Hi, i can’t express my gratitude enough for posting these video’s and explaining in amazing detail how to build these floors. You really are improving the health and quality of so many dancers and helping a dance studio like us to save tons of money and provide quality floors for our dancers. Many many thanks!
Thank you! One of the best videos I have seen! Presented and explained so well. Thank you for your help. Really appreciate it. Not a lot of people like you!
Hi!! A good floor topper that is pretty cheap is a shower pan liner from Oatly. You can get it at most hardware stores. Some will sell in rolls of 5 by 40 feet.
I was thinking of using this as well, but not liking that the words "Oatly" would be all over my floor. Have you found a way to remove that? Would rubbing alcohol remove it?
Outstanding work and thanks for passing along your experience. You are adding significant value to the dance community. Like others, due to Cvd-19, we are looking at creating a dance space for our 3 dancers. The only space that works is their upstairs playroom which has residential carpet with carpet pad under it. I would not think that it would have the give and spring that 1.5-2 inch pool noodle of your floating dance floor but could offer some. Have you ever installed over carpet? If so, what were the results? If not, based on this situation, what would you do between these options: 1) forego noodles and lay two layers of opposite patterned OSB and marlay topper 2) forego noodles and drill one layer of OSB over the carpet with marlay topper 3) take carpet out and install your system
I would 100% just test installing directly on the carpet first, especially if this is a temporary installation for you. If it doesn't turn out the way you want you could always add the pool noodles later.
Million Dollar Dance Studio Thank you! I was hoping for that. Would you do 2 opposite layers of regular and TBG OSB or just drill 1 layer of OSB with wood screws?
@@romanorosco2984, I'd probably still test two layers. That stabilizes the seams a little better. If the carpet and pad aren't too thick you might get away with just one layer of tongue and groove for a temporary installation.
Thanks for the video. I want to redo my carpeted basement. What top finish do you recommend for a dance style that has a lot of foot tapping and jumping, don’t need to hear the tap. Seems like from this video vinyl is not a good option because the pieces may snap? Will it work with gluing the seams and still movable?
I use this same floor in my studios where we have everything from ballet, to tap, to Irish dancing and capoeira classes. It works great with marley as the top layer. I don't glue any of my seams though I know some people tape them. Hope that helps!
Hi! this video is gold! Thank u so much... Im looking for a way to put vinyl floor on top of eva foam or any kind of foam to make it nice to the knees. I use the floor for bellydancing. More or less like the floor they use for martial arts but covering it with vinyl on top to be more slidy, can i glue the foam so it doesnt come apart and then cover it with vinyl? The floor underneath is ceramic.
Hi and thanks for these videos! Due to the whole COVID-19 thing, my sons bfa dance program at college is going to be doing online dance classes again this fall semester so to make things better for him I am buckling down and building a dance floor in our garage which has a concrete floor. I will put on a concrete sealer first to help with any moisture. I know your floor is wall to wall but ours will only be wall to about 2 feet away from garage door. So only 2 sides will be against the wall. 2 sides will be open. I know you state that we can put a frame on it but we should wait about 2 months to settle in. The question I have is will the floor move around when he is dancing and if there is no frame and it is opened ended during those 2 months? He does all forms of dance and certainly does many jumps and tricks. I want to do right by him and be sure it is safe. I feel so bad that he can’t be in his schools studio so I want to do my best to make this as perfect as I can make it since he has to be stuck home with mom and sister! Lol. Any help would be sooooo appreciated. I’m so nervous doing this lol. Thank you!!
In the first part I thought you said 1/4 inch OSB for bottom layer then later (part 2) you said 1/2 inch. Have you tried both? I was thinking of doing 1/4 inch for bottom layer and 5/8 t&g for the top layer. Thoughts? We have a room with a commercial subfloor built out of 2'x2' t&g 5/8 inch osb with foam strips glued to bottom but it is costly and a pain to install. Thanks for your thoughts.
I am also interested in the reply to these questions: In the first part you say 1/4 inch OSB for bottom layer then later (part 2) you said 1/2 inch. Have you tried both? Do you recommend both/either and why? Could you comment, please.
First off, fantastic video. Probably one of the best I have seen on TH-cam explaining how to build a proper sprung floor. Thank you so much. I am going to be doing this in our garage so does the concrete floor need to be sealed prior to installation , also since I will be covering only a portion of the garage this will be against the wall only on 2 sides so do I need to build a frame around to make sure it doesn’t move. Lastly do you use tape to install vinyl topper? Thank you
Hi, I can't express my gratitude enough for posting these videos and explaining in amazing detail how to build these floors. I have a pole dance school and we do both dance and jumps and it has really been very useful. I'm going to try it, I live in Argentina and spend for flats that don't work. Because of what you suggest, I really think it will be worth it. thank you
Hello Sir, nicely presented video. If you don't mind me asking, in your experience, does it make any difference if pool noodles have a hole in them, or if they are solid?
Hey, this video has been the main inspiration for our new studio, thank you for that. We've already got some of the materials and would love to ask a few things: 1. We couldn't find any tongue-and-groove OSB, so we just bought two layers of normal panels. Does this change the construction in any way? How should we connect the boards together? And should we leave spacers between them? 2. Do you apply some sort of finish (varnish / treatment / sealer) to the OSB plates? We know OSB is already "treated" as much of it is glue, but there is some humidity in winter in our annex and we'd like the floor to keep for many years. We're thinking of putting good quality vinyl as the top later. Thanks!
I do think that the tongue and groove reduces movement along the seams and prevents wear and potential splitting in whatever vinyl top you put down. I don't have any experience using something else as the top layer so that question might be above my pay grade, sorry. 😊 I don't treat my OSB with anything. I imagine you could put down some moisture barrier underlayment and the vinyl topper probably goes a long way to protect the wood as well. I do live in a pretty dry climate but mine have held up very well for many years now.
Thanks! knowing you didn't finish is already good news, so whatever finish we put it would be a plus. About the seams, yes we're going to have to space them I think, and possibly put sealer or some other flexible material between the plates, so the vinyl is not damaged. Thanks again @@milliondollardancestudio3854
Thank you for divulging your experience and professional advice to the dance world. And for free? You don't find that too often! As far as the pool noodles, does it matter if they're solid or have holes in the middle? How are you ensuring the straightness/flatness when cutting the pool noodles? Or are you just eyeballing it? For strictly a ballet studio application, what pool noodle thickness would you recommend? I know... experiment first, right? Thanks once again. I know your time is money and appreciate your sharing from the kindness of your heart. Bless you!
Great video! I am set to making this for my daughter, as she can't get any ballet training during the lock down. I was wondering if you have any preference on dimensions of the boards? Cutting them at the store to smaller pieces would make them a lot easier to transport, but there is probably a point where they would be too small.
@@milliondollardancestudio3854 thank you, I'll follow your advice. For some reason, in my local stores, OSB boards with regular edge are 8x4, but only 8x2 for the tongue and groove. Since this will be a very small dancing area (12x6) , I'll have two boards on the bottom layer, and three on top. Hopefully it works out, I'll post a follow up.
@Million Dollar Dance Studio, thanks for this great video and comments in the community, it really helps a lot. I need some guidance on couple of points for our new ballet school in Istanbul Turkey: 1) What is optimum pool noodle diameter? 2) Spacing between pool noodles 30 cm/ 50 cm? 3) At some applications/ vendors, I see they use Foam Blocks or Cubes or Rubber Blocks? Which option do you suggest if we don't prefer pool noodles? Can you suggest sites/ link where we can check the specs since there are huge variety of these pads?
Hey Erhan, I know that pool noodles come in lots of diameters. I don't think I have a strong opinion on which one is the best. The distance between them is going to depend a little bit on the diameter that you choose. I'd recommend that you buy one board and experiment a little bit with the amount of 'give' that you want in the floor. I like pool noodles because they are very inexpensive and readily available where I live. They are made of closed-cell foam that is water resistant and seems to hold up well over time. If you have another type of foam or rubber that is inexpensive and available to you then you might want to go with that. I use to use a closed-cell foam that I could source locally in large sheets, but pool noodles are so much less expensive and so ubiquitous that I just use them now. Sorry I don't have more info on specs for other types of foam. That's a great question, though. Good luck!
This was just the video I was looking for! I'm a fairly advanced DIY'er (done lots of complex remodeling projects). I'm building a fairly large dance studio (20x28) for principally high-level ballet and basic hip-hop. The starting subfloor is OSP (3rd floor of house). I'm thinking 1" foam with 1/2" OSP. We of course are doing Marley. My questions are: 1. Could I use a laminate floor between the sprung floor and the Marley, or is it too slippery for the Marley (making the floor slide)? 2. I assume the tongue and groove top floor is for stability of the floating floor? I'm looking for alternatives that can support normal living if I roll-up the Marley. 3. Are you saying not to shoe mould the floating floor in place? I have a wide transition area onto the dance floor, still figuring out how to build that transition to provide stability in the dance floor. Thanks in advance for any help.
