You need to factor in the floor space and ceiling height of the area where you plan to use the treadmill.
How Much Floor Space Do You Need
Regarding floor space, you’ll want to consider the treadmill’s dimensions compared to the area where you plan on using it. In addition to the treadmill’s size, you’ll need to give yourself room on all sides of the deck.
You need enough room to get on and off the treadmill and use its features comfortably and safely. At the same time, you need to keep some room at the front of the deck clear, especially if your treadmill inclines; you need to keep more at the rear of the deck. Keeping the rear of the deck is important for safety.
This way, if you were to fall off, you wouldn’t slam into a wall, furniture, or something else. (Wearing your safety key is a great way to help prevent injuries, and we recommend clipping it to your clothing).
If you’re using the treadmill in a spot like a bedroom or living room, you might want a folding treadmill. This way, you can fold up the deck to give you more room.
The exact floor space you need for a treadmill varies because treadmills vary in size. The dimensions of the treadmill, which can be found on the manufacturer’s website, plus 1.5-2 feet on the sides, 1-2 feet at the front, and at least 6 feet of space at the back of the deck, are best, at a minimum.
How High Of A Ceiling Do You Need
Ceiling height varies as well because of incline ranges. Some treadmills don’t incline, while others incline up to 12-15%. The NordicTrack Incline Trainers incline the highest we’ve tested at 40%.
To determine if you have enough head clearance to use your treadmill and its incline (if applicable), you’ll want to consider the deck height and incline range. Unfortunately, many manufacturers don’t include the deck height listed among the treadmill’s specs. They also don’t often include the height of the deck when it’s fully inclined.
That’s where we come in. We measure the deck height when flat and inclined to help give you a better idea if your ceiling height is high enough. A good rule of thumb is to consider the height of your treadmill’s deck when fully inclined (in inches), your height (in inches), and your activity level. If you plan to walk, 6” should suffice. If you plan to run, I would add 12” to ensure you have enough room.
You can learn more about proper ceiling heights for treadmills here.
Bottom Line
The right treadmill for you is the one that best suits your wants, goals, and home. Just as treadmills vary in type, they vary in size. When fitting a treadmill in your home, you must ensure you have enough floor space and ceiling clearance. Making sure your treadmill fits in your home is important for safety.
After all, you don’t want to worry about hitting your head on the ceiling or banging your arm against the wall beside your treadmill.
Please comment below if you’re having trouble finding a treadmill that fits in your space. We test all kinds of treadmills so we can help you find the right one for you. Sometimes, a folding deck is all it takes to make your treadmill dreams come true.
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