Treadmill Guide: Placing, Assembling, and Moving Your Treadmill

Treadmills are among the most popular pieces of exercise equipment around for a reason. Convenient and versatile, they make great additions to a home gym, or can serve as a lone fitness tool for users of any level. But where you’ll place the machine inside your home is a concern given the size. How you’ll assemble it – whether by yourself or by a delivery team, – and how it can be disassembled at the end of its life, all need to be considered before it actually arrives.

Whether you’re just now shopping for a machine or are considering an upgrade, be sure to check out our Five Step Treadmill Buying Guide loaded with tips. Understanding what makes treadmills different one from the other in terms of decks, belts, and motors, is also another element to consider. But for most people, the most pressing questions will boil down to assembly, disassembly, where to place, how to move, how to get rid of, and what accessories to get, like mats and covers.

Right off the bat, from my own experience testing treadmills at home, I advise customers to let the delivery team install and assemble the machine if that’s possible. Most of your better home treadmills offer in-home assembly as part of the package and unless you’re buying a small desk unit, it’s just worth it. With these treadmills weighing upwards of 300 pounds themselves, there’s no reason to do it all yourself. Read below to learn more about the nuts and bolts of home treadmill ownership.

Where To Place Your Treadmill

Finding the perfect spot inside your home is the first step in treadmill ownership.

The perfect place for a home treadmill will vary as much by user as the model in question. Just how big a machine are you getting? Does it fold and roll away with ease, or will it be sitting in one spot for a long time? The Sole F80 pictured above is a fairly standard sized treadmill measuring 82″ in length by 37″ in width and 66″ in height. The machine itself weighs 278 pounds and it can support up to 375 pounds, meaning a maximum of 653 pounds could be setting on this spot. It’s also a folding treadmill with transport wheels for easy roll-away. Compare that to the NordicTrack X32i which weighs 462 pounds in-box alone and can hold up to 300 pounds. This machine measures 76.5″ in length, 40″ in width, and 76″ in height. In addition to the additional machine weight, which is significant, the NordicTrack model does not fold, is wider and a full 10″ taller in height. One of the reasons the NordicTrack model weighs so much more is its deck can incline up to 40%, another factor to consider when choosing a spot. Ceiling height matters.

The three top spots people seem to pick for treadmill placement is in a spare bedroom, a basement, or a garage. Having set up a few treadmills in my own home for testing, I can tell you that picking the right spot is a key factor. Steps to consider:

• Take good measurements: Go the rooms up for consideration and measure out the space with a tape. Remember to factor in the elevation of an incline unit, step-up height, and give yourself enough space to move around the unit. If you’re 6 feet tall, then figure you’ll need at least the step-up height plus 72 inches in ceiling height just to fit. If the treadmill is going to incline, factor that in as well. One downside to basement gyms is they tend to have low ceilings.
• Check out the flooring: Even a small folding unit can be hard on the floors without a good mat. This is one of the reasons so many people opt for the garage gym, which typically has a floor made of concrete. But even inside the house, give consideration to the weight of the machine itself and the users. Studies demonstrate that the ground reactionary force (GRF) produced while running is 2 to 3 times the body weight, this means anywhere from 300 to 450 pounds for a 150-pound runner, and 400 to 600 pounds for a 200-pound athlete. Before you put the treadmill on the second floor of a house or an apartment, consider whether it will cause a problem for plaster on the ceiling below when running at full speed.
• Consider the entry and exit: Another downside to a basement workout room is the stairs. Remember, the purchased treadmill will be delivered in a rectangular box longer and wider than the unit itself. Be sure to consider the in-box weight of the machine. Carrying this up and down a set of stairs is a trick indeed as, unlike a couch, there’s no give to it. You’ll also have to be able to make turns when getting it inside. Also consider how you’ll get this machine out of the room in question when you decide to get rid of it or move.
• Internet connectivity and entertainment options: Most treadmills these days come Bluetooth-enabled and require some connectivity. Before you select a room, make sure there are sufficient power outlets and WiFi reach. If you’ll be combining your treadmill’s workout app with a smart television make sure everything is set up before you make the purchase.

NordicTrack’s Commercial X32i features an impressive 40% incline. If purchasing this for your home, be sure to factor this height into your room selection. Photo by: Oleksandr Kosheliev / TreadmilReviews.net

Assembling Your Treadmill

Right off the bat, if the treadmill manufacturer offers in-home assembly, take them up on it. Unless it’s a small unit like the LifeSpan TR1200 built for going under desks, it’s just too easy to let the professionals do it for you. Most units by NordicTrack, ProForm, Horizon, and Sole come with free in-home assembly, and while some Bowflex units might charge a bit extra for the service, it’s still worth it. Even a smaller folding unit will require at least two people simply due to the length of the deck.

If you do decide to forgo the in-home assembly, below are some steps to consider:

• Read the instructions: I know it seems like a no-brainer, but let’s face it, so many people jump into an assembly project without doing this. You can also easily download the user manual for just about any model of treadmill from the manufacturer’s site. See here for an example of the NordicTrack X32i.
• Check out the manufacturer’s assembly video: Most of your treadmill manufacturer’s will also provide a how-to video filmed with their own techs on-site. Here is an example for the NordicTrack X32i on YouTube.
• Assemble your tools: For almost any treadmill, you’ll need a power drill, Phillips head screw driver, and perhaps a set of sockets. Check the instructions and assembly video to determine exactly what will be needed. If you’ll be moving this into the house yourself, consider getting a handcart or loading dolley like you’d use for a refrigerator.
• Clear out the space: It should go without saying, you’ll need room to work. If your treadmill has a screen you’ll want to rest that on a pillow or perhaps a soft couch while working. The main components of the machine, like the deck and belt, will be pretty much already to go, but you’ll want all of the sensitive parts safe while you’re working.

Having some help assembling your treadmill is always a good idea. Here you see my father and brother helping me with an Echelon Stride 5S.

Moving Your Treadmill

If you’ve purchased a folding treadmill, then moving it won’t be difficult at all. With most folding units, a simple lift-from-the-rear move is all that’s required for the deck to come right up. At this point, you’ll simply rock the machine forward and roll it on the front-end wheels.

If on the other hand, you’ve purchased a larger unit which doesn’t fold, moving the treadmill is going to take a little more effort. You’ll want to check out the assembly instructions which came with the unit to disassemble the machine enough to get it around. If you’re planning to sell or get rid of the treadmill and need to load it into a truck, you might have to fully disassemble the unit. A lot of this will be determined by what model you have, obviously. Larger units are clearly harder to move than smaller units. As with any large item, you’ll probably want some help with this process.

A big help in moving a treadmill is having it in a place that makes this easier. Keep that in mind during the assembly process.

Folding treadmills such as the NordicTrack EXP 7i have an easy-to-use hydraulic lift system. One simple tug on the end can activate the lift mechanism. Lowering the unit is performed with a squeeze button beneath. Front-end transport wheels make movement as easy as lifting and rolling like a dolly.

Plan Ahead

Most treadmill shoppers get fixated on the performance specs and price of the machine. Questions about speed, incline, and workout apps tend to dominate the decision process. It’s the pragmatics they often ignore. No one wants their treadmill to become a clothing rack, and choosing the right location for it will go a long way in determining how much use it actually gets. In terms of assembly, there’s no question, if in-home set up if offered, take it. If you do choose to put it together yourself, be prepared for some work and be sure to have some help.

A properly installed treadmill can be the perfect workout partner for all seasons and times of day. Planning ahead is the key to making this a succesful relationship for years to come.