Deadlift platforms are for garage gym lifters needing something beyond a concrete floor—or even the best home gym flooring—to share the load of heavy barbells. These platforms are made with durable materials to provide a solid foundation as well as help protect your gym equipment and flooring while repping out some seriously heavy lifts.
The ideal lifting platform for you will depend on your needs and goals, but it can be difficult to tell which surface will suit those needs best.
Fear not, though—our team did a lot of the heavy lifting (literally) to find the best deadlift platforms on the scene today. As a competitive Olympic weightlifter for over 25 years, myself, I’ve pulled tons from many deadlift and weightlifting platforms over my career including DIY options and competition-ready platforms alike.
I also talked with Coop Mitchell, founder of Garage Gym Reviews, to get his opinion on some of the best platforms from his experience. He’s tested top home gym and commercial gym equipment for over a decade now, so you could say he’s dabbled in some deadlifts before. Now, let’s get into the top picks for your next deadlift platform.
Best Deadlift Platforms
- Best Overall Deadlift Platform: Rogue Deadlift Platform
- Best Budget Deadlift Platform: Titan Deadlift Platform
- Best Deadlift Platform for Olympic Lifting: Valor Fitness Olympic Platform
- Best DIY Deadlift Platform: Tractor Supply ¾” Rubber Stall Mats
- Best Customizable Deadlift Platform: UESAKA Puzzle Platform
Best Overall Deadlift Platform: Rogue Deadlift Platform
Good for: People who favor American-made platforms for heavy deadlifts and banded training
Best Budget Deadlift Platform: Titan Deadlift Platform
Good for: Powerlifters on a budget
Best Deadlift Platform for Olympic Lifting: Valor Fitness Olympic Platform
Good for: Home gym owners who want a dedicated platform for heavy pulls and Olympic lifting
Best DIY Deadlift Platform: Tractor Supply ¾” Rubber Stall Mats
Good for: People looking to build their own durable deadlift platform
These horse stall mats from Tractor Supply use recycled rubber, are 3/4″ thick, 4 ‘x 6’ in size, and weigh upwards of 100 pounds. You can find horse stall mats at other farm supply stores, and they will be similar in dimensions. The thickness makes this flooring sound-absorbent.
Best Customizable Deadlift Platform: UESAKA Puzzle Platform
Good for: Garage gym owners who want a durable platform with an adjustable footprint
Other Deadlift Platforms We Researched and Tested
With plenty of horse stall mats, rubber tiles, plywood, steel frames, and DIY options available, there’s plenty of flooring and platform options available for home gym lifters. Here are a few more options I’ve tried out worthy of an honorable mention:
- Rogue 8’ x 8’ Oly Platform: I’ve lifted on the Rogue Oly Platform many times throughout the years, both in training camps and training halls. It’s a solid, durable platform for versatile lifting, but if you’re just focusing on deadlifts, the Rogue Deadlift Platform is the better option with a more compact footprint and the ability to implement banded workouts.
- Eleiko SVR Deadlift Platform: The Eleiko SVR Deadlift Platform uses sound reduction technology to reduce noise and absorb shock from dropped lifts. Compared to other raised platforms out there, it’s remarkably effective. I’ve dropped over 450 pounds from overhead on this platform and noticed a major difference in the impact. However, you’ll have to request a quote from Eleiko; expect a premium price for this premium product.
How We Picked and Tested the Best Deadlift Platforms
For the best deadlift platforms, our team of certified personal trainers, lifting coaches, and competitive athletes largely drew from our past training experiences. With many of us having spent countless hours in the gym, we’ve already had noteworthy interactions with many lifting platforms. Using our observations and expertise, we decided which platforms best suited deadlifts or other lifting disciplines, eventually leading to us testing our suggested top picks.

For each deadlift platform tested, we gave a rating between 1 and 5 to score it in various categories, including:
- Materials and construction: We looked for high-quality materials such as 11-gauge steel, solid rubber, and heavy-duty wood. This score was a culmination of the quality of the materials used as well as how well the platform was built.
- Durability: Here, we noted how well the platform held up against repeated use. Since these are deadlift platforms, we (naturally) dropped weights onto them—a lot of weight. Top scores were given to platforms that we felt would last even after years of daily use.
- Versatility: As the name implies, deadlift platforms are mostly used for, well, deadlifts. However, people who want a raised platform for more exercises—like Olympic lifts—might prefer a platform with adequate space for multiple workouts.
- Installation and assembly: How easy is it to put together each platform? Top scores were given to profiles with minimal assembly, while difficult installations were marked in our examining notes.
- Price and value: Pricing can vary with home gym flooring and platforms, primarily due to the size of the platform and the materials used. We wanted to make sure that each product was priced fairly, even competitively, so this score reflects that sentiment.
After testing these deadlift platforms, we averaged them out to find overall scores, which led to our list of top choices you now see before you.
Benefits of Deadlift Platforms
Deadlifts can be an essential compound exercise for almost anyone’s strength training routine, as the movement can help strengthen and work multiple muscle groups at once. There are many deadlift benefits, but the benefits to a deadlift platform might not be as obvious.
If you’re wondering how a deadlift platform could be a boon to your home gym, let me explain:
Provides a Stable Foundation
Stability in deadlifts is prime, as seen in a 2010 study1 where deadlift training was accessed on both stable and unstable surfaces, like a Bosu ball. After performing five reps on each type of surface, the study found that testers produced more force and muscle activity on a stable surface instead of an unstable surface.
Deadlift platforms provide exactly that: a solid, stable surface for pulling. Whether it’s durable rubber or solid plywood, a deadlift platform can ensure you have a stable base for your training sessions, leading to better muscle activation during your workouts—espcially if you’re pairing a stable platform to a stable shoe for deadlifting.