1. I don't think the laminate would be too slippery for the marley. Worst-case scenario you double-sticky tape part of the marley down. 2. Yup, stability is the issue. You don't want any seams from the lower layer to be even with seams on the upper layer of subfloor. I'd be worried that just using laminate you'd run into the problem because the pieces are more narrow. Maybe two layers of subfloor and also the laminate? 3. The floor does move, that's the point. Just keep that in mind as you're deciding how to attach your trim or transitions. Good luck with your floor!
@@milliondollardancestudio3854 Follow-up Question. If I'm using T&G OSP (Advantech) for the sprung floor, will the T&G provide enough stability to not need the second subfloor? I suspect the answer is the sprung floor will stress the T&G (like the laminate)and likely break the tongue over time?
Hi - Thanks for the great video. In part 1 you mention 1/4 inch OSB for the first layer, and in part 2, you mention 1/2 inch OSB for that layer (with 3/4 inch over the top in both cases). Do you have a preference?
Hello! These Videos have given me so much insight on flooring that I want to do. I have a question because I do Latin dance instruction and NEED wood flooring. I want to do smooth plywood top. Any suggestions? Would these work without nails or screws? If not then would I glue them? Someone please help. THANK YOU in advance.
Hello I'm making this floor this week wish me luck. Any tips? I'm making it for a ballroom dance floor with plywood as the top layer. No nails no screws. Should I use liquid nails between the layers of plywood.
I don't have a ton of experience with this floor for ballroom dance. I know that most ballroom dancers I've spoken to prefer a wooden finish. I never use liquid nails between layers. If the floor is large enough it's own weight and friction seem to hold it all together well. Good luck with your floor!
Hello, Thankyou for sharing so much of your expertise and knowledge. During this time of Covid, and doing ballet lessons online, I’m thinking of building our elite ballet student son, a portable dance floor. I love your system and I’m going to give it a go. What, in your opinion, is the best thickness to cut the pool noodles for classical ballet practice? I don’t really know how much spring is ideal... do you have a suggestion? Thanks again.
Rosaria, this is a tough question. Not all pool noodles are created equal. Some are thick, others fatter, some denser, etc. But, for most applications about one inch is sufficient.
I'm a Zumba instructor who is teaching classes online due to COVID. I've had to dance on carpet because the rest of my house is tile and it's just too hard on my body. I've been researching flooring and this method by far seems more cost effective than others. I really need the cushion due to past knee injuries. I don't have slippery shoes (I tend in a Ryka dance shoe) so I cannot have a surface with much stick or grip (but it can't be super smooth either). I'm in Texas, so it can either be cold and dry, or hot and humid (though the air conditioning regulates it). I just have a couple of questions for tweaking to make this floor effective, safe, and do what I need it to do (impact absorbing and the ability to turn/twist in the shoes I use are the biggest, along with ease to break it down and put it back without destroying the floor). My floor would be 8'x8' maximum (7'x7' would work easily, but it seems like extra work to trim the 4'x8' boards if you don't have to). It would have to be at an angle so there would not be a wall to push it against to help hold it in place. It also might be something that has to move *each* week as it has to be in a common area of our house. The design would be 2 thinner 4'8' OSB boards with the pool noodles glued to it, then rotating the T&G OSB to 90 degrees to cut down on seam overlap. Those are easy enough to move if need be. The question is, given the shoes and fitness (and latin dance) moves I use, what should I use for the floor top that is easy to move and not damage (again, possibly every week), how do I secure it, and do we need to build some type of frame/ramp to keep this in place, or would clamps along the T&G seam work fine (the lower layer held in place by the weight)? Because the edges of the "stage" will be used, would extra foam be good along the edges? Would 2" be ideal due to impact moves? Could you glue/seal the floor top covering to the top of the T&G boards to make it more mobile (like luxury vinyl flooring due to waterproof, either rolls or the click in place panels?). Could you flip the layers so the T&G is on the bottom with the foam and the thinner OSB is on the top with a floor attached? Would marley flooring work, or would it not be slick enough with the Ryka dance shoes (what you'd used in a group fitness studio)? Really appreciate any help on this, and thank you so much for posting this video. Foam interlocking bases seem to have too many issues (and create soft spots), and the places that make panels with the sprung floor are $$$$.
Hey KelDancesWithChaos, I'm afraid I don't know that I have good answers for all of those questions. I almost always use marley as the topper for the floors I use, but that's probably not the cheapest option that would work. What kind of floor are you most accustomed to dancing on? Could you just use that similar surface on this smaller floor? Also, it's probably a good idea to get some kind of frame around a smaller floor so it doesn't travel as you're moving on it.
@@milliondollardancestudio3854 I'm used to dancing on the floors put into group fitness studios in gyms. They are usually a finished wood floor over a sprung floor to protect against impact. Obviously for a portable floor, a wood floor is overkill if not impossible, but I need s surface that has a little grip, but not much, as I teach in Ryka dances shoes, which are sneakers that have a tread but it is circular on the toe to allow pivoting (as long as the floor isn't sticky--I can't turn on the wood floors either when it was super humid in the rooms). I have to wear those shoes for support. I've never danced on marley floors (only wooden, back in the day) so I needed to know how the surface on Marley (or vinyl) compares so I don't have too much tread. As well as a floor I can either affix to the top layer of OSB or easily remove (and thus not have to fasten down). Most luxury vinyl (the waterproof nature due to sweat is enticing) surfaces seems to allow enough movement without being slippery, but I don't know how the planks will stay together on a floor with spring, as they prefer harder surfaces to lay on. So a roll out mat like Marley or other similar surface might be the best option. My issue with Marley is it comes in rolls just over 5' so if my floor is 8'x8' I'm going to have a seam and waste a lot. I didn't know if the border of such a small floor (b/c the entire space will get used) would need more pool noodle support as well. I also wondered (as have to do some type of border or ramp) how much a 1.5" (or should I use 2"?) pool noodle cut will settle. Do you have a tutorial for how you do a ramp to this floor (you mentioned doing it under so the floor settles into place over it, and I didn't know if the ramp could also act as a border to hold it in place, or if clamps would work due to having to move it)? I'm used to teaching on a stage in a studio (so not falling off), so ramps aren't needed. Really appreciate any advice you can give me. Trying to make it through this quarantine keeping people healthy without killing my knees/body. :)
I want to turn one of the rooms in my house into a dance studio. It currently has carpet, but if I take out the carpet and do this foam noodle method would the radiant heat that in my concrete affect the foam? Would it smell or become less adhesive to the osb?
Good question. This one might be above my pay grade. I'm afraid I don't know much about radiant heat systems. If I had to guess I would imagine it would have to get pretty hot before the foam or adhesive started to deteriorate.
I was thinking of placing the pool noodles on top of the carpet pad. Do you think that would work? I should then only need 1" tall pool noodles pieces since the carpet pad is 1/2". Also, have you used shower pan liner as a topper?
This is dope. Thank you. Please help me out! 1) If the floor is now completed and elevated, how do I hide the front and back openings (any openings)? 2) If you don't add a trim, how do you create a smooth finish where the floor is flush to the wall? (Perfect math?) Thanks !
@@milliondollardancestudio3854 Thanks for replying so fast! Could you provide some references for how I can add trim? (TH-cam, Google, Etc..) It seems that trim for a regular floor and a raised dance studio floor is different!
@@artcherslibrary6300 You bet. On my most recent floors we used something like this: www.grainger.com/product/2RRW3 In the past I've just run a 2x4 through my table saw with the blade at an angle. That creates a little "sloped" piece that I can then just attach to the edge. Hope that helps.
@@milliondollardancestudio3854 Hey! Since I'm planning to build this dance floor in Japan, I'm not sure I can get my hands on Tug and Groove plywood. Do you think its possible to build a stable design using regulars OSB Boards for the bottom and top layer (checkered)? Any suggestions? Thanks so much. Still in awe that you're kind enough to reply to all our questions. Respect!
@@artcherslibrary6300 Hmm. I just did a quick google search for "tongue and groove plywood japan" and did get some results. I'd check with a local home improvement or lumber supply shop and see if they have a recommendation. Maybe show them an image of what you're looking for. If it really is something you can't find then you'll probably be okay without it, but you'd probably need to screw the two layers together to prevent too much movement along the seams. I do like the idea of not using any screws to hold things together, so make sure you watch to make sure those screws don't work their way through your marley or whatever top you put on.
Hi, Thank you so much for these very thorough videos, however, i am doing a dance studio but cant easily access marley flooring, would you recommend a ply wood floor finish?
Hey Ameika, that depends a bit on what kind of dance you're teaching. Can you tell me a bit more about why marley is hard to come by for you? Is it just the cost? There are plenty of other solutions but some are more expensive than marley.
@@DanceFitnessTobagoAmeikaL, Ahh, I see. I know a couple of studios that just use a verathane finish right on the subfloor. Just like you would finish a regular wood floor. I personally don't like that look too much. Our local building supply store has a "faux wood" vinyl flooring that is very inexpensive (about $1/ft2) and I used that in a Yoga studio and like it. I also know that some studios use shower liner as a marley alternative. That's usually available at the big box home centers or plumbing supply centers as well.
