# Constructing a temporary stage deck



## Mim (Jul 13, 2010)

Our multi-purpose venue has had Masonite on top of our tongue and groove pine at least for the last 20 of it's 35 year existence. We would like to return to the black stained tongue and groove floor but one of our 5 largest performing groups (local Civic Theatre) needs to have the ability to occasionally screw into the deck and paint the deck. Aside from purchasing a portable stage floor that may accommodate some of their needs, does anyone know if it's possible to 'fuse' (with screws and glue) two 1/2 sheets of ply, router out area for coffin locks and 'create' a deck that can support their wagons, set pieces, painting and other needs? I'm looking for something inexpensive that can be fairly easy to replace in case of damage. Stretching canvas to take care of their painting needs isn't really an option (they do several musicals with lots of choreography) Help...Ideas...Suggestions?? Anything is appreciated!


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## ajb (Jul 13, 2010)

You can certainly build your own temporary dance floor. Depending on your available storage, crew, and how often you need to deploy this floor, it can be as simple as laying down a layer of 3/4" OSB topped with 1/4" masonite like Footer suggests here, or you can build ~4' squares with two layers of 1/2" OSB with the edges offset by 2", so that each square overlaps its neighbors on two sides and underlaps its other two neighbors, and screw through the overlapped areas to join them toegether. Or if you want to get really fancy (and expensive), you can in fact do as you say and build coffin locks or similar into the squares. There are also some dance floor products that have sort of wavy edges on the bottom layer that interlock; you could replicate that system which would require a bit more labor and material, but save on coffin locks. 

Whatever system you go with, I'd strongly recommend using OSB for the bottom layers--it's much cheaper than plywood and tends to be more stable, so it will stay flatter longer. And of course masonite for the type surface for its durability.


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## derekleffew (Jul 13, 2010)

See the wiki entry Sprung floor for a description of one touring stage deck.

EDIT: From a post on the Stagecraft Mailing List:

> Our sacrificial 1/4" tempered Masonite deck was coated BOTH sides with alkyd
> based primer, spaced with dimes, and then nailed down with 1.25" ring-shank
> nails spaced 8" on the edges and 12" in the field.
> 
> ...


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## Mim (Jul 15, 2010)

I'd like a little more elaboration on how many times a year anyone has deployed a temporary deck like the 3/4" OBS topped with masonite like mentioned above? Did you use overlapping to help it 'lock' together? If anyone has built coffin locks into the temporary floor panels - how did you do it? how does it hold up to large rolling stage wagons? Do you have warping issues (my venue is concrete and has humidity issues) My venue is returning the stage deck to the old tongue and groove pine and wants to put a 'no painting or screwing into the deck' rule in place - although it would be good for the philharmonic, ballet, youtheatre and most of our venue's productions, it will prohibit the civic theatre from staging their 6 productions a year in the manner they desire (they paint and screw into the deck often). My venue is busy approximately 40-45 weekends of every year, 20-24 of those are are consumed by this civic theatre and the rest by the other groups mentioned. Any help would be appreciated!


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## Footer (Jul 15, 2010)

Mim said:


> I'd like a little more elaboration on how many times a year anyone has deployed a temporary deck like the 3/4" OBS topped with masonite like mentioned above? Did you use overlapping to help it 'lock' together? If anyone has built coffin locks into the temporary floor panels - how did you do it? how does it hold up to large rolling stage wagons? Do you have warping issues (my venue is concrete and has humidity issues) My venue is returning the stage deck to the old tongue and groove pine and wants to put a 'no painting or screwing into the deck' rule in place - although it would be good for the philharmonic, ballet, youtheatre and most of our venue's productions, it will prohibit the civic theatre from staging their 6 productions a year in the manner they desire (they paint and screw into the deck often). My venue is busy approximately 40-45 weekends of every year, 20-24 of those are are consumed by this civic theatre and the rest by the other groups mentioned. Any help would be appreciated!


 
The placed I worked at that we did the 3/4" OSB thing we layed it once a year, once at the begining of the summer season and it came up a the end of the summer season. It was not hard to lay, but it did take some time. The walls of the building where curved so every piece that went up to the wall had to be custom cut. No matter how you cut it, it is a labor intensive process. As I said before, it took us a full 8 hour call with a good number of IA hands to get the thing down. It is not at all something I would want to do 12 times a year. Also, every time it goes down and comes up your going to be replacing some maso. 

If you want something that will go down/come up easy, look at building the triscuit type deck system. With any system, one thing you must do is design it to run wall to wall. Ramping onstage/offstage simply does not work. If the system is built in sheets so there is no open space between the maso and the stage floor you don't really need to worry about wagons hurting the deck. There are many showdecks built for touring productions that use this system and it works fine. 

