• Advice • October 7th, 2026
SportsDeck Tempo and SportsDeck are both sprung sports flooring systems, but they’re not specified for the same reasons.
Tempo is usually the more practical option where floor height, programme dates and disruption need tight control. SportsDeck gives more flexibility where the existing subfloor needs levelling or the space has to support a broader range of activity.
As a general guide, SportsDeck Tempo is usually the better fit where a refurbishment needs a lower build-up, quicker installation and reduced disruption. SportsDeck is usually better suited to projects where the existing subfloor needs more levelling, or where the facility needs greater flexibility across multiple sports and activities.
For live projects, the final choice should still be checked against site conditions, finished floor levels and the installation window. If you’re comparing both systems for an upcoming scheme, it’s worth talking through your sports flooring project with Reflex before the specification is finalised.
Here’s how the two systems differ in practice.
Both are built for indoor sport. The real difference sits beneath the finished surface.
For fast indoor sports such as basketball and volleyball, Tempo provides the shock absorption, ball response and surface consistency that affect how the floor feels in use.
Its lower floor height build-up makes it particularly useful for sports floor refurbishment projects. In existing sports halls, even small changes to floor height can affect thresholds, doors, equipment, skirtings and surrounding finishes. Tempo keeps the build-up lower while still providing a sprung structure beneath the chosen surface finish.
Tempo is usually worth considering where the brief includes:
basketball, volleyball or other high-intensity indoor sport
a refurbishment rather than a full new-build project
limited tolerance for increased floor height
a tight installation programme
a need to keep disruption down
Where the existing base needs more correction, or the hall has to work harder across different activities, SportsDeck makes more sense.
Its levelling cradle system allows the floor build-up to deal with uneven or level subfloors. In older sports halls, school facilities and multi-use spaces, that can be the deciding factor.
Instead of asking the surface finish to do all the work, SportsDeck creates a more controlled understructure beneath it. This gives the finished floor a more reliable base for sport, community use and everyday wear.
SportsDeck becomes more relevant where the project involves:
uneven or inconsistent subfloors
multi-sport or multi-use activity
a need for greater levelling flexibility
a wider choice of surface finishes
regular use by schools, clubs or community groups
The main difference between the two systems sits below the visible surface.
SportsDeck Tempo is a fast-install understructure system, precision machined for Reflex in Germany using birch plywood. Its jointing system and lower build-up make it well suited to renovation work where the programme is tight and finished floor levels need careful control.
SportsDeck is precision machined for Reflex in the UK using spruce plywood. It combines a levelling cradle system, LVL battened supports and a spruce plywood load distribution layer. This makes it more adaptable where the existing subfloor needs to be corrected before the final sports surface is installed.
On refurbishment projects, Reflex will usually assess the existing base, finished floor levels and access constraints before confirming the most appropriate build-up.
If your project involves an existing sports hall, uneven base or tight installation window, it’s worth checking the build-up before the specification is finalised. You can ask for practical guidance on the most suitable route before committing to a system.
The understructure is only part of the specification.
SportsDeck Tempo and SportsDeck both sit beneath the final sports surface, so the chosen finish affects how the floor looks, feels, performs and is maintained.
Both systems can be paired with different sports floor finishes, including options for area elastic and combined elastic sprung floors. The final build-up should reflect the sports being played, the level of use, cleaning requirements, line marking layout and any non-sport activity.
For a school hall, that may mean balancing PE, exams, assemblies and community hire. For a leisure centre, it may mean supporting club sport, casual bookings and high daily footfall.
Maintenance should be considered before the system and surface finish are agreed.
Both SportsDeck Tempo and SportsDeck are durable understructure systems, but the surface finish will usually have the biggest impact on day-to-day cleaning, marking, wear and future maintenance.
A floor can look right on handover and still cause problems later if cleaning routines, equipment movement or non-sport use haven’t been considered. That’s why Reflex looks at the full build-up, not just the layer beneath the surface.
Tempo is usually the cleaner route when the project needs a lower build-up, quicker installation and less disruption. SportsDeck is the better route when the existing floor needs more correction, or when the space has to work across a wider mix of activities.
A useful way to separate them is:
choose Tempo when height, speed and refurbishment constraints are leading the decision
choose SportsDeck when levelling, flexibility and multi-use performance are leading the decision
The recommendation should come from the site, the usage brief and the installation constraints, not from product preference alone. Once those are understood, the best route is usually much clearer.
Choosing between SportsDeck Tempo and SportsDeck is easier once the site conditions are understood.
Reflex can review the existing floor, intended use, programme dates, floor height requirements and preferred surface finish before recommending the most suitable build-up. This helps avoid specifying a system that looks right on paper but creates issues during installation or later use.
If you’re planning a sports hall refurbishment, new indoor sports flooring project or multi-use facility upgrade, talk through your sports flooring project before the specification is finalised.
SportsDeck Tempo is usually chosen for lower build-up refurbishment projects where installation speed and disruption are key considerations. SportsDeck is usually chosen where the existing subfloor needs more correction or the space has wider multi-use demands.
Yes. Its lower floor height build-up and fast-install structure make it useful where an existing sports hall needs upgrading without major changes to thresholds, doors or surrounding finishes.
SportsDeck is often the better route where the existing floor is uneven, the space needs to support several activities, or the project needs more flexibility in the floor build-up.
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