Thanks for these awesomevideos! Getting ready to install in our home dance studio. A few questions: 1). What type of liquid nails did you use. There are many varieties available, did you use the foamboard liquid nails so it didn’t deteriorate the pool noodles? 2) how long did you let the pools noodles sit glued before you installed the subfloor? Did you need to let them sit overnight to make sure the liquid nails cured? thanks!!!!
I don't imagine the variety of liquid nails really matters. Once you've flipped the board over the pool noodle pieces don't have anywhere to move. I haven't personally noticed any deterioration as a result of the adhesive.
Can’t figure out how to post finished pictures but wanted to say THANK YOU for the videos. The floor we installed in our basement (20x12 dance studio) turned out great!!!
Thanks a lot for the videos! I do not have heat in my basement space where I'm planning to construct the dance floor. I'm planning to use space heaters to heat up the area before dance practice. Would you know if the wood would warp due to cold weather? Thank you for your help.
Leave some expansion space around the perimeter and you should be good. Water is a more likely cause of warping. Also, follow the manufacturers advice for whatever topper you use.
Thanks for the video. I’m in the middle of installing this exact floor in our basement. We have a large room below our garage that will be our home studio. One question I have is, if you didn’t want to have the floor mobile, would you use screws to secure the two OSB sheets to one another? In other videos similar to your, it shows a few screws being placed to secure the two layers together. Thanks!
I don't care as much about mobility personally as I do about ruining the marley or a student getting injured because of a screw poking up. With this much movement in the floor you need to be really vigilant over time if you're going to put any screws in it. You could always build the floor, and then if you feel like it needs some screws to hold it together maybe put just a couple in the far corners?
Thank you so much for this video it was very helpful to have actual visuals for our installation! I do have a issue you maybe able to assist me with though. Our tongue and groove gives us terrible seams and isn’t completely flat, which is making our Marley very wavy/bumpy. Do you suggest putting a layer of floor rubber in between the Marley and tongue and groove ? Or do you have another suggestion ?
An inexpensive vinyl floor might be the solution. This does dampen the sound quite a bit for tap if you're using it for that application, but it does smooth out the surface for the marley.
Is Marley slippery or more rubbery? I mean, will it create too much traction for Pirouettes and such? Also you mentioned high heel classes, which finishing would suit those type of studios best?
Hey Marta, Marley is pretty ideal for just about any kind of dance class. That being said, most social dance styles and those that might have heels are probably better suited for wooden floors.
Thank you for your video. Can we use interlocking foam floor mats instead of the foam noodles? Either laying them down in full piece or cutting them into smaller pieces. What do you think?
Hi! Your 2 part video has been very helpful and informative so thank you so much for sharing! I am wanting to build this in my garage and its a rental so I can't drill anything into the ground, etc. Do I need to build some type of frame to keep the boards in place? How do I finish off the edges neatly like do cut the marley a little smaller than the site of the floor and tape the edges down? i would so appreciate your advice and help on this because I can't see how its done in any of the other videos i've seen floating around youtube.
Hey Nadiah, whether you build a frame depends a bit on how big the floor is that you're building. Usually, friction and the weight of the boards themselves is enough to keep everything in place, especially if you're going to tape the marley down on top. For us, we usually just build these floors wall to wall so no frame is really needed.
@@milliondollardancestudio3854 thank you so much for replying 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 I’ll only have 1 side against the wall while the rest will be open as it’s going to be In my garage which is shared with my neighbour. Our spaces are separated by 2 pillars.
Hi there, love the video!! We have moved a small personal training studio next door to a residence. The vibrational noise is travelling through to their house from dropping dumbells on the shared concrete floor between the two properties. He is an architect and has suggested a raised floor as the solution. We could not afford a fully fitted raised floor and I love this idea. I’m worried about a static load of a dumbbell rack or squat rack. Do you think this load bearing would we sufficient with the pool noodles? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks you!!
Wow, good question. I would imagine that it wouldn't take too much of this kind of weight to fully compact the pool noodles, but even that would be better than concrete. I'd be more concerned that dropping the weights on the OSB might start to break it down. It's not super resilient stuff. I know there are lots of rubberized mats that are designed specifically to just be placed directly on concrete for that kind of application. Maybe that's what you could try first? Or in addition to this solution?
Hi...great video...I'm turning one of my upstairs bedrooms into a practice studio for my daughter. I pulled up the carpet and it had a plywood subfloor (builder grade)...can I leave it as is and just put a marley topper on the builders existing subfloor OR should I do a sprung floor before putting a marley topper? Thanks in advance!
If the existing subfloor is in great condition you can probably just put the marley down directly on it. I'd try that first and if you need more "spring" you can always put more floor down later.
Hi, I'd like to build an 8'x10' ballet floor in my living room. It will be installed over 10 year old burberry type carpet, so not too thick like shag, not too thin like commercial carpet. It's mot bouncy carpet at all. Also, it will not be installed against walls, so I think I may need a frame. Can you recommend the thickness of the pool noodles I need for ballet pointe work and small jumps like jetés and assemblés, please? I'm concerned that 1.5" might be too high on carpet. Also, is there a video for building a frame around a dance floor? Thank you for you videos. They are very helpful!
Hi Vivian. Of course it's difficult for me to give you an exact answer to this, but if you have some "give" in the floor already you might not need anything else under the floor at all. You're also right about the frame for a smaller floor. I'm afraid I don't have a video on that because there are just so many potential scenarios, but I'd just try attaching some 2 x 4s flat around the perimeter and see if that works for you. Good luck with your floor.
Tile usually needs to be installed on cement or cement backer board. I would imagine that this flooring solution would allow too much movement and the tiles and grout would come unstuck.
@@PacoNicolasCervantes Oh, yes, sorry, I misunderstood. Absolutely, tiles underneath should be no problem at all. We've seen or used this application on cement, tile, and wood subfloor installations.
Is there a cost comparison that you could show for a property with this method versus the wood frame mentioned in first video? I have spinal issues I just discovered this month and want to keep dancing so dancing on concrete (that's the space I was given) is a no-no. I'm contracted with the city and they like the attention my classes bring so trying to get them to see the benefit. I teach folklorico, so a lot of repetitive movement in heels with nails. Any recommendations for vinyl? We don't have mirrors either and that's a whole other story. I want to have some evidence for them that a floating floor is not that expensive and offers other uses for shared space.
Hey nakira80. I don't really have a cost comparison. I simply haven't kept up on the cost of other ways to build a studio floor. Outside of that, the cost also varies pretty significantly based on your location. Good luck in your work with the city!
Me Again, I hope you’re well. I have another question. If I’m only going to make a small section to practice at the barre, and do stationary jumps and tours, and there will be no seams because the area of the one sheet of plywood is big enough, do I need still need a second layer of plywood over the first, or will one layer with the noodle circles glued to it be enough for this purpose? The reason I ask this is because the way I understand it is that the second layer of plywood is to stabilise the first where the seams are. Am I correct?
Hey Rosaria. I've never built such a small floor. Part of what stabilizes the floor is the weight itself. For sure, I'd be using the thicker tongue and groove sheet and I'd experiment with shorter cuts of the pool noodles. Good luck!
Love this video. Getting ready to lay the Marley. I used (4) 4x8 for my space of osb and 4 osb t/g. I basically laid the t/g in opposite directions that the regular osb. Will I have any issues of the t/g separating after use?
I've never really had any issues with the TNG coming apart. The friction just seems to hold it all in place. I would imagine it would be pretty trivial to tape the seems if you did start to have that problem.
@milliondollardancefloor. Having a hard time deciding to go with OSB or higher grade plywood. Have you had any issues with the floor warping? Also, have you had any issues not screwing the two layers together? Hoping to start construction next week would love your input on the plywood type and hardware/ no hardware.
I haven't had any issues with warping. I'm in Colorado, a fairly dry climate, but we've had some issues with roof leaks over the last several months and I haven't noticed any warping at all. My floor installations go "wall to wall" so there is not much room for them to slide/move. If you have a smaller floor installed with some kind of open perimeter around it then you might benefit from a couple screws around the edges, or better yet, a frame to trim it out. Also, installing the "rough" side of the OSB down not only gives you a smoother finish on the top, but also creates more friction between the layers. Every installation I've seen that has any kind of foam underneath and relies on screwing the layers together eventually has problems with the screws working themselves up through the marley. I'm currently building two more floors in a new location I'm opening next month and I'll use this exact method of building them both again. That being said, if you feel more comfortable using a higher-grade plywood then that peace of mind might be worth a few extra bucks. Good luck!
If I want to make a smaller floor for my dancer to use at home for practice (tap, acro, ballet, and contemporary) should I have the top layer cut into two pieces? I am worried about the top layer sliding off of the bottom layer. My plan is to make 4 x 8 practice floor for home.
Hello! This video is amazing, thank you so much! Can I just ask, do you secure the noodles to the cement flooring to prevent the bottom boards moving? If not, how do you secure them so they don't have any wiggle room?
