# Sprung Floor Construction



## Kent Whitten (Mar 24, 2006)

I have a job coming up that requires the construction of a sprung floor.

For those that don't understand what this is, it's usually for a dance studio
so the dancers don't beat their bodies to a pulp on the concrete floor. It's 
very similar to a floating floor.

However, it's not a floating floor. The construction goes something like this.
There are pads of some type, seems like neoprene or rubber, about 3"x3"
spaced at 12" centers. Over the top is two layers of ply, seams offset
obviously.

Now, we have found the rubber pads, but they want $0.50 apiece for them 
and there's about 1000 of them needed. 

I am wondering if anyone out there has any long term experience of using 
the blue dow styrofoam underneath. I'm thinking this would be a good 
alternative and cheaper and readily available.

The "problem" is that this is a non-profit dance business (along with the 
place where my daughter dances) and we are looking for freebies or cheap 
ways to get out of this. I'm donating my time for this, I'll be getting local 
lumberyards to donate the ply. I have the styrofoam here, so that's free.

Anyone have any thoughts as to how this would hold out? 1" thick 3"x3" 
squares of blue styro 12" oc with a constant pounding by ballet dancers. I 
may be off thinking that it will be fine. Maybe it will break down. I'm going to 
do a small test down in my basement but I'm certain of my "design"


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## Bodger (Oct 23, 2008)

framerman said:


> I have a job coming up that requires the construction of a sprung floor.
> 
> For those that don't understand what this is, it's usually for a dance studio
> so the dancers don't beat their bodies to a pulp on the concrete floor. It's
> ...


I was involved in a dance school studio floor a few years back. It was a labor intensive thing, and we did something like what you describe above. Except as I recall, the rubber pads came in larger squares, and they were not spaced on centers under the plywood, they were a placed as such to be a consistent underlayment with no gaps between them. We only placed one layer of ply over that, and then hardwood flooring was laid on top.

I think your concern about the styrofoam is well founded. If it compresses or breaks down, that would be a problem. There is definitely a lot of "give" in the dance floors we did. 
Your test should tell you what you need to know. 
Although, how long are you willing to dance in your basement to give it a thorough field analysis?:laughing: The image of The Dancing Duke comes to mind big-time on that one!

The company I did the work for seemed pretty confident that the way we did it was the standard dance studio floor set-up. It was not inexpensive as I recall. The rubber pads came from China. 
This studio taught Flamenco, modern, and ballet, maybe all ballet is a lighter touch.


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## Kaiser (Jan 22, 2008)

I had some guys tear up an a wood floor used for aerobics during a gym remodel once. It s.ounds like the same principal. 

What they had was the rubber pads you spoke of attached to 2x4's at 16 or 24 oc

2x4's laid out on 24 oc and hard wood nailed to that.

Not sure that would be cheaper but it's a thought.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

framerman said:


> Anyone have any thoughts as to how this would hold out? 1" thick 3"x3" squares of blue styro 12" oc with a constant pounding by ballet dancers.


I'd stay away from that. Take one of those 3" squares and thwack the heel of your clodhopper on it. Evaluate. Then thwack it 20 more times and evaluate. Granted, the flooring will distribute that pounding a bit, but it's still going to mash the stuff over time.

See if you can find rubber in bulk and cut it yourself, maybe?



> I'm going to do a small test down in my basement but I'm certain of my "design"


Riverdance. And you are required to show us via Youtube. :clap:


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

Resilience is what is desired.
It is also lacking in styrofoam.
Do the kids joints and toes
a favor and don't try to cheap out
on the support for the dance surface.
The damage caused won't likely
be felt for years.


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## Bodger (Oct 23, 2008)

Tinstaafl said:


> I'd stay away from that. Take one of those 3" squares and thwack the heel of your clodhopper on it. Evaluate. Then thwack it 20 more times and evaluate. Granted, the flooring will distribute that pounding a bit, but it's still going to mash the stuff over time.
> 
> See if you can find rubber in bulk and cut it yourself, maybe?
> 
> ...