All of it comes down to how much money you have. Building a proper triscuit style deck is not going to be cheap or easy. You will easily have to 100 to 200 depending on your stage size.


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## JChenault (Jul 15, 2010)

Curious why you want to go back to tounge and grove - but each to his own.

One thing to consider is painting of the deck. IE if you lay down your deck, and the group paints, you will likely discover when you take it up that the paint has leaded down between the seams of the temporary deck. If you go this route, plan on laying down some kind of visquene or other plastic film to protect from paint.

I have seen ( as an audience member) a decing system at the Oregon Shakespeare Theatre that is fairly thin ( About one inch as a guess ) and is held together with coffin locks. Not sure if they also go to the underlying floor, but I could ask if you want me to.


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## Mim (Jul 16, 2010)

wow...a thin deck with coffin locks, I'm very intrigued. The tonuge and groove is something the 'bosses' are keenly interested in - I prefer something that simply lays flat - and unfortunately masonite in this space does not. Further more, I can not leave gaps between masonite panels (or any other 4x8 panels) I may choose to put on the stage deck as this leaves obvious seams that cause problems for the ballet when they lay marley on top. It's a frustrating dilemma and nearly impossible to make all of our productions happy. :-/


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## coolbeam (Jul 16, 2010)

Mim said:


> Further more, I can not leave gaps between masonite panels (or any other 4x8 panels) I may choose to put on the stage deck as this leaves obvious seams that cause problems for the ballet when they lay marley on top.


Depending on time of year and climate, any sheet goods you lay should have spacers (dimes, pennies, or nickels on edge) or the sheet goods may buckle. I've never seen Marley telegraph a gap smaller than 1/8" to the surface.

If building a deck of 3/4" ply covered with 1/4" MDF, Plyron, Duron, or Maso, the coffin locks need to be routered into the plywood, leaving ~1/8" (0.12" = 3/4" - 0.63") of material,
and oriented (for a 4'x8' sheet):
.....F...................F.....
M.............................F
.....M..................M.....
This will also have 3/8" holes for 5/16" Allen key on the top surface.


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## Footer (Jul 16, 2010)

Your really not even going to be happy with the coffin lock deck. They are great if you are not constantly repainting them. Your coffin locks are going to get fowled up with paint no matter how careful your painters are. Seams will also be an issue. Odds are you will have to either lay a drop cloth or tape seams. Tape becomes a mess after you rep it a few times. 

sent from my HTC Incredible


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## kendal69 (Jul 16, 2010)

Don't start Jerry rigging things that are untested and or certified for the required us the liability will kill you. There are plenty of outdoor dance floors on the market and a lot sell as used that are designed to be , well danced on.
The outdoor style dance floors are designed to be set up and taken down and painted as needed.


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## Footer (Jul 17, 2010)

kendal69 said:


> Don't start Jerry rigging things that are untested and or certified for the required us the liability will kill you. There are plenty of outdoor dance floors on the market and a lot sell as used that are designed to be , well danced on.
> The outdoor style dance floors are designed to be set up and taken down and painted as needed.



I don't think adding 1" to any stage adds any risk of death unless someone trips on the edge of the deck and manages to break their neck. There is no reason why anyone could not build any of the solutions posted above. I am also not sure where the outdoor thing came from.


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## JChenault (Jul 17, 2010)

Warning - inappropriate post below that probably violates the TOS in terms of being a warm and supportive environment.



Footer said:


> I don't think adding 1" to any stage adds any risk of death unless someone trips on the edge of the deck and manages to break their neck. There is no reason why anyone could not build any of the solutions posted above. I am also not sure where the outdoor thing came from.







But Footer - If these are *Dancers* we are talking about. You must remember that dancers can trip on the cracks in linoleum.


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## kendal69 (Jul 18, 2010)

> ..
> I don't think adding 1" to any stage adds any risk of death unless someone trips on the edge of the deck and manages to break their neck. There is no reason why anyone could not build any of the solutions posted above. I am also not sure where the outdoor thing came from.



Here's a few points to consider. 1) This is the United States and people make a living out of suing people and to reiterate what was already said a 1" lip that is not correctly beveled etc.etc. will cause a dancer who makes a living out of dancing to twist or break an ankle and or be consider disabled FOR LIFE. 
The "outside thing" is a specific style of dance floor that is made of plywood and can take the painting etc. unlike plastic or high end dance floors that will not. 

I've spent 25 years doing this so I know what I speak of and I've seen it all. People can do as they wish and some may get lucky but if you've ever lived through a court case, trust me they will get out the rubber gloves and examine every screw, bolt, angle, material and word you have ever typed for the last five years.


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