The weight of the floor itself is usually sufficient. Building it flush to the walls can also help. If you feel like you need more security for a smaller floor you could build a small frame around the floor.
@@milliondollardancestudio3854 Do you have a recommendation for how to build a frame around the flooring? We are only doing a 4x8 practice floor. Also, since the floor is so small should we just put another 4x8 piece of plywood over the first one? I'm guessing we don't need TNG plywood, but I'm concerned that they will slide around on each other. Suggestions?
@@kmcandme In the past I've run some 2 x 4s through a table saw at an angle to make a "ramp" of sorts and used that to frame edges. That might work as well.
Love the idea of using pool noodles instead of high density closed cell foam cubes (since they are cheaper). In the video, you mention using it for martial arts. Do you think this method would be appropriate for martial arts with strong falls, such as judo?
The floor can have quite a lot of give, but in this installation the top is still wooden, so it's pretty hard. That's rough on your bony parts. We use this floor for a studio where we train BJJ, but we always have mats down on top of it when we do.
@@milliondollardancestudio3854 Than you so much for the answer. I meant if you consider appropriate to use this type of subflooring under judo tatami mats (I should made that clear, sorry)
We have installed our dance floor, but we are noticing bumps where the tongue and groove seams come together. Do you have any suggestions to remedy this or is this normal? We have the Marley down and it doesn’t interfere with dancing, but didn’t know if this was normal.
Marley comes in all kinds of thicknesses and it's not uncommon to see some small outlines of the underlayment when using the thinner versions. If it's not causing a problem for the dancers I wouldn't worry too much about it personally. Some people choose to run some Marley tape along the actual seems of the tongue and groove and that can smooth out the transition a little bit as well.
So, we are having issues with dance studios where vinyl PVC “sport court” type interlocking tiles were used for the dance floor, put down w no subfloor right into cement. These tiles were sold as spring flooring, but the dancers are not finding it sprung enough (especially not at the seams). What would you suggest as a remedy, besides these floors out entirely and starting again? Could popping them up and putting a 1/2 inch foam subfloor help?
Would anyone have a thought on what would be the best tape, or process of securing dance marley to this type of floor? Everything has turned out good overall. My biggest thing is what is the best solution for type of tape, attaching the marley to the osb. The vinyl tape I got w/ my marley, works great for the seams. And somewhat ok in various spots around the marley. But finding that my corners, are not holding at well. Hoping to get some thoughts on some potential solutions. Thanks!
I haven't had this specific problem, but there are all kinds of double sided flooring tape options available either online or even in your local home store. I just googled "double sided marley tape" and several options came up, several specifically designed for use with marley. Let us know what you decide and how it works for you.
I don't have any images handy, but there are a number of ways to handle this that will depend on how the floor is installed in the room and how big the floor is. Do you have an open perimeter around your floor or does it go wall-to-wall? There are a number of brands of double-sided tape that I've seen used to keep the edges attached to the floor if that's needed. Thicker marley and larger floors often don't need the edges taped.
So this type of setup would be good for most any type of dance style? tap, etc. and you find that the pool cushions over time don't wear down to the point where they would need replaced?
Hey Kevin, sorry for the delayed response. I have never had a problem with the foam wearing down enough that it needs to be replaced. One of my floors has been installed like this for more than a decade now and even moved to a new location. Over the first few months there is some significant settling and then the floors seem to stabilize.
I am on a very strict budget and have access to enough pvc shower pan liner material, what are your thoughts on that as the “Marley” flooring. This is just my personal home studio and I have heard of people using for dance floors I’m just not sure?? Thanks :)
Also I my dance style is primarily modern and acrobatic, so barefoot. Thanks for all of the information! My home studio dream is finally coming true!!!
Hey Megan. I don't use it myself, but I know a lot of people do. For a home studio I'd imagine you'll be fine. For larger or professional installations I recommend you work with real marley from a reputable company. Congrats on your home studio.
I want to build a small floor so my daughter can practice her Irish dancing at home during the lock down. I'm in the UK so Marley flooring means nothing to the flooring suppliers I have tried. What should I be looking for? Vinyl flooring comes in so many grades and thicknesses, I just have no clue what to go for.
Hey Technomage, marley is a specialized dance floor topper that most residential and commercial flooring suppliers wouldn't be familiar with. Even here in the US we order it online, and I believe a lot of it is actually manufactured in Germany. I just googled "marley floor uk" and a number of online options for ordering came up. I don't have a particular re-seller that I recommend, but hopefully you'll be able to find some options there. Good luck!
@@milliondollardancestudio3854 Thanks for the reply, ironically I used to work for Marley back in the 80's. My search results are only offering links to Marley or to companies who do complete floors. You have given me hope though. Thanks for posting the video as well, it is very well made.
I don't intentionally leave a gap, but I imagine you could. I live in a very dry climate and the temp in the room stays pretty constant. Expansion is not a huge concern for us. The boards don't slide easily either (especially if you put "rough" sides together).
This is good, but in Part One he tells us to use 1/4" OSB as the bottom layer, the one that the noodles are attached to, then 3/4" T&G OSB for the upper layer. In Part Two however, although he's wearing the same shirt, which implies that he probably recorded it at the same time, he says to use 1/2" OSB for the lower layer and doesn't specify the thickness of the upper layer, simply referring to it as OSB. What thickness should each layer actually be?
How uneven in the floor? Is it slanting at an angle or are there seams that aren't even? One of the beautiful things about this design is that the pool noodles compress to overcome much of the inconsistencies in the flooring underneath.
Hey Rob, yes that's about how long I cut mine. Keep in mind that the longer the pieces the more "bounce" the floor will have. For some applications I know some people want less give in the floor.
Just got done building mine. It’s a total of 16ftx12ft. I cut the noodles 1.5 inches thick. Would love to show you my pics and what not. I need to add a trim because the tongue and groove do move a bit more than I’d like. Thanks for all the advice! Now to add the floor topper! Need to find some marley.
We hired someone to follow this video videos the pool noodle part ourselves but the contractor laid the 2nd level the same direction as first and liquid nailed it. I’m concerned this is an issue as some parts are not stable as others
As the floor settles over time it might stabilize as well. I personally don't connect the layers of wood, in part because it allows me to take things apart if I need to fix something.
@@RISE-DPAC Our biggest concern isn't just the direction of the panels. As long as the seams of the upper and lower layers don't directly overlap you should be good.
@@pepidragotta4531 I don't use any screws at all. When I have used them in the past I had the problem with some of them eventually working their way up through the marley surface. I know some people like to tape the seams before putting down their marley but I've never felt like it was necessary. I don't glue my layers either and this allows me to move the floor to a new location if I ever wanted to.
Hi, i can’t express my gratitude enough for posting these video’s and explaining in amazing detail how to build these floors. You really are improving the health and quality of so many dancers and helping a dance studio like us to save tons of money and provide quality floors for our dancers. Many many thanks!
Good luck @Ghaans. Thanks for the feedback.
Thank you!
One of the best videos I have seen!
Presented and explained so well.
Thank you for your help. Really appreciate it. Not a lot of people like you!
Hope it was helpful! Good luck with your floor!
Hi!! A good floor topper that is pretty cheap is a shower pan liner from Oatly. You can get it at most hardware stores. Some will sell in rolls of 5 by 40 feet.
I was thinking of using this as well, but not liking that the words "Oatly" would be all over my floor. Have you found a way to remove that? Would rubbing alcohol remove it?
Outstanding work and thanks for passing along your experience. You are adding significant value to the dance community.
Like others, due to Cvd-19, we are looking at creating a dance space for our 3 dancers. The only space that works is their upstairs playroom which has residential carpet with carpet pad under it. I would not think that it would have the give and spring that 1.5-2 inch pool noodle of your floating dance floor but could offer some. Have you ever installed over carpet? If so, what were the results? If not, based on this situation, what would you do between these options: 1) forego noodles and lay two layers of opposite patterned OSB and marlay topper 2) forego noodles and drill one layer of OSB over the carpet with marlay topper 3) take carpet out and install your system
I would 100% just test installing directly on the carpet first, especially if this is a temporary installation for you. If it doesn't turn out the way you want you could always add the pool noodles later.
Million Dollar Dance Studio Thank you! I was hoping for that. Would you do 2 opposite layers of regular and TBG OSB or just drill 1 layer of OSB with wood screws?
@@romanorosco2984, I'd probably still test two layers. That stabilizes the seams a little better. If the carpet and pad aren't too thick you might get away with just one layer of tongue and groove for a temporary installation.
@Roman Orosco, How did your situation end up? We are looking to install OSB over carpet with marley topper and I wondered how you made out.
Thanks for the video. I want to redo my carpeted basement. What top finish do you recommend for a dance style that has a lot of foot tapping and jumping, don’t need to hear the tap. Seems like from this video vinyl is not a good option because the pieces may snap? Will it work with gluing the seams and still movable?
I use this same floor in my studios where we have everything from ballet, to tap, to Irish dancing and capoeira classes. It works great with marley as the top layer. I don't glue any of my seams though I know some people tape them. Hope that helps!
