Plywood stage deck , what black paint/stain to use ?

[tlc]

Title says it all really.

 

Our stage floor is now very poor having been variously stained , varnished , sanded , drilled , and had heavy set dragged over it for 30 yrs.

 

We are applying a new plywood skin over the whole floor and are opting for a black finish.

 

Is ther any black paint / stain that people would recommend as a particularily good finish or long durability.

 

We would expect to be "repainting" this from time to time to keep it fresh.

 

B & Q etc do a very wide range of black emulsion ( )

You can get it in black ... or black ...or black ..... ( :P )

[Brian]

Just a thought but most people opt for a replaceable hardboard skin which can get replaced when it gets 'tired'.

[andy_s]

seconding what Brian's said, and adding a reccomendation for Bolloms Black, available fron Flint Hire and Supply Ltd at £12.50 per 5 litres, or £11.00 per 5 litres if you buy 5 tins at once. for added protection, give it a coat of Bona Mega afterwards (a water-based polyurethane finish), also available from flints, in matt, silk matt or gloss, £56.00 per 5 litres, coverage 9 square metres per litre.

[tlc]

We had previously used a hardboard skin but on this occasion we are now also covering a few "weak points" in the stage were damage has been sustained over the years.

 

(including where our grand piano penetrated the floor when a badly knotted piece of flooring gave way, fortunately it only dipped a few inches )

 

The extra support of the decking will be a plus point for our self propelled access equipment and for when we use ground support truss on "rock and roll" reducing the need for spreader panels.

[tom w]

A few thoughts.

Using a thin skin of ply to re-cover an existing stage surface is perfectly acceptable. Using a thin skin of ply to repair a stage surface is a different matter. Although ply is strong in comparison to many alternatives, a few layers of ply is not sufficient to patch over holes or weak points..Especially if you anticipate point loads from outriggers on access equipment or ground supports. If you are re-skinning the stage anyway, why not carry out repairs first, using a sufficient grade of plywood. Afer that, skin the top using whichever cheap semi-consumable you require. Your overall cost should be similar;your end product will be much safer.

I hope it all goes well.

[Ynot]

Title says it all really.

 

Our stage floor is now very poor having been variously stained , varnished , sanded , drilled , and had heavy set dragged over it for 30 yrs.

 

We are applying a new plywood skin over the whole floor and are opting for a black finish.

Our stage is covered with 6mm (I think) MDF and painted with matt emulsion - Johnstones, if I recall the last lot that went down. The MDF, I reckon, would give you a better finish than ply, and won't splinter if damaged, which ply WILL do unfortunately. Obviously you need to make sure the timber merchant is aware that all the boards need to be in good condition (ie no corners knocked off etc).

 

There are different blacks, agreed, and we prefer one that is definitely matt - some of them still leave a slightly silky look and sheen, even though they say 'matt'.

And of course, there's shades of black (as there are shades of white!).

I try to buy the blacks in bulk, so patching up isn't quite so noticeable.

 

I love it when a stage floor's just been painted, as it just makes the whole place look clean and crisp - and can change the whole lighting aspect (for the better) as it shows any nice even washes you've prepped.

[Grant]

I agree with Ynot about the splintering issue (not funny with dance, kids, or anyone really), consequently we use hardboard albeit the heavy duty stuff (6mm). The main problem we have is getting the paint to adhere properly.

 

Emulsion is cheap, quick to dry and can be coated with a varnish or glaze to stop it marking up quite so badly, however it doesn't stick too well. Its fine until you peel some gaffa off it. Even rubbing the surface down and wiping with spirit prior to painting doesn't improve the situation much.

 

We use Sadolin Superdec (ebony, silk, high opacity) which doesn't need an over treatment to protect it and bonds much better than the emulsion. It does have a sheen, but no worse than a roll of Marley. It is still not perfect though, the hardboard surface still needs cutting to allow good adhesion and the occasional bit of tape does remove paint.

 

For these reasons the next time we resurface I will be open to persuasion to try MDF. I just hate the stuff, and it isn't as forgiving of uneven surfaces, tending to crack rather than mould itself to the floor beneath.

 

I don't think a perfect solution exists so be prepared to keep touching up or recoating and if possible budget to re skin regularly.

[tlc]

A few thoughts.

Using a thin skin of ply to re-cover an existing stage surface is perfectly acceptable. Using a thin skin of ply to repair a stage surface is a different matter. Although ply is strong in comparison to many alternatives, a few layers of ply is not sufficient to patch over holes or weak points..Especially if you anticipate point loads from outriggers on access equipment or ground supports.

 

 

Stage has been repaired fully before we reskin. Makes a few unsightly areas of new wood , half the reason for deciding to recover.

We are not using thin ply , it is thick strong stuff that is heavy to handle but its a once only job to set it all out.

 

Ply is not good for dance , that is why we put down a rosco vinyl floor over our stage deck for dance performance (especially for barefoot dance)

But ply is vastly stronger than MDF which tho non splinter has not much structural integrity under load.

[tom w]

I assumed you were doing things right, hence 'a few thoughts'. The only comment that I would add with regards to plywood; Isn't it a pig, that a strong laminate like ply can erode like a school geography project made out of styrofoam tiles. All it needs is a bit of gaffa tape applied to the edge, and you can watch those laminates peel away.

Our decks are 24mm resin coated plywood, with a hexagrip surface. They last for years in all weathers and some occasional rough handling. Drop a chain on them-fine, drop scaff, scaff fittings, case lids, hammers, in fact pretty much anything-they are fine. Apply and remove gaffa to the same edge for long enough, and the laminate starts to peel.