# New flooring ? For multipurpose room



## Dhob2 (Aug 19, 2018)

Our school has a large multipurpose space that acts as a meeting room, classroom, rehearsal space, dinner theatre room, black box theater, etc. It even has a small kitchen area on one end. It has a grid and small crow's nest for when the space is used as a black box or for meetings.

The room is probably about 70' long, 30' wide with a 16' ceiling. It's currently carpeted over a concrete slab. We would like to explore our options for making the flooring better for our theatre and dance programs. I know we could look at true dance flooring but feel that might be too pricey. Any thoughts on using masonite or hardboard over the carpet or some other subflooring that would have a little spring in it so the dancers could use the space without fear of injury? Any ideas at this point would be helpful. We're also concerned about what a new floor is going to do to the sound level in the room.

Thanks!


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## BillConnerFASTC (Aug 19, 2018)

On 2 or 3 occasions, I have specified painted 3/4"plyron on 1x4 sleepers 16" oc . A bit of a stage floor and more resilient than concrete but not much. You can screw into it. Thin stage floor. Transitions are not hard.

You could try taping (on bottom side) 1/4" hardboard painted (pre-paint all sides and edges) but you'll get some oddities rolling heavy stuff on it - like a piano.


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## FMEng (Aug 23, 2018)

I would consider how the loss of carpet will affect the acoustics. The loss of that absorption could make the space excessively reverberant. You could remove the carpet and find out what happens, or consult your friendly, local, acoustical engineer. There are ways to compensate for having the hard floor, but it would be best to have some advice rather than wasting money on trial and error.


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## Chad Sweet (Aug 24, 2018)

Dhob2 said:


> View attachment 16679View attachment 16680
> Our school has a large multipurpose space that acts as a meeting room, classroom, rehearsal space, dinner theatre room, black box theater, etc. It even has a small kitchen area on one end. It has a grid and small crow's nest for when the space is used as a black box or for meetings.
> 
> The room is probably about 70' long, 30' wide with a 16' ceiling. It's currently carpeted over a concrete slab. We would like to explore our options for making the flooring better for our theatre and dance programs. I know we could look at true dance flooring but feel that might be too pricey. Any thoughts on using masonite or hardboard over the carpet or some other subflooring that would have a little spring in it so the dancers could use the space without fear of injury? Any ideas at this point would be helpful. We're also concerned about what a new floor is going to do to the sound level in the room.
> ...




After searching for months to figure out what to put in our rehearsal hall, we decided on rubber flooring. The type they use in gyms. I'd worked with it in the past a bunch. It'll take just about anything you throw at it, helps with sound absorption, and it's nice on the knees. The only drawbacks I've had are trying to keep it looking clean (though that may be more related to time management, but we did get black) and our space isn't well insulated and the floor can heat up and warp a little in the dead of summer. It can be super inexpensive especially if you can find it locally. Shipping will cost about as much as the floor itself.


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## lwinters630 (Sep 1, 2018)

If you put it directly over the carpet it will tend to move because the carpet has a nap to it. Every on it will ratchet it accross the room.
Put a sheet of paper on the floor taking a round pen and gently roll the pen back-and-forth with your finger. You will see the paper roll across the room.

Test a sample first.


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## Chad Sweet (Sep 2, 2018)

lwinters630 said:


> If you put it directly over the carpet it will tend to move because the carpet has a nap to it. Every on it will ratchet it accross the room.
> Put a sheet of paper on the floor taking a round pen and gently roll the pen back-and-forth with your finger. You will see the paper roll across the room.
> 
> Test a sample first.



100% TRUE!!! I'd take that carpet up and go directly on the slab.


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## BillConnerFASTC (Sep 2, 2018)

You mention dance more than once and I don't think the just the slab or even a hard sheet material directly on the slab will be acceptable for dance. If 1/4" hardboard moved too much on carpet, consider 1/2" or 3/4" plyron butted together. Can't move more than the walls if bound by the walls.

I just feel with dance important and known activity, if you pull up the carpet, you have to put down a resilient floor - not vinyl or rubber but one with cushions under it - and all this is becoming a bigger project I'm sure.

FM makes a good point about acoustics but with the curtains on the walls and the ACP ceiling, I think you'll be fine still. (Don't paint ACP - it will substantially reduce the absorption - may be possible to "stain" with a non-bridging coating with less impact.)


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## lwinters630 (Sep 4, 2018)

BillConnerFASTC said:


> Can't move more than the walls if bound by the walls.



Sorry to say but yes it can. I have seen it tear a way from one wall and pile up on the other.

Each fiber acts as a hundred finger ratchets it across the room


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## BillConnerFASTC (Sep 4, 2018)

lwinters630 said:


> Sorry to say but yes it can. I have seen it tear a way from one wall and pile up on the other.
> 
> Each fiber acts as a hundred finger ratchets it across the room


3/4" plyron?


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## lwinters630 (Sep 4, 2018)

BillConnerFASTC said:


> 3/4" plyron?


It is very possible. I would suggest testing a sheet by putting it down on the carpet, mark corners with spike tape. Then have several people dance on it. 

You will see that the whole sheet will move and be unstable.


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