Hi! this video is gold! Thank u so much... Im looking for a way to put vinyl floor on top of eva foam or any kind of foam to make it nice to the knees. I use the floor for bellydancing. More or less like the floor they use for martial arts but covering it with vinyl on top to be more slidy, can i glue the foam so it doesnt come apart and then cover it with vinyl? The floor underneath is ceramic.
Hi and thanks for these videos! Due to the whole COVID-19 thing, my sons bfa dance program at college is going to be doing online dance classes again this fall semester so to make things better for him I am buckling down and building a dance floor in our garage which has a concrete floor. I will put on a concrete sealer first to help with any moisture. I know your floor is wall to wall but ours will only be wall to about 2 feet away from garage door. So only 2 sides will be against the wall. 2 sides will be open. I know you state that we can put a frame on it but we should wait about 2 months to settle in. The question I have is will the floor move around when he is dancing and if there is no frame and it is opened ended during those 2 months? He does all forms of dance and certainly does many jumps and tricks. I want to do right by him and be sure it is safe. I feel so bad that he can’t be in his schools studio so I want to do my best to make this as perfect as I can make it since he has to be stuck home with mom and sister! Lol. Any help would be sooooo appreciated. I’m so nervous doing this lol. Thank you!!
In the first part I thought you said 1/4 inch OSB for bottom layer then later (part 2) you said 1/2 inch. Have you tried both? I was thinking of doing 1/4 inch for bottom layer and 5/8 t&g for the top layer. Thoughts? We have a room with a commercial subfloor built out of 2'x2' t&g 5/8 inch osb with foam strips glued to bottom but it is costly and a pain to install. Thanks for your thoughts.
I am also interested in the reply to these questions: In the first part you say 1/4 inch OSB for bottom layer then later (part 2) you said 1/2 inch. Have you tried both? Do you recommend both/either and why? Could you comment, please.
First off, fantastic video. Probably one of the best I have seen on TH-cam explaining how to build a proper sprung floor. Thank you so much.
I am going to be doing this in our garage so does the concrete floor need to be sealed prior to installation , also since I will be covering only a portion of the garage this will be against the wall only on 2 sides so do I need to build a frame around to make sure it doesn’t move. Lastly do you use tape to install vinyl topper? Thank you
Hi, I can't express my gratitude enough for posting these videos and explaining in amazing detail how to build these floors. I have a pole dance school and we do both dance and jumps and it has really been very useful. I'm going to try it, I live in Argentina and spend for flats that don't work. Because of what you suggest, I really think it will be worth it. thank you
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback. Keep us posted on how things work out. We'd love to hear how the studio progresses!
Hi! What type of plywood can be used/is best? Birch, maple and oak are so expensive right now!
We're just using tongue and groove OSB.
Hello Sir, nicely presented video. If you don't mind me asking, in your experience, does it make any difference if pool noodles have a hole in them, or if they are solid?
I haven't noticed any difference at all. Mostly, I'd just be consistent across the floor you build.
Hey, this video has been the main inspiration for our new studio, thank you for that. We've already got some of the materials and would love to ask a few things:
1. We couldn't find any tongue-and-groove OSB, so we just bought two layers of normal panels. Does this change the construction in any way? How should we connect the boards together? And should we leave spacers between them?
2. Do you apply some sort of finish (varnish / treatment / sealer) to the OSB plates? We know OSB is already "treated" as much of it is glue, but there is some humidity in winter in our annex and we'd like the floor to keep for many years.
We're thinking of putting good quality vinyl as the top later.
Thanks!
I do think that the tongue and groove reduces movement along the seams and prevents wear and potential splitting in whatever vinyl top you put down. I don't have any experience using something else as the top layer so that question might be above my pay grade, sorry. 😊
I don't treat my OSB with anything. I imagine you could put down some moisture barrier underlayment and the vinyl topper probably goes a long way to protect the wood as well. I do live in a pretty dry climate but mine have held up very well for many years now.
Thanks! knowing you didn't finish is already good news, so whatever finish we put it would be a plus. About the seams, yes we're going to have to space them I think, and possibly put sealer or some other flexible material between the plates, so the vinyl is not damaged.
Thanks again
@@milliondollardancestudio3854
Thank you for divulging your experience and professional advice to the dance world. And for free? You don't find that too often!
As far as the pool noodles, does it matter if they're solid or have holes in the middle?
How are you ensuring the straightness/flatness when cutting the pool noodles? Or are you just eyeballing it?
For strictly a ballet studio application, what pool noodle thickness would you recommend? I know... experiment first, right?
Thanks once again. I know your time is money and appreciate your sharing from the kindness of your heart. Bless you!
Great video! I am set to making this for my daughter, as she can't get any ballet training during the lock down. I was wondering if you have any preference on dimensions of the boards? Cutting them at the store to smaller pieces would make them a lot easier to transport, but there is probably a point where they would be too small.
I think that the fewer seams you have in the finished product the happier you'll be with the floor. Maybe find a friend with a truck?
@@milliondollardancestudio3854 thank you, I'll follow your advice. For some reason, in my local stores, OSB boards with regular edge are 8x4, but only 8x2 for the tongue and groove. Since this will be a very small dancing area (12x6) , I'll have two boards on the bottom layer, and three on top. Hopefully it works out, I'll post a follow up.
@@michaelp43 That is strange. Can they special order it for you?
@Million Dollar Dance Studio, thanks for this great video and comments in the community, it really helps a lot. I need some guidance on couple of points for our new ballet school in Istanbul Turkey:
1) What is optimum pool noodle diameter?
2) Spacing between pool noodles 30 cm/ 50 cm?
3) At some applications/ vendors, I see they use Foam Blocks or Cubes or Rubber Blocks? Which option do you suggest if we don't prefer pool noodles? Can you suggest sites/ link where we can check the specs since there are huge variety of these pads?
Hey Erhan,
I know that pool noodles come in lots of diameters. I don't think I have a strong opinion on which one is the best.
The distance between them is going to depend a little bit on the diameter that you choose. I'd recommend that you buy one board and experiment a little bit with the amount of 'give' that you want in the floor.
I like pool noodles because they are very inexpensive and readily available where I live. They are made of closed-cell foam that is water resistant and seems to hold up well over time.
If you have another type of foam or rubber that is inexpensive and available to you then you might want to go with that. I use to use a closed-cell foam that I could source locally in large sheets, but pool noodles are so much less expensive and so ubiquitous that I just use them now.
Sorry I don't have more info on specs for other types of foam. That's a great question, though.
Good luck!
Excellent, informative video! Question for you, can this be done over thin, commercial grade carpet?
Hi Majid, that's usually no problem at all!
This was just the video I was looking for! I'm a fairly advanced DIY'er (done lots of complex remodeling projects). I'm building a fairly large dance studio (20x28) for principally high-level ballet and basic hip-hop. The starting subfloor is OSP (3rd floor of house). I'm thinking 1" foam with 1/2" OSP. We of course are doing Marley. My questions are:
1. Could I use a laminate floor between the sprung floor and the Marley, or is it too slippery for the Marley (making the floor slide)?
2. I assume the tongue and groove top floor is for stability of the floating floor? I'm looking for alternatives that can support normal living if I roll-up the Marley.
3. Are you saying not to shoe mould the floating floor in place? I have a wide transition area onto the dance floor, still figuring out how to build that transition to provide stability in the dance floor.
Thanks in advance for any help.
1. I don't think the laminate would be too slippery for the marley. Worst-case scenario you double-sticky tape part of the marley down.
2. Yup, stability is the issue. You don't want any seams from the lower layer to be even with seams on the upper layer of subfloor. I'd be worried that just using laminate you'd run into the problem because the pieces are more narrow. Maybe two layers of subfloor and also the laminate?
3. The floor does move, that's the point. Just keep that in mind as you're deciding how to attach your trim or transitions.
Good luck with your floor!
@@milliondollardancestudio3854 Follow-up Question. If I'm using T&G OSP (Advantech) for the sprung floor, will the T&G provide enough stability to not need the second subfloor? I suspect the answer is the sprung floor will stress the T&G (like the laminate)and likely break the tongue over time?
Hi - Thanks for the great video. In part 1 you mention 1/4 inch OSB for the first layer, and in part 2, you mention 1/2 inch OSB for that layer (with 3/4 inch over the top in both cases). Do you have a preference?
I personally use 1/2 inch OSB on the bottom layer. I did just redo a studio floor in a new location that had 1/4 and it seemed to work fine.
Hello! These Videos have given me so much insight on flooring that I want to do. I have a question because I do Latin dance instruction and NEED wood flooring. I want to do smooth plywood top. Any suggestions? Would these work without nails or screws? If not then would I glue them? Someone please help. THANK YOU in advance.
There are absolutely a ton of options for wood flooring today that don't require any kind of glue or nails and the floorboards just snap together.
Hello I'm making this floor this week wish me luck. Any tips? I'm making it for a ballroom dance floor with plywood as the top layer. No nails no screws. Should I use liquid nails between the layers of plywood.
