Rob’s mention of basketball courts and arenas reminded me that my alma mater
installed a new floor in the field house a few years ago. The requirements on
the surface are different, but the need for shock absorption for the track and
the basketball courts is very similar. The company that did the work was
Beynon Sports. They advertise a range of products.
On 05/27/2023 9:21 AM AKDT Robert Matson via Organizers
<organizers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Hi,
>From my experience working for New York ballet and modern dance companies and
>from doing the folk dancing we talk about here, I'd offer that the key word is
>"sprung" and I'd suggest researching portable and temporary sprung dance
>floors.
See:
https://www.stagestep.com/subfloor-systems/springstep-v/
Unacceptable: wood or wood-like flooring installed directly on concrete,
without springing. This is as hard, unforgiving, unpleasant and injurious as
concrete.
Sometimes a search for "dance floors" turns up "marley," which is floor
covering, only. It is non-slip vinyl that makes an underlying sprung floor
safe for stage dance.
https://danceequipmentintl.com/marley-dance-floor-guide/
There are soft and hard versions of marley designed for styles of dance and
footware. Again, marley alone doesn't make a concrete or a non-sprung floor
ok, but it can be quickly rolled out onto an "okay" residential wood beam
constructed floor for dancing. An advantage to this route is that, for low
cost, it will protect the surface of, say, a basketball court enabling a
multi-purpose floor.
One might also research the floors for basketball courts which have the same
requirements of being wood, but soft.
As an aside, your challenge reminds me of the floors of large event arenas,
which might have to be changed from a basketball court to an ice rink to a
stadium floor, etc.
Sometimes, also, a hard floor problem can be solved with footwear. Yours might
become a sneaker dance on a concrete floor, just as sneakers are used for
street dance (e.g., hip hop).
Sounds like an exciting project.
Best wishes,
Rob
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Robert Matson
President
Innovation Media Corp.
The Innovation Works, Inc.
Tel: (646) 233-1219 tel:(646)233-1219
Cell: (917) 626-2675 tel:(917)626-2675
On Fri, May 26, 2023 at 9:28 AM Jim Thaxter via Organizers
<organizers@lists.sharedweight.net mailto:organizers@lists.sharedweight.net>
wrote:
Hey Organizers,
My home town, Columbia, MO, is building a welcome/community center for multiple
uses. Our contra group has asked them to consider something other than smooth
concrete for the floor.
The City parks and rec people were initially resistant, but since a lot of the
funding for the building will be coming directly from the community, they seem
to be softening their stance, but not to the point of approving a hardwood
floor. So the architect has done some research on alternative flooring options
that might be comfortable and safe to dance on, but also have many of the
conveniences of concrete floor for multiple uses and maintenance.
Two products are listed in the attachments below. Unfortunately, the only known
installations are 300-450 miles from us in Indiana and Kansas.
Have any of you out there in dance land run across either of these kinds of
floorings, or maybe know of other alternatives to hardwood that would meet low
maintenance requirements of the City?
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
Jim Thaxter
Columbia, MO
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Robbie Price
Date: Tue, May 9, 2023 at 9:12 AM
Subject: RE: Community building floor
To: Jim Thaxter <jathaxte...@gmail.com mailto:jathaxte...@gmail.com>
Dear Jim:
With a pure dance floor out of the question (too much friction for your
purposes and too expensive), I am looking for floor which gives you the cushion
you need and the durability to resist table and chair scratches, dropped
equipment, and food spills. My rep from Tarkett, one of the largest flooring
companies in the U.S. have a sports/recreation flooring division, Zoche, which
may work. He recommends their Omnisports system “Multi-use” or the Lumaflex
without the wood subfloor. Please find the spec sheets on these two products
attached.
I am also interested in an industrial wood flooring product which may prove to
be a possible solution – end grain wood blocks. It traditionally is used in
industrial applications with 3” – 5” thick,creosote impregnated wood blocks
which take all manner of abuse. Today they do away with the harmful chemicals
and hazardous materials and use oils and some polyurethanes to finish them. It
could be a beautiful floor and stand up to any abuse if only it is acceptable
to the dance community. Here are websites for your review: Old Wood LLC. - End
Grain Flooring https://www.oldwood.us/endgrain , END GRAIN | Kaswell Flooring
Systems https://www.kaswell.com/end-grain/
I need to do so more research on this. Please let me know what you think. Thank
you for any input you can provide.
Cordially,
Robbie
Robbie Price AIA, LEED AP +
573.443.1407 tel:573.443.1407
Architect / Associate
soa
Architecture Interior Design Planning Sustainability
P Please consider the environment before printing this email.
From: Jim Thaxter <jathaxte...@gmail.com mailto:jathaxte...@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, May 6, 2023 4:02 PM
To: Robbie Price <pr...@soa-inc.com mailto:pr...@soa-inc.com>
Subject: Community building floor
Hi Robbie,
Thanks for being willing to consider a floor of something other than smooth
concrete. Keep us up to date on what you’re looking at.
Jim Thaxter
_______________________________________________
Organizers mailing list -- organizers@lists.sharedweight.net
mailto:organizers@lists.sharedweight.net
To unsubscribe send an email to organizers-le...@lists.sharedweight.net
mailto:organizers-le...@lists.sharedweight.net
_______________________________________________
Organizers mailing list -- organizers@lists.sharedweight.net
To unsubscribe send an email to organizers-le...@lists.sharedweight.net
_______________________________________________
Organizers mailing list -- organizers@lists.sharedweight.net
To unsubscribe send an email to organizers-le...@lists.sharedweight.net
