How to build a portable tap dance floor
Tips for Tap at home: Tap Board DIY
Whether you are taking a tap class virtually, or just want a place to practice your steps, a tap board is a great tool to invest in and can greatly improve your at-home tap experience! While there are many expensive options online to purchase a ready-made tap board, it is super simple and affordable to DIY your own board. I have sourced a few products below through Home Depot, but I am sure the same products are available at other hardware stores.
Easiest (and cheapest) DIY tap board:
Owning a tap board can be as simple as buying a piece of plywood. This allows your dancer to still practice in their tap shoes at home without ruining any hardwood floors! A 4 ft x 8 ft board of plywood is pretty standard, however you can find larger sizes or ask for a piece to be cut in half (4 ft. x 4 ft.) to accommodate your space. Regardless of the surface area of your board, you will want at least ½ inch thickness. A 1 inch plywood will be more durable whereas anything thinner than ½ inch will be pretty flimsy. Also consider how often you will be moving the floor, as they can get pretty heavy with greater thickness.
Improved tap board:
If you have any craft family members, there are a couple of easy ways to improve on the simple plywood piece. These improvements will give your tapper better sounds and make dancing on it more comfortable.
Cushioning: By adhering a cushioning layer to the bottom of your plywood, the board will have a little more give and be a bit easier on your dancer’s joints. An easy option is the interlocking play mats (which you may even have laying around at home already). These are 2 ft. x 2 ft. so it is easy to line these up your piece of plywood. Attach the mats by first interlocking and gluing the mats together to the appropriate size, then glue them to the bottom/rough side of your
plywood piece. Gorilla Glue or Liquid Nail Subfloor Adhesive works great for this. It is important to make sure the mats are pressed firmly into the wood (use books or other weights) so they adhere completely.
Use lots of glue and let it dry overnight.
Interlocking mats can be found here!
Top coat or laminate layer: If your tapper is using the board frequently, there is a good chance they will start to chip the board with use. One option is to add a layer of interlocking laminate to the top of your plywood, gluing it on as you did the interlocking mats above. When selecting a laminate flooring, you will need to ensure you measure the size of the interlocking pieces to fit the size of your board, and that the pieces fit together snug. You do not want any ridges or spaces between the laminate pieces as it is really easy for your tapper to trip on these when their taps catch on them. To avoid this, another great option to reduce chipping is to paint a wood finisher onto your plywood. Make sure to follow the instructions on the polyurethane, cleaning the board with a dry brush and then allowing each layer to dry and cure. This takes a bit longer, as you will likely want to do multiple layers for good protection.
Get the goods:
Laminate Flooring
Varathane Polyurethane
Keep dancing!
About the Author: Miss Lauren is a dance teacher with Flexpointe Studios Inc. This summer she’s taking her tap classes outside! We hope you’ll DIY up your own tap board and join her.
How to Make a Portable Tap Dance Floor
Tap dancing is a fun and entertaining form of dance to practice and to watch! The unique sound of the taps coupled by the perfectly placed movements makes tap dancing such a beautiful art form. Although tap shoes are not designed to damage a floor, scuffs and scratches can and likely will still occur.
Having a portable tap dance floor will not only protect an existing subfloor, but it will also provide excellent sound, be shock absorbing, durable, and comfortable for the tap dancer to practice and perform on.
Greatmats has everything you need to make a portable tap dance floor, from entire tap kits to adagio flooring and more! Whether your home practice space is large or small, and whether your subfloor is wood or carpet, there is a portable tap dance floor at Greatmats for any budget, preference, and need.
Portable Tap Dance Floor
A great portable tap dance floor is this 3x3 foot kit, which has 9 tiles that are designed for indoor or temporary outdoor use.
The tiles are super easy to just snap together and unsnap to take down. This is a great diy project, as no adhesive is required for these vinyl topped tiles, and they feature a waterproof, protective coating that will never need refinishing. Although this floor is relatively inexpensive, it is not cheaply made, as the vinyl is commercial grade and has a professional and attractive wood grain finish.
Made to last and stand up to the constant use and abuse of tap shoes, this portable tap dance floor features a plastic base that provides durability and solid footing for the dancer, and it also comes with a 5-year warranty.