 In high-heeled work boots...and the Duke hat!:thumbup:


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## Bodger (Oct 23, 2008)

Tinstaafl said:


> See if you can find rubber in bulk and cut it yourself, maybe


 What about two layers of the stuff they put under Pergo flooring, and then ply over that? 
And, there is to be no hardwood? The top layer of ply will be finished and that's the dance floor? 
Nothing wrong with that as far as I know, I was just curious. Obviously less expensive that select oak or something like that.


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## olyteddy (Oct 27, 2006)

Perhaps a bit labor intensive, but I was at Dell's farm supply and they had 4' X 6' sheets of 3/4" neroprene for horses to stand on for about $50. If ripped into 3" X 3" blocks, that'd be about $.13 a block, about a nickel a block at 2" X 2".


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

framerman said:


> ...........
> Now, we have found the rubber pads, but they want $0.50 apiece for them
> and there's about 1000 of them needed. ............


Is that price from a "dance supply"
joint?
Bet some research would turn up 
a better source for the same.
Acoustic "specialty" suppliers always
seem to want 2 prices for sound proofing
materials that can be had from
other sources.
Just a thought.


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## mrghm (Nov 19, 2006)

you need the air gap around the pads, if a soild rubber underlay is used then the floor is ridged, you also have to leave a gap around the edge of the floor so that the air on an inpact can flow out, also ensure a vented sikrting is fitted.

we buy 1/2 regupol a german product and slice it up,


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## Da Handyman Can (Feb 9, 2010)

*Sprung Floor*

My daughter is a dancer and the studio she dances at uses a sprung floor with the rubber squares. They keep a small section of it for display purposes.
Since I am currently building a dance studio under my house, I have been doing a lot of research on sprung floors. I too have found a source for the rubber squares at .50$ a square. I also thought about using the type of foam material you are considering. However, after looking at the sample in the dance studio, I realized that there is a memory factor to consider. The squares in use are more of a rubber than a foam. I suspect the idea is that they will allow for the squares to rebound back into their shape after carrying the dancer's load. 
I was in the same boat as far as cost goes until I found the old school design for sprung floor. Basically it involves a grid of 1x3's at 16 inches, crossed by another grid of 1x3's and tacked at the intersection. Finally another grid that crossed at the mid-point, not the the intersections. This is where the flex comes in. I plan to tack the plywood to the edges and run a nailer under the plywood at the joining seems with glue and finish nails. 
If you google sprung floor, you will find a few videos that show the construction of this floor.
Hope this helps.


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## thom (Nov 3, 2006)

This is a standard type of flooring system that has been around for decades. The pads are designed for spring/resilience. Any hardwood flooring supplier should know where to get the correct pads and have a fair price for them.


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## Rocket Red (Jan 28, 2010)

You might look into used belt-stock from manufacturing facilities. We design a lot of park/trail bridges, and use a rubber pad where the steel girder sets on the concrete sill. We have called some mills/manufacturers, and many of them have heaps of replaced belts and want us to take all that we can. Unfortunately for them one 20' belt chunk will supply about 40 bridges. 

If you found some donated belt stock you may be able to do some R & D and make the floor a little "greener" by re-using a material.

Good luck.


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## loneframer (Feb 13, 2009)

There are some options here.

http://www.softfloor.co.uk/dance_floor_mats.shtml

I've seen similar products in the US, just posted the link for images


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## KennMacMoragh (Sep 16, 2008)

Why do new people always bring back old threads? :001_unsure:


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

KennMacMoragh said:


> Why do new people always bring back old threads? :001_unsure:


You must be a young fella. I'm an old fella.

Sometimes I like to think that I'm as interesting now as I was then. :thumbsup:


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## loneframer (Feb 13, 2009)

KennMacMoragh said:


> Why do new people always bring back old threads? :001_unsure:


 :whistling:whistling:whistling


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## KennMacMoragh (Sep 16, 2008)

Tinstaafl said:


> You must be a young fella. I'm an old fella.
> 
> Sometimes I like to think that I'm as interesting now as I was then. :thumbsup:


Oh, he was a googler, I suppose that's why it keeps happening, with people on their first post bringing back threads over a year old. My apologies, he's asking about it himself. Yeah, you're just as interesting now, haha.


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## Thomop (Feb 10, 2010)

why do people keep bringing back the threads?


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## KennMacMoragh (Sep 16, 2008)

Thomop said:


> why do people keep bringing back the threads?


I thought I answered that :confused1:


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