Protects Your Flooring and Equipment
The durable materials used in deadlift platforms—rubber tiling, sheets of plywood, rubber mats, etc.—can all be useful in protecting your flooring as well as your gym equipment, weight plates, and Olympic barbell.
Rubber, although pretty solid, does feature some slight give, allowing it to absorb some of the impact behind a dropper bar and plates. Absorbing the shock helps reduce the impact on your weights, as well as the flooring underneath your deadlift platform.
Many platforms also use multiple layers of rubber or plywood to better protect your flooring. If you’re nervous about damaging your floor, use a deadlift platform with at least two layers of plywood and or rubber (usually between 1.5 and 2 inches thick).
Makes Workouts Safer
Most deadlift platforms come with a non-slip surface, either with rubber mats or a solid wood surface. Having a slip-resistant surface on your lifting platform can make lifting a safer action, especially if you’re using the platform for dynamic movements, too, like split jerks or lunges.
Buying Guide: What to Look for in Deadlift Platforms
If you’re still figuring out the best type of platform for you, here are a few things to consider:
Footprint
How much space do you have in your gym for a platform? This will probably be the biggest factor when determining the dimensions you want for your deadlift platform. However, the type of training you’ll be performing can also determine the size of the raised platform.
While exact measurements may vary, lifting platforms are typically 8 feet long to leave enough space for the length of the barbell. The width can vary from 4 to 8 feet. A 4-foot-wide platform can be great for focused deadlift training, but if you’re planning on doing some Olympic lifts that’ll require some forward-and-back movement, you may want a 6- or 8-foot-wide platform to accommodate the dynamic movements.

Materials
Consider the materials used in the deadlift platform you’re looking at. Higher-quality materials can indicate a more solid, stable base to lift from, while noise-dampening rubber can protect your gym equipment. Additionally, some deadlift platforms sell rubber tiles as an optional alternative base or build component. If you’d rather have a more solid center to push from, you can order a few tiles but line the center with a couple sheets of cut-down plywood.
Cost
The price of platforms can vary, mostly from how much the brand is providing. The cheapest options leave a bit of DIY demands with empty steel frames; you’ll have to place your own plywood or rubber into the platform to build it out. Along with that, you can simply build your own platform entirely out of horse stall mats and plywood.
Some platforms provide everything and you just have to put it all together. Naturally, these will be more expensive options, but for people who are less handy, they may be a more ideal solution.
Experts Who Contributed To This Article
FAQs About the Best Deadlift Platforms
What type of deadlift is most effective?
A lot of gym-goers will argue over the utility between the sumo deadlift and the conventional deadlift, but I’m here to tell you: The best deadlift variation is the one you’ll practice safely and consistently to get the most results.
Neither sumo nor conventional deadlifts are more effective than the other, but they can emphasize certain muscle groups given their varied setups. For example, a recent study2 determined that conventional deadlifts targeted the posterior chain (glutes and hamstrings) more than the sumo deadlift. On the other hand, the sumo deadlift provided more involvement with the frontal plane, particularly the hips and knees.
Determining which muscle groups you’re aiming to target, as well as your training goals, can help determine which deadlift form is best for your workout routine.
What is the best floor for deadlifts?
Durable, solid flooring is ideal for deadlifts. Thick, compact rubber mats or tiles can be great for receiving a dropped bar, while rubber or wood can be optimal for athletes to push from.
What is a deadlift platform?
A deadlift platform is a raised platform used for lifting—primarily (as the name suggests) for deadlifts. Usually framed with steel tubing, these platforms are often a combination of rubber tiling and plywood to provide a solid base for the deadlift exercise. The rubber also helps reduce noise and absorb impact when dropping your deadlift, thus protecting your equipment and flooring.
References
- Chulvi-Medrano, I., García-Massó, X., Colado, J. C., Pablos, C., de Moraes, J. A., & Fuster, M. A. (2010). Deadlift muscle force and activation under stable and unstable conditions. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 24(10), 2723–2730. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181f0a8b9
- Hanen, N. C., Ben Mansour, K., Ertel, G. N., Duchene, Y., & Gauchard, G. C. (2025). Biomechanical analysis of conventional and sumo deadlift. Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology, 13, 1597209. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2025.1597209