Shop Tap Dance Floor Kit 3x3 Ft
Rosco Adagio Marley Dance Floor
An all-purpose Marley floor is another portable tap dance floor option.
This is a great solution for heavy use, as it is durable and long lasting. It can be used for all types of dance, from tap to jazz, ballet, and more. It’s an economical option that can easily be rolled out and taped down to secure it into place. It is a classic black color and provides great slip resistance.
Just unroll the vinyl tap floor and tape it down around the edges with vinyl tape.
Shop Rosco Adagio Marley Dance Floor 10 LF
Rosco Adagio Touring Dance Floor
This flooring option is designed to be used for touring tap and dance groups, so it is suitable to serve as a portable tap dance floor. It is similar to a traditional Adagio by Rosco floor, only thinner and more portable, yet extremely durable and long lasting.
To install this flooring, it is simply rolled out and taped down. This economical and portable option will work well over any flat, solid surface, as it has been designed to lay flat quickly and provide a surface with outstanding tap sound.
It is also extremely flexible, allowing for years of transporting, rolling, and re-rolling as needed.
Like the previous product, this tap flooring is installed by unrolling and taping down.
Shop Rosco Adagio Touring Dance Floor
Vario 2.4 Dance Flooring
This portable tap dance floor is among the most durable and heavy duty, and it is one of the best options that money can buy. The 2.4mm thick flooring is made of reversible PVC vinyl. It features a matte surface on both sides, making it ideal for tap - or any type of dance. As a large roll, it is best suited for touring studios, rather than a personal tap floor installation.
This flooring is also suitable for a permanent installation when taped down over a sprung or raised floor. It is non-absorbent and comes with a 1 year warranty.
Shop Vario 2.4 Dance Flooring
Greatmats Tap Dance Marley Roll
The Greatmats portable tap dance floor option is another excellent flooring solution.
Made from high quality PVC material, this flooring roll is suitable for tap and other hard or soft shoe dancing, like clogging, ballet, jazz, hip hop, and modern. It features a flat, no-glare surface finish and dual-layer construction.
It is really easy to install with vinyl tape, and it can be cut to fit as needed with a basic utility knife. This flooring is very strong and durable, and it comes with a 3-year warranty.
This is a great floor for large tap dance spaces.
Shop Greatmats Tap Dance Marley Roll Black
Greatmats - for your Tap Dance Flooring needs!
Although it is possible to perform tap on hardwood floors, these floors will likely succumb to scratches and scuffs from the nature of the tap dancing and the actual tap shoes.
Perhaps you are wondering if a concrete or tile floor is good enough for a tap dancer to practice on. Well, concrete may actually warp and damage the taps on the shoes, and tile can get scratched up just like wood will.
Also, dancing on a concrete or tile surface can be very hard on your dancer’s bones and joints.
Where these floors will make the desired noise a tap dancer is seeking, they will not provide protection to the dancer, tap shoe, or floor itself like one designed for tapping will do. All of our marley tap floor rolls can be easily custom cut to shorter lengths using a sharp utility knife and a straight edge.
Greatmats has flooring options for tap dancing that are among the best that money can buy. Whether a lightweight portable floor or a larger, permanent or semi-permanent option are more suitable, Greatmats’ tap dance flooring solutions will provide just what is needed to have a positive tapping experience.
How to choose the right linoleum for your project or event?
Flame retardant vinyl for your next production, dance performance, fashion show, trade show booth, TV studio or road show? ShowTex offers budget flooring for one-off events, more durable floors for heavy use, and custom printed floors to create a great visual message.
Use our colorful, glossy, shiny and mirrored surfaces to create an unforgettable show, or opt for a classic look with a stylish matt carpet in standard black, white or grey. ShowTex offers a wide range of stage, dance and concert floors, from all touring and semi-permanent options to permanent flooring.
- But which gender is right for you?
- But which gender is right for you?
- Creating a visual effect
- Questions regarding surfaces under coating
- Find the right balance
- How to clean your floor?
- Storing your dance floor
CView the entire linoleum collection here!
But which gender is right for you?
Of course, budget is very important, but there are many other factors to consider when it comes to choosing the right floor for your dance floor or event. Let us tell you about it.
PERMANENT, SEMI-PERMANENT OR TOuring/PORTABLE FLOORS
The first thing to do is to choose the dynamics of the floor: permanently fixed, sometimes rolled up or permanently transported?
