Wood for stage flooring

[jimk]

Here we go again - another dispute between experts, advisors and users - with me in the middle.

 

Could I have have some input as to what wood species a stage floor should be constructed from how thick the wood should be, and what size the pieces of wood should be. Plus any other useful tips on its construction.

 

The stage will be multi-purpose for a school, everything from an orchestra to Shakespeare to a pop concert to a dance production.

 

Thanks in advance

[paulears]

The critical thing is not the type of wood, but what the floor will used for? Yours seems multipurpose - for an orchestra, then a proper hardwood, varnished floor - maybe even parquet style looks the best. However, such surfaces look dreadful after people have dragged flight cases, scenery and heavy equipment over it. they also need regular maintenance - sanding and refinishing is vital to retain the good looks. If a raised stage area is being constructed then you also have to consider flex - even with steel support, you'll need a decent sub surface to lay a decorative floor if it is to stay stable and not lift. With a timber joist system, even at 600mm centres, some flex will be evident when loaded.

 

Typical solutions are use hardboard shiny side up over the top of the real floor (mdf, ply etc) The hardboard can be painted, and when wrecked can be lifted and replaced at low cost, low effort. If you want more permanency, then the range of vinyl proper stage floors (NOT from the local carpet centre) from people like Harlequin Studio or Cascade harlequin web site

 

This stuff is great when properly applied - you can put it down permanently (which is best) but it can be rolled - be careful though it is very heavy!

 

Although best kept clean, it can be painted. With some effort, emulsion, when enough layers are down, peels off. If you keep it 'virgin' they have special cleaning solutions - and you can get it in odd colours!

 

Timber floors need doing properly - weight loading is critical and there are other annoying problems. One I was involved with, done on the cheap - was a chipboard floor, laid on 6 x 2 joists at 600mm centres - onto a concret floor that was not level. The builders used shims to level it. Then harlequin was laid on top. After 6 months, some shims has moved, or the wood compressed, and the floor sunk when loaded, by about 10mm - complete with squeaks. Tiered seating using steeldeck was a frequent inhabitant, and the point loading also deformed the floor when the legs were between joists. The builders were just asked to provide a flat floor. they did, but nobody mentioned what would be on it! Well worth checking

[andy_s]

the really important thing it to specify the loading - minimum 7.5 kN per metre squared, the type of finish will depend on the major use of the space - but for theatre, whether receiving or producing, I would argue as strongly as possible for a floor that can be fixed to, and will be painted black (not stained). the floors in the performance and rehearsal spaces in our new building are all made the same way: 2x1 battens over concrete, with neoprene pads to give a little shock absorption, supporting two layers of 18mm ply (in 8x4 standard sheets), all covered in a sacrificial layer of 6mm oil-tempered hardboard (also in 8x4 sheets) painted black as standard, but can be painted to any design as necessary, and can be fixed to with screws, staples (so long as someone gets them all out on the get-out....) or whatever.

(the reason for the concrete is for acoustic seperation - our two theatres sit one on top of the other. it's not a stregnth or loading thing)

we don't have any substage, but if you do, then it's probably worth looking at a system of joists with planks or traps, but again made out of "not posh" timber materials that you can do anything you like to. keep the nice maple polished floor for the foyer!

 

as you're a multi - purpose type venue, I can see where you are going to have a "heated debate". you could try arguing the shock absorbency if there's going to be heavy use for dance, and you could argue also that for concert use, you need a floor that will stand a bit of mistreatment, as the cellos and basses are going to gouge b great holes in it with their spikes....the problem with architects is they take their photos when there are no shows on, so the floor is a bit prominent.......

[Suzette]

Please make sure someone considers the ongoing maintenance costs if you do end up going down the nice shiny polished wood floor route. This type of floor will need sanding down and re-varnishing every year, or it will very soon look a mess. Been there, done it. These costs can be quite expensive - unless you have an in-house maintenance team that will do it in the school holidays. For theatres it can be a big chunk of budget as it also requires a shut-down period of about 5 days, when you can't do any other maintenance on stage.