# what to do with our stage deck



## goboleko (Aug 31, 2009)

Greetings all,

We pulled off the masonite skin that's been on our deck for several years to reveal a pretty decent hardwood floor. It's got some blemishes, but it seems to be a maple floor stained black.

It needs some attention, but I'm reluctant to just hit it with some gloss black paint. Maybe I should stain it. Maybe I should have the janitors come down and strip and wax it.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

GOKO


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## headcrab (Aug 31, 2009)

What do you do or plan to do on the stage?


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## goboleko (Aug 31, 2009)

We're a large high school. I'll be doing everything from meetings and talent shows, to musicals and dramatic productions. Anything and everything.


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## DaveySimps (Aug 31, 2009)

I would strongly discourage waxing it if you are using any sort of stage lighting at all. Just hit it with a coat or two of a good quality flat black paint. be sure to buy an extra gallon to keep on had for touch ups.

~Dave


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## Soxred93 (Aug 31, 2009)

goboleko said:


> It needs some attention, but I'm reluctant to just hit it with some gloss black paint.



I would NEVER ever let someone paint a stage _glossy_ black. Not only does it make it hard to light, but it's distracting for the performers. The only color a stage should be is a matte black.


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## seanandkate (Aug 31, 2009)

If the plan is to just paint the stage black, I would buy new mesonite, throw it back on the stage floor and paint _it _black. It will look smoother, you won't feel bad about painting it over and over again, and you won't cry a lot if the surface gets damaged over the years. When the new floor starts to look like the crappy floor you just tore up, do it again. Rinse and repeat.


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## Van (Aug 31, 2009)

seanandkate said:


> If the plan is to just paint the stage black, I would buy new mesonite, throw it back on the stage floor and paint _it _black. It will look smoother, you won't feel bad about painting it over and over again, and you won't cry a lot is the surface gets damaged over the years. When the new floor starts to look like the crappy floor you just tore up, do it again. Rinse and repeat.


 
I strongly Second seanandkate ! re-install masonite or MDF, do a good job of it, counter sink all the screw holes, bondo over them, leave yourself a nice 1/16Th Inch gap so everything can breathe without warping. Then paint it black, matte, flat, or at the worst, gulp, satin..... search on floors here if you haven't already. There have been several threads on re=doing and fixing up floors. And a lot of good advice was given in those threads Re: good paint and finish techniques


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