PERMANENT PVC FLOORS
Designed for permanent installation, our vinyl floors are designed to last for a very long time and are great for dance and TV studios.
Typically, these types of PVC flooring are stiffer than the lighter versions, making them less susceptible to temperature changes. Once installed, the heavy PVC material reacts very slowly to thermal fluctuations and therefore does not stretch and stays perfectly in place. The rigid nature of this floor makes it very durable and able to withstand heavy use.
SEMI-PERMANENT PVC FLOORINGS
Because permanent vinyl flooring isn't always the best option, due to budget constraints or the technical nature of the venue, ShowTex offers a quality vinyl floor that is just as durable under heavy use. These semi-permanent floors are heavier and therefore less flexible than touring options, but can be rolled up and reinstalled if needed.
PORTABLE PVC FLOORS
Whether you're taking your vinyl flooring on tour, whether it's for a professional dance company, concert tour or trade show booth, choosing a material that's lightweight and easy to handle is essential.
Portable floors require quick and easy installation and roll up after use. In addition, they must be strong enough to withstand the rhythm of professional touring and easily recover from wrinkles before each show.
Because these PVC floors are generally more flexible, they respond more quickly to temperature changes. For touring, this is a good thing, as it takes less time for the floor to fully adjust to the temperature-controlled space when it is unloaded from a cold truck. It settles faster and can be folded and unfolded over and over again.
IDENTIFY YOUR FLOOR'S MAIN PURPOSE
A ballet floor needs very different characteristics than a high-traffic theater floor or visually exciting vinyl for a one-off event. The intensity of use determines the required strength. Let's take a closer look:
- DANCE : Each form of dance has its very specific gender requirements. Ballerinas need enough grip, tap dancers want a harder surface that amplifies the sound.
- STAGE / THEATER / ROCK 'N ROLL : Stage and theater dance floors are multi-purpose floors that can withstand both heavy traffic and stage set-up. Some of these floors can even be decorated with prints to enhance the overall design of the set.
- EXHIBITION : Exhibition floors are hardwearing floors designed for heavy traffic, but at the same time they create a strong visual expression through colored, printed, glossy, mirror or matt finishes.
- FUNCTION : Event flooring has many temporary uses such as podiums, product launches, weddings, corporate events, grand events, outdoor events, etc. In short: any place that needs a large, uniform floor surface.
CREATING THE VISUAL EFFECT
Of course, the look of the dance floor or concert hall cannot be overlooked. ShowTex vinyl flooring can meet almost any color and finish requirement.
NEUTRAL BLACK / WHITE / GRAY OR COLOR OPTIONS
Most of our flooring comes in the classic black, white and grey, but we also offer dance floor and event floors in other colours.
A splash of blue, green, red or yellow can instantly set the tone and serve as a striking focal point for any performance, trade show or event.
SINGLE SIDE OR DOUBLE SIDE FLOORS
Those who cannot choose just one color can choose a double sided floor. While our single sided vinyl has a solid color finish with a unique finish and grip, double sided flooring has finishes on both sides and is available in many great color combinations.
MATTE OR GLOSSY FINISH
Reflective high gloss flooring is perfect for adding a wow factor to your performance, booth or event, but typically a more matte material is used for traditional dance floors or applications that require heavy use. Matte vinyl is made with a limited slip surface and hides scratches better than a glossy floor.
CUSTOM PRINT FLOORS
The colorful patterns printed on PVC flooring create completely customized concepts for events, performances, exhibitions or on stage. Digitally printing custom designs onto single-sided or double-sided vinyl allows you to create floors that are sure to stand out!
Explore all of our stage flooring products
QUESTIONS REGARDING UNDER SURFACES
The thickness of a dance or event floor will determine how easily bumps and dents in the surface are felt.
The rougher the surface under the floor, the thicker the material required to level the entire surface. For touring purposes, this means that there is a fine line between the ideal floor weight that can be controlled and its thickness. On the other hand, the presence of a springy floor or a pliable base goes well with thinner and lighter materials.
FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE
The above recommendations serve as a guide to choosing the right type of ShowTex flooring, but obviously this will often be a matter of compromise. Budget, location, storage space, dancers' preferences... there are many factors that cannot be simply changed. By talking to you and finding out your specific needs and limitations, we are convinced that there is a vinyl dancefloor or event floor covering for every situation!