I don't have a ton of experience with this floor for ballroom dance. I know that most ballroom dancers I've spoken to prefer a wooden finish.
I never use liquid nails between layers. If the floor is large enough it's own weight and friction seem to hold it all together well.
Good luck with your floor!
Hello,
Thankyou for sharing so much of your expertise and knowledge. During this time of Covid, and doing ballet lessons online, I’m thinking of building our elite ballet student son, a portable dance floor. I love your system and I’m going to give it a go. What, in your opinion, is the best thickness to cut the pool noodles for classical ballet practice? I don’t really know how much spring is ideal... do you have a suggestion?
Thanks again.
Rosaria, this is a tough question. Not all pool noodles are created equal. Some are thick, others fatter, some denser, etc. But, for most applications about one inch is sufficient.
I'm a Zumba instructor who is teaching classes online due to COVID. I've had to dance on carpet because the rest of my house is tile and it's just too hard on my body. I've been researching flooring and this method by far seems more cost effective than others. I really need the cushion due to past knee injuries. I don't have slippery shoes (I tend in a Ryka dance shoe) so I cannot have a surface with much stick or grip (but it can't be super smooth either). I'm in Texas, so it can either be cold and dry, or hot and humid (though the air conditioning regulates it). I just have a couple of questions for tweaking to make this floor effective, safe, and do what I need it to do (impact absorbing and the ability to turn/twist in the shoes I use are the biggest, along with ease to break it down and put it back without destroying the floor).
My floor would be 8'x8' maximum (7'x7' would work easily, but it seems like extra work to trim the 4'x8' boards if you don't have to). It would have to be at an angle so there would not be a wall to push it against to help hold it in place. It also might be something that has to move *each* week as it has to be in a common area of our house. The design would be 2 thinner 4'8' OSB boards with the pool noodles glued to it, then rotating the T&G OSB to 90 degrees to cut down on seam overlap. Those are easy enough to move if need be.
The question is, given the shoes and fitness (and latin dance) moves I use, what should I use for the floor top that is easy to move and not damage (again, possibly every week), how do I secure it, and do we need to build some type of frame/ramp to keep this in place, or would clamps along the T&G seam work fine (the lower layer held in place by the weight)? Because the edges of the "stage" will be used, would extra foam be good along the edges? Would 2" be ideal due to impact moves? Could you glue/seal the floor top covering to the top of the T&G boards to make it more mobile (like luxury vinyl flooring due to waterproof, either rolls or the click in place panels?). Could you flip the layers so the T&G is on the bottom with the foam and the thinner OSB is on the top with a floor attached? Would marley flooring work, or would it not be slick enough with the Ryka dance shoes (what you'd used in a group fitness studio)?
Really appreciate any help on this, and thank you so much for posting this video. Foam interlocking bases seem to have too many issues (and create soft spots), and the places that make panels with the sprung floor are $$$$.
Hey KelDancesWithChaos, I'm afraid I don't know that I have good answers for all of those questions. I almost always use marley as the topper for the floors I use, but that's probably not the cheapest option that would work. What kind of floor are you most accustomed to dancing on? Could you just use that similar surface on this smaller floor?
Also, it's probably a good idea to get some kind of frame around a smaller floor so it doesn't travel as you're moving on it.
@@milliondollardancestudio3854 I'm used to dancing on the floors put into group fitness studios in gyms. They are usually a finished wood floor over a sprung floor to protect against impact. Obviously for a portable floor, a wood floor is overkill if not impossible, but I need s surface that has a little grip, but not much, as I teach in Ryka dances shoes, which are sneakers that have a tread but it is circular on the toe to allow pivoting (as long as the floor isn't sticky--I can't turn on the wood floors either when it was super humid in the rooms). I have to wear those shoes for support. I've never danced on marley floors (only wooden, back in the day) so I needed to know how the surface on Marley (or vinyl) compares so I don't have too much tread. As well as a floor I can either affix to the top layer of OSB or easily remove (and thus not have to fasten down). Most luxury vinyl (the waterproof nature due to sweat is enticing) surfaces seems to allow enough movement without being slippery, but I don't know how the planks will stay together on a floor with spring, as they prefer harder surfaces to lay on. So a roll out mat like Marley or other similar surface might be the best option.
My issue with Marley is it comes in rolls just over 5' so if my floor is 8'x8' I'm going to have a seam and waste a lot.
I didn't know if the border of such a small floor (b/c the entire space will get used) would need more pool noodle support as well. I also wondered (as have to do some type of border or ramp) how much a 1.5" (or should I use 2"?) pool noodle cut will settle. Do you have a tutorial for how you do a ramp to this floor (you mentioned doing it under so the floor settles into place over it, and I didn't know if the ramp could also act as a border to hold it in place, or if clamps would work due to having to move it)?
I'm used to teaching on a stage in a studio (so not falling off), so ramps aren't needed.
Really appreciate any advice you can give me. Trying to make it through this quarantine keeping people healthy without killing my knees/body. :)
I want to turn one of the rooms in my house into a dance studio. It currently has carpet, but if I take out the carpet and do this foam noodle method would the radiant heat that in my concrete affect the foam? Would it smell or become less adhesive to the osb?
Good question. This one might be above my pay grade. I'm afraid I don't know much about radiant heat systems.
If I had to guess I would imagine it would have to get pretty hot before the foam or adhesive started to deteriorate.
I was thinking of placing the pool noodles on top of the carpet pad. Do you think that would work? I should then only need 1" tall pool noodles pieces since the carpet pad is 1/2". Also, have you used shower pan liner as a topper?
This is dope. Thank you. Please help me out!
1) If the floor is now completed and elevated, how do I hide the front and back openings (any openings)?
2) If you don't add a trim, how do you create a smooth finish where the floor is flush to the wall? (Perfect math?)
Thanks !
I actually do usually add some trim to the open and exposed edges of the floor.
@@milliondollardancestudio3854 Thanks for replying so fast!
Could you provide some references for how I can add trim? (TH-cam, Google, Etc..) It seems that trim for a regular floor and a raised dance studio floor is different!
@@artcherslibrary6300 You bet. On my most recent floors we used something like this: www.grainger.com/product/2RRW3
In the past I've just run a 2x4 through my table saw with the blade at an angle. That creates a little "sloped" piece that I can then just attach to the edge.
Hope that helps.
@@milliondollardancestudio3854 Hey! Since I'm planning to build this dance floor in Japan, I'm not sure I can get my hands on Tug and Groove plywood. Do you think its possible to build a stable design using regulars OSB Boards for the bottom and top layer (checkered)? Any suggestions?
Thanks so much. Still in awe that you're kind enough to reply to all our questions. Respect!
@@artcherslibrary6300 Hmm. I just did a quick google search for "tongue and groove plywood japan" and did get some results. I'd check with a local home improvement or lumber supply shop and see if they have a recommendation. Maybe show them an image of what you're looking for.
If it really is something you can't find then you'll probably be okay without it, but you'd probably need to screw the two layers together to prevent too much movement along the seams. I do like the idea of not using any screws to hold things together, so make sure you watch to make sure those screws don't work their way through your marley or whatever top you put on.
Hi, Thank you so much for these very thorough videos, however, i am doing a dance studio but cant easily access marley flooring, would you recommend a ply wood floor finish?
Hey Ameika, that depends a bit on what kind of dance you're teaching. Can you tell me a bit more about why marley is hard to come by for you? Is it just the cost? There are plenty of other solutions but some are more expensive than marley.
@@milliondollardancestudio3854 hi, im located in Trinidad and Tobago so in order to get Marley floor I'd have to have it shipped
@@DanceFitnessTobagoAmeikaL, Ahh, I see. I know a couple of studios that just use a verathane finish right on the subfloor. Just like you would finish a regular wood floor. I personally don't like that look too much. Our local building supply store has a "faux wood" vinyl flooring that is very inexpensive (about $1/ft2) and I used that in a Yoga studio and like it. I also know that some studios use shower liner as a marley alternative. That's usually available at the big box home centers or plumbing supply centers as well.
@@milliondollardancestudio3854 ohhh. I thought about doing the verathane finish. But that faux wood , would it be ok for dancing ?
@@DanceFitnessTobagoAmeikaL What type of dancing do you teach?
Thanks for these awesomevideos! Getting ready to install in our home dance studio. A few questions:
1). What type of liquid nails did you use. There are many varieties available, did you use the foamboard liquid nails so it didn’t deteriorate the pool noodles?
2) how long did you let the pools noodles sit glued before you installed the subfloor? Did you need to let them sit overnight to make sure the liquid nails cured?
thanks!!!!
I don't imagine the variety of liquid nails really matters. Once you've flipped the board over the pool noodle pieces don't have anywhere to move. I haven't personally noticed any deterioration as a result of the adhesive.
Million Dollar Dance Studio thanks for the reply. Will post pictures once installed!
Can’t figure out how to post finished pictures but wanted to say THANK YOU for the videos. The floor we installed in our basement (20x12 dance studio) turned out great!!!
@@iahawk5 Awesome! Glad it turned out.
