Inline Hockey Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best RINK Flooring for Performance, Safety, and Longevity

Inline hockey is experiencing a notable rise in popularity in North America, and whether you’re on a college campus, in a community park, or in a competitive facility, the inline hockey surface you install plays a critical role in how your athletes perform and how your investment holds up over time.

At Mateflex, we’ve spent decades helping clients—from NHL-affiliated community projects to neighborhood rinks—build better courts that last with our inline arena tile. This guide will walk you through the key problems that inline hockey rink owners face, the solutions we offer with our modular tile systems for inline hockey surfaces, and what makes our process stand out in the world of sports flooring.

The Problem: What Rink Owners Are Tired Of

Let’s face it—many facilities have made flooring or surface investments they’ve come to regret. Whether it was a quick-fix coating or a modular tile system that didn’t live up to the hype, poor surfacing causes more harm than just lost money. It affects gameplay, safety, and the trust of your user base.

Here are some of the most common frustrations we hear:

• Surface Failure – Outdoor courts in particular are vulnerable to buckling, shifting, and cracking—especially if exposed to weather or laid over uneven ground. These issues make the surface unsafe and lead to downtime that cuts into court use.
• High Maintenance Costs – Annual or bi-annual coatings and resurfacing can become a financial burden over time. What looks inexpensive upfront turns into a never-ending cycle of repairs, touch-ups, and reapplications.
• Poor Performance – Concrete and asphalt might get the job done in the short term, but they slow puck movement, wear down sticks and wheels, and cause inconsistent play.
• Bad Past Tile Experiences – Not all modular tile systems are created equal, nor are they specifically designed for sports flooring. Many facilities have tried brands that faded, cracked, or shifted prematurely—creating more issues than they solved.
• Limited Customization – Some inline hockey court kits and surfaces offer little room for adaptation, forcing a “one-size-fits-all” layout that doesn’t match the facility’s branding, colors, or multi-sport needs.

The Solution: Mateflex Inline Hockey Flooring

Mateflex isn’t just another sports flooring modular tile product. We are the original U.S. manufacturer of modular tile sports flooring, and we’ve been trusted for over 50 years to build surfaces that last. Here’s why:

• Unmatched Installation Process – Outdoors, our Mateflex III hockey rink system includes expansion joints and precision fastening to prevent shifting or buckling. Indoors, our ProGym system has rounded edges that reduce player injury and protect equipment, whether used with a ball or a puck.
• Trusted by Pros – From NHL teams to municipalities and colleges, Mateflex is the go-to solution for high-performance, high-durability flooring.
• Custom Game Lines – Easily transition between multiple sports with different colored tiles, game line painting, and custom layouts.
• Low Maintenance – No annual coating required. Mateflex tiles are low-maintenance and high-performance.
• Fully Customizable – Choose from a wide selection of colors and add custom logos to reflect your brand or team identity.
• Durability and Easy Repairs – Replace individual tiles instead of resurfacing the entire court.
• Performance Boost – Smooth puck glide, fast stops, soft landings, and less wear on sticks and skates.
• Long-Term Value – Our modular flooring system offers lower lifetime costs than coatings or concrete options.

What Turns a Contact Into a Customer?

In our recent conversations with customers and prospects, several key selling points consistently close deals:

• Our expansion joints and fastening system prevent dangerous buckling and surface movement.
• ProGym’s rounded corners protect players and equipment.
• Strong brand associations—NHL teams, schools and municipalities across the United States already trust us.
• Game line flexibility for multipurpose use.
• Indoor and outdoor courts benefit from extremely low maintenance, benefiting both inline hockey and ball hockey.
• Customization for color and branding.
• Fast puck movement, better skating performance.
• Less equipment wear and tear.
• Significant cost savings over time compared to coatings.
• Our hockey rinks stand the test of time.

Hassle-Free Maintenance Forever: Outdoor Court Maintenance Recommendations

Routine maintenance is not required. Simply keep the court’s surface free of leaves, trash, grass clippings, and other debris. You may use a leaf blower, or for a deeper clean, pressure wash the surface as needed. Immediately replace any broken or damaged tiles. Repaint game lines when necessary.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact us at 800-926-3539.  

Common Objections — Answered

• “Hockey tiles are slippery when wet.” – As with any flooring surface, tiles can be slippery when wet. We recommend using soft inline wheels and ensuring the surface is dry before use. Wheel choice is very subjective, but it is often dependent on the player's height, weight, and playing ability.
• “Floor tiles move with expansion and contraction.” – Not with Mateflex. Our outdoor hockey rink tiles are fastened to the surface, preventing any movement of the surface. This allows for a tight trim to your board system, leaving no room for sticks or pucks to get stuck.  We can install without making costly modifications to your current board system.
• “We’ve tried modular flooring tiles before, and it didn’t hold up.” – Most negative experiences stem from non-Mateflex products. We’re widely known for longevity and performance. There is a significant difference between other tile companies, their tiles, and our tile systems, which feature expansion joints fastened to the surface.

Our Easy 6-Step-by-Step Process to Get Your Rink Installed

1. Consultation & Space Assessment – Understand the space and goals.
2. Custom Design – Tailored to your branding, sports, and layout.
3. Production -Hockey sports tiles can generally be produced within 2-3 weeks.
4. Installation – DIY or professional with our guidance.
5. Final Customization – Witness your design come to life with custom lines, logos, and accessories.
6. Game Time – Your players are ready for action.

Inline Hockey Buyer’s Checklist

✅ Is the surface resistant to buckling and shifting during play?

✅ Does it require minimal maintenance?

✅ Can the court be customized for multiple sports?

✅ Is the design tailored to your facility’s exact dimensions?

✅ Is the tile system durable and easy to repair?

✅ Does it enhance puck movement and skating speed?

✅ Has it been used by trusted professional organizations?

✅ Is the lifetime cost lower compared to coatings?

➡️ Download it now here: Inline Hockey Buyers Guide Checklist

Inline Hockey Buyer’s Guide – Resources & Appendices

To help you dive deeper, we’ve developed a downloadable companion resource—the Inline Hockey Buyer’s Guide – Resources & Appendices. It includes planning worksheets, technical specifications, industry standards, wheel compatibility tips, and how-to videos.

Please note: When selecting wheels for inline hockey, consider factors such as height, weight, and playing ability.

This extra resource will help you evaluate options with confidence and build a rink your players will love for years to come.

➡️ Download it now here: Inline Hockey Buyer's Guide - Resources & Appendices PDF Download with direct links

Free Download: Inline Hockey Flooring Buyer’s Guide (PDF)

Want a quick reference version of this guide? Whether you’re presenting to your board, comparing flooring quotes, or just need the highlights in hand, we’ve got you covered. Our Inline Hockey Flooring Buyer’s Guide PDF condenses everything from this post into an easy-to-follow, bullet-point format.

➡️ Download it now here: Inline Hockey Flooring Buyers Guide PDF Download

Ready to Build Your Best Rink Yet?

Mateflex helps you bring pro-level performance to your court—whether it’s for students, rec leagues, or elite athletes.

☎️ Call us today at 800-926-3539
✉️ Email us at info@mateflex.com
⚙️Try our free Court Builder Tool: www.mateflex.com/build-your-court