HOW TO CLEAN YOUR FLOOR?
Dust, dirt, sweat, shoe marks, food, drinks... All floors get dirty. Regular maintenance and gentle cleaning is therefore the key to keeping your vinyl in good condition for years to come.
However, using the right type of cleaning products is also very important. Be sure to use a solvent-free cleaner that won't damage PVC or leave marks on the floor surface.
First of all, remove dirt and dust with a soft microfiber mop or vacuum cleaner to avoid scratching the surface. For the same reason, be sure to avoid abrasive brushes.
When all dust is gone, use warm water with plenty of detergent to gently mop the floor and let it dry. For particularly dirty floors, you can increase the amount of detergent, but always be sure to wipe the floor with clean water afterwards to avoid a buildup of detergent that can make your floor slippery. Last but not least, let it dry.
Remember to use only conventional degreaser detergent and avoid alcohol, ammonia or acetone. These products break down the plasticizer that gives your floor its flexibility and makes it hard and prone to cracking. Bleach is also not suitable for use. In addition to destroying the color of PVC, it makes your floor slippery, just like any household cleaners containing oil.
In short, keep it simple when it comes to cleaning your vinyl floor!
STORING YOUR DANCE FLOOR
If you want your floor to be in perfect condition even when not in use, it is very important to store it properly. Always roll the clean floor around a solid rod with a diameter of at least 10cm and make sure it is completely dry. While water itself won't damage your PVC floor, it can create the perfect environment for mold to grow.
Never transport or store your floors on top of each other for long periods of time as this will most certainly damage them. Store and transport them with the dedicated floor cart to keep them safe and protected at all times.
Always store your floor at room temperature and make sure it has acclimatized for a while after being exposed to extreme cold or heat. A floor that is too cold can become brittle and possibly crack or break if dropped, hit, or suddenly deployed. High temperatures, on the other hand, soften and expand the floor, making it easier to damage.
If you want to use your floor outdoors, be very careful about the sun. Ultraviolet radiation affects the plasticizers of the floor, which make it flexible. Prolonged exposure to sunlight will cause your floor to become ribbed, shrink and crack over time.
Never leave your floor outside unprotected from the weather and always cover the unfolded floor with a tarp when not in use.
Dance Health | December 2022
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Welcome to dancing at home - with its everyday entertainment, endless babysitting, traffic, noise, limited space and probably no ballet grille or mirror. You will probably also come across carpet, hardwood on cement, or tile that you can dance on.
Scaling a dance class can be dangerous. Inappropriate floors in your home, apartment, basement, or garage can contribute to both injury and fatigue. They certainly won't help develop technique or increase productivity. There is hardly a floor in your home that is too hard or too slippery.
It's just not a dance studio.
However, there are a number of options that will transform a small area in your home into a temporary dance space and give your dancer all the safety benefits of a professional dance studio. Protecting their well-being is not a luxury.
Dancestep Plus by Stagestep.
For the dancer who has relatively little space to work with and needs to set up and take down the dance floor quickly, Dancestep Plus is the best option. This is a double density foam backsheet with a Marley dance surface. It is available with free shipping in 6.56", 4", 8", 10", 15" and 20' sizes. It comes in black or gray and is ideal for all dance styles except tap (due to sound reduction). The double foam backing acts as a floating subfloor, protecting the dancer from impact. With a few pieces, you can create a floor in a home studio of almost any size.
The non-slip surface is especially suitable for ballet.
Tap, lathe or ballet board - very portable and easy to use at home. All boards have a special floor surface above the black floor, mounted on foam with 3/4" cross ties. In other words, it is a mini floating subfloor system.
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Encore Home by Stagestep.
For those interested in a natural wood option, we have Encore Home, an easy to assemble click and lock system that requires no tools. It features a true built-in floating wood subfloor and is available in oak or maple finishes - perfect for faucets and ballrooms. Encore also lends itself well to jazz and modernity.
Stagestep’s Springstep IV Subfloor.
If you have space to carve out in your home studio, consider Springstep IV, our professional floating subfloor. For smaller rooms no tools are required to assemble it, for larger rooms you will need a circular saw to open the seams and fit it to the size of the room.