Do you have a video of the entire process of doing this type of floor showing it all? Your content is very helpful. Thank you!
Thanks a lot for the videos! I do not have heat in my basement space where I'm planning to construct the dance floor. I'm planning to use space heaters to heat up the area before dance practice. Would you know if the wood would warp due to cold weather? Thank you for your help.
Leave some expansion space around the perimeter and you should be good. Water is a more likely cause of warping. Also, follow the manufacturers advice for whatever topper you use.
Thanks for the video. I’m in the middle of installing this exact floor in our basement. We have a large room below our garage that will be our home studio. One question I have is, if you didn’t want to have the floor mobile, would you use screws to secure the two OSB sheets to one another? In other videos similar to your, it shows a few screws being placed to secure the two layers together. Thanks!
I don't care as much about mobility personally as I do about ruining the marley or a student getting injured because of a screw poking up. With this much movement in the floor you need to be really vigilant over time if you're going to put any screws in it.
You could always build the floor, and then if you feel like it needs some screws to hold it together maybe put just a couple in the far corners?
Thank you so much for this video it was very helpful to have actual visuals for our installation! I do have a issue you maybe able to assist me with though. Our tongue and groove gives us terrible seams and isn’t completely flat, which is making our Marley very wavy/bumpy. Do you suggest putting a layer of floor rubber in between the Marley and tongue and groove ? Or do you have another suggestion ?
An inexpensive vinyl floor might be the solution. This does dampen the sound quite a bit for tap if you're using it for that application, but it does smooth out the surface for the marley.
Is Marley slippery or more rubbery? I mean, will it create too much traction for Pirouettes and such? Also you mentioned high heel classes, which finishing would suit those type of studios best?
Hey Marta, Marley is pretty ideal for just about any kind of dance class. That being said, most social dance styles and those that might have heels are probably better suited for wooden floors.
Thank you for your video. Can we use interlocking foam floor mats instead of the foam noodles? Either laying them down in full piece or cutting them into smaller pieces. What do you think?
I would imagine that would work.
Hi! Your 2 part video has been very helpful and informative so thank you so much for sharing! I am wanting to build this in my garage and its a rental so I can't drill anything into the ground, etc. Do I need to build some type of frame to keep the boards in place? How do I finish off the edges neatly like do cut the marley a little smaller than the site of the floor and tape the edges down? i would so appreciate your advice and help on this because I can't see how its done in any of the other videos i've seen floating around youtube.
Hey Nadiah, whether you build a frame depends a bit on how big the floor is that you're building. Usually, friction and the weight of the boards themselves is enough to keep everything in place, especially if you're going to tape the marley down on top.
For us, we usually just build these floors wall to wall so no frame is really needed.
@@milliondollardancestudio3854 thank you so much for replying 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 I’ll only have 1 side against the wall while the rest will be open as it’s going to be In my garage which is shared with my neighbour. Our spaces are separated by 2 pillars.
@@milliondollardancestudio3854 also if I can’t get OSB, is it ok to use just regular plywood for both layers?
Hi there, love the video!!
We have moved a small personal training studio next door to a residence. The vibrational noise is travelling through to their house from dropping dumbells on the shared concrete floor between the two properties.
He is an architect and has suggested a raised floor as the solution. We could not afford a fully fitted raised floor and I love this idea. I’m worried about a static load of a dumbbell rack or squat rack. Do you think this load bearing would we sufficient with the pool noodles? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks you!!
Wow, good question.
I would imagine that it wouldn't take too much of this kind of weight to fully compact the pool noodles, but even that would be better than concrete.
I'd be more concerned that dropping the weights on the OSB might start to break it down. It's not super resilient stuff.
I know there are lots of rubberized mats that are designed specifically to just be placed directly on concrete for that kind of application. Maybe that's what you could try first? Or in addition to this solution?
Hi...great video...I'm turning one of my upstairs bedrooms into a practice studio for my daughter. I pulled up the carpet and it had a plywood subfloor (builder grade)...can I leave it as is and just put a marley topper on the builders existing subfloor OR should I do a sprung floor before putting a marley topper? Thanks in advance!
If the existing subfloor is in great condition you can probably just put the marley down directly on it. I'd try that first and if you need more "spring" you can always put more floor down later.
@@milliondollardancestudio3854 Thanks so much! My house is only 6 years old so the existing floor is in really good shape. Thanks for your time!!! :-)
Hi, I'd like to build an 8'x10' ballet floor in my living room. It will be installed over 10 year old burberry type carpet, so not too thick like shag, not too thin like commercial carpet. It's mot bouncy carpet at all. Also, it will not be installed against walls, so I think I may need a frame. Can you recommend the thickness of the pool noodles I need for ballet pointe work and small jumps like jetés and assemblés, please? I'm concerned that 1.5" might be too high on carpet. Also, is there a video for building a frame around a dance floor? Thank you for you videos. They are very helpful!
Hi Vivian. Of course it's difficult for me to give you an exact answer to this, but if you have some "give" in the floor already you might not need anything else under the floor at all.
You're also right about the frame for a smaller floor. I'm afraid I don't have a video on that because there are just so many potential scenarios, but I'd just try attaching some 2 x 4s flat around the perimeter and see if that works for you.
Good luck with your floor.
That sounds like what I’m thinking too. Thank you!!
First, Thank you for the video and all the answers.
Second, would you recommend the same process on tile floor?
Tile usually needs to be installed on cement or cement backer board. I would imagine that this flooring solution would allow too much movement and the tiles and grout would come unstuck.
Million Dollar Dance Studio thank you.
I meant the floor that I want to put the obs on (the bottom layer) is made of tiles.
@@PacoNicolasCervantes Oh, yes, sorry, I misunderstood. Absolutely, tiles underneath should be no problem at all.
We've seen or used this application on cement, tile, and wood subfloor installations.
Million Dollar Dance Studio thank you for your time
Is there a cost comparison that you could show for a property with this method versus the wood frame mentioned in first video? I have spinal issues I just discovered this month and want to keep dancing so dancing on concrete (that's the space I was given) is a no-no. I'm contracted with the city and they like the attention my classes bring so trying to get them to see the benefit. I teach folklorico, so a lot of repetitive movement in heels with nails. Any recommendations for vinyl? We don't have mirrors either and that's a whole other story. I want to have some evidence for them that a floating floor is not that expensive and offers other uses for shared space.
Hey nakira80. I don't really have a cost comparison. I simply haven't kept up on the cost of other ways to build a studio floor. Outside of that, the cost also varies pretty significantly based on your location.
Good luck in your work with the city!
Me Again,
I hope you’re well.
I have another question.
If I’m only going to make a small section to practice at the barre, and do stationary jumps and tours, and there will be no seams because the area of the one sheet of plywood is big enough, do I need still need a second layer of plywood over the first, or will one layer with the noodle circles glued to it be enough for this purpose?
The reason I ask this is because the way I understand it is that the second layer of plywood is to stabilise the first where the seams are. Am I correct?
Hey Rosaria. I've never built such a small floor. Part of what stabilizes the floor is the weight itself. For sure, I'd be using the thicker tongue and groove sheet and I'd experiment with shorter cuts of the pool noodles.
Good luck!
Love this video. Getting ready to lay the Marley. I used (4) 4x8 for my space of osb and 4 osb t/g. I basically laid the t/g in opposite directions that the regular osb. Will I have any issues of the t/g separating after use?
I've never really had any issues with the TNG coming apart. The friction just seems to hold it all in place. I would imagine it would be pretty trivial to tape the seems if you did start to have that problem.
@milliondollardancefloor. Having a hard time deciding to go with OSB or higher grade plywood. Have you had any issues with the floor warping? Also, have you had any issues not screwing the two layers together? Hoping to start construction next week would love your input on the plywood type and hardware/ no hardware.
I haven't had any issues with warping. I'm in Colorado, a fairly dry climate, but we've had some issues with roof leaks over the last several months and I haven't noticed any warping at all.
My floor installations go "wall to wall" so there is not much room for them to slide/move. If you have a smaller floor installed with some kind of open perimeter around it then you might benefit from a couple screws around the edges, or better yet, a frame to trim it out.
Also, installing the "rough" side of the OSB down not only gives you a smoother finish on the top, but also creates more friction between the layers.
Every installation I've seen that has any kind of foam underneath and relies on screwing the layers together eventually has problems with the screws working themselves up through the marley.
I'm currently building two more floors in a new location I'm opening next month and I'll use this exact method of building them both again.
That being said, if you feel more comfortable using a higher-grade plywood then that peace of mind might be worth a few extra bucks.
Good luck!
If I want to make a smaller floor for my dancer to use at home for practice (tap, acro, ballet, and contemporary) should I have the top layer cut into two pieces? I am worried about the top layer sliding off of the bottom layer. My plan is to make 4 x 8 practice floor for home.
You might be benefited by building a small frame around a floor like this.
Is the tongue and groove top layer OSB as well?
I use the tongue and groove only on the top level.
Hello! This video is amazing, thank you so much! Can I just ask, do you secure the noodles to the cement flooring to prevent the bottom boards moving? If not, how do you secure them so they don't have any wiggle room?
The weight of the floor itself is usually sufficient.
Building it flush to the walls can also help. If you feel like you need more security for a smaller floor you could build a small frame around the floor.
@@milliondollardancestudio3854 Do you have a recommendation for how to build a frame around the flooring? We are only doing a 4x8 practice floor. Also, since the floor is so small should we just put another 4x8 piece of plywood over the first one? I'm guessing we don't need TNG plywood, but I'm concerned that they will slide around on each other. Suggestions?
@@kmcandme In the past I've run some 2 x 4s through a table saw at an angle to make a "ramp" of sorts and used that to frame edges. That might work as well.
Love the idea of using pool noodles instead of high density closed cell foam cubes (since they are cheaper). In the video, you mention using it for martial arts. Do you think this method would be appropriate for martial arts with strong falls, such as judo?
The floor can have quite a lot of give, but in this installation the top is still wooden, so it's pretty hard. That's rough on your bony parts.
We use this floor for a studio where we train BJJ, but we always have mats down on top of it when we do.
@@milliondollardancestudio3854 Than you so much for the answer. I meant if you consider appropriate to use this type of subflooring under judo tatami mats (I should made that clear, sorry)
@@marcosgarcia-tornel4677 Yup! Then you should be good. I use it for that kind of thing all the time.
We have installed our dance floor, but we are noticing bumps where the tongue and groove seams come together. Do you have any suggestions to remedy this or is this normal? We have the Marley down and it doesn’t interfere with dancing, but didn’t know if this was normal.
Marley comes in all kinds of thicknesses and it's not uncommon to see some small outlines of the underlayment when using the thinner versions. If it's not causing a problem for the dancers I wouldn't worry too much about it personally.
Some people choose to run some Marley tape along the actual seems of the tongue and groove and that can smooth out the transition a little bit as well.
So, we are having issues with dance studios where vinyl PVC “sport court” type interlocking tiles were used for the dance floor, put down w no subfloor right into cement. These tiles were sold as spring flooring, but the dancers are not finding it sprung enough (especially not at the seams).
What would you suggest as a remedy, besides these floors out entirely and starting again? Could popping them up and putting a 1/2 inch foam subfloor help?
Hmm, I'd for sure try popping them up if you can.
Maybe put some foam under one layer of plywood or OSB and put the sport court on top?
Would anyone have a thought on what would be the best tape, or process of securing dance marley to this type of floor? Everything has turned out good overall. My biggest thing is what is the best solution for type of tape, attaching the marley to the osb. The vinyl tape I got w/ my marley, works great for the seams. And somewhat ok in various spots around the marley. But finding that my corners, are not holding at well. Hoping to get some thoughts on some potential solutions. Thanks!
I haven't had this specific problem, but there are all kinds of double sided flooring tape options available either online or even in your local home store. I just googled "double sided marley tape" and several options came up, several specifically designed for use with marley.
Let us know what you decide and how it works for you.
Building my dance floor. Where do you tape the marley around the perimeter of the room. Can you send a picture?
I don't have any images handy, but there are a number of ways to handle this that will depend on how the floor is installed in the room and how big the floor is.
Do you have an open perimeter around your floor or does it go wall-to-wall?
There are a number of brands of double-sided tape that I've seen used to keep the edges attached to the floor if that's needed.
Thicker marley and larger floors often don't need the edges taped.
So this type of setup would be good for most any type of dance style? tap, etc. and you find that the pool cushions over time don't wear down to the point where they would need replaced?
Additional question. The sprung floor, the 4x8' osb boards with the cushions, are not tung and groove like the next layer?
Hey Kevin, sorry for the delayed response. I have never had a problem with the foam wearing down enough that it needs to be replaced. One of my floors has been installed like this for more than a decade now and even moved to a new location.
Over the first few months there is some significant settling and then the floors seem to stabilize.
@@KevinPrice1972 Also, that's correct. I don't use tongue and groove for the lower layer.
Would a Diagonal pattern work better for placing the noodles on the OSB
I don't imagine the pattern has as much of an impact on the result as the density of your placement. It's worth an experiment!
I am on a very strict budget and have access to enough pvc shower pan liner material, what are your thoughts on that as the “Marley” flooring. This is just my personal home studio and I have heard of people using for dance floors I’m just not sure?? Thanks :)
Also I my dance style is primarily modern and acrobatic, so barefoot. Thanks for all of the information! My home studio dream is finally coming true!!!
Hey Megan. I don't use it myself, but I know a lot of people do. For a home studio I'd imagine you'll be fine.
For larger or professional installations I recommend you work with real marley from a reputable company.
Congrats on your home studio.
I want to build a small floor so my daughter can practice her Irish dancing at home during the lock down. I'm in the UK so Marley flooring means nothing to the flooring suppliers I have tried. What should I be looking for? Vinyl flooring comes in so many grades and thicknesses, I just have no clue what to go for.
Hey Technomage, marley is a specialized dance floor topper that most residential and commercial flooring suppliers wouldn't be familiar with.
Even here in the US we order it online, and I believe a lot of it is actually manufactured in Germany.
I just googled "marley floor uk" and a number of online options for ordering came up. I don't have a particular re-seller that I recommend, but hopefully you'll be able to find some options there.
Good luck!
@@milliondollardancestudio3854 Thanks for the reply, ironically I used to work for Marley back in the 80's. My search results are only offering links to Marley or to companies who do complete floors. You have given me hope though. Thanks for posting the video as well, it is very well made.
Try asking at hardware/plumbing stores for shower pan or pond liner!
Hello,
Do you leave a small gap between the boards ans the wall? Or against it directly?
Thanks again
I don't intentionally leave a gap, but I imagine you could. I live in a very dry climate and the temp in the room stays pretty constant. Expansion is not a huge concern for us. The boards don't slide easily either (especially if you put "rough" sides together).
Million Dollar Dance Studio thank you once again.. I’ll send you the pictures if interested
This is good, but in Part One he tells us to use 1/4" OSB as the bottom layer, the one that the noodles are attached to, then 3/4" T&G OSB for the upper layer. In Part Two however, although he's wearing the same shirt, which implies that he probably recorded it at the same time, he says to use 1/2" OSB for the lower layer and doesn't specify the thickness of the upper layer, simply referring to it as OSB. What thickness should each layer actually be?
I've used 1/4 inch ply for the bottom. Either will work, but I usually use 1/2 inch osb for the lower layer.
What do you do to prepare the concrete floor if the concrete is not level?
How uneven in the floor? Is it slanting at an angle or are there seams that aren't even?
One of the beautiful things about this design is that the pool noodles compress to overcome much of the inconsistencies in the flooring underneath.
Can I build this floor on tiles???
Thank you
That usually works just fine.
What is the best ballroom flooring
Hi Ramona, I don't run a ballroom program myself so I don't know if I have a strong opinion, but I think most ballroom studios prefer wood flooring.
Do you screw the top layer to the bottom?
I don't use any screws at all in this build. The weight of the boards and the friction between them is what keeps it all together.
Would you say that you should cut the pool noodles to be around 2 inches thick? More? Thanks!
Hey Rob, yes that's about how long I cut mine. Keep in mind that the longer the pieces the more "bounce" the floor will have. For some applications I know some people want less give in the floor.
Million Dollar Dance Studio awesome. Thank you. I have an Irish dancer that needs a dance floor at home so this sounds great!
Just got done building mine. It’s a total of 16ftx12ft. I cut the noodles 1.5 inches thick. Would love to show you my pics and what not. I need to add a trim because the tongue and groove do move a bit more than I’d like. Thanks for all the advice! Now to add the floor topper! Need to find some marley.
@@fifkid11We'd love to see your photos. Feel free to link an online folder or PM them to us.
Million Dollar Dance Studio here you go: drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_JFRz5ORYWlHCZGO0mhXoOQ71R1PNBaD
We hired someone to follow this video videos the pool noodle part ourselves but the contractor laid the 2nd level the same direction as first and liquid nailed it. I’m concerned this is an issue as some parts are not stable as others
As the floor settles over time it might stabilize as well. I personally don't connect the layers of wood, in part because it allows me to take things apart if I need to fix something.
Does the fact the contractor didn’t put the top layer OSB in the opposite direction matter? It’s the same direction as first layer
@@RISE-DPAC Our biggest concern isn't just the direction of the panels. As long as the seams of the upper and lower layers don't directly overlap you should be good.
isn't a 4x8 board 32 square feet?
Yes, you're exactly right!
Million Dollar Dance Studio Thanks! For a minute I thought I was gong crazy when the video said it was 24.
Thanks for catching it!
Does the top layer float as well? No screws? Would you recommend gluing it to the 1/2” bottom layer
@@pepidragotta4531 I don't use any screws at all. When I have used them in the past I had the problem with some of them eventually working their way up through the marley surface.
I know some people like to tape the seams before putting down their marley but I've never felt like it was necessary.
I don't glue my layers either and this allows me to move the floor to a new location if I ever wanted to.