How to Build a Dance Floor
Select plywood., Get a polyurethane sealant., Set up a space to seal the boards outside., Follow the specific directions on the sealant., Get two pieces of 4x8 ft (1.2x2.4 m) plywood., Determine which sides will be your dance surface., Attach the...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Select plywood.
Plywood comes in several different types of wood and thicknesses.
The type of wood does not matter too much.
A ¾ in (2 cm) thickness is ideal, especially if you live in a apartment and there are folks who live beneath you.
If noise is not an issue, ½ in (1.3 cm) thick plywood will work.Plywood usually comes in 4x8 ft (1.2x2.4 m) boards.
Two of these boards positioned side-by-side is usually ideal for a home dance floor. -
Step 2: Get a polyurethane sealant.
Sealing your dance floor will help make it much more resilient and help it last longer.
You’ll apply sealant to the wood you’re using for the dance floor's surface before assembling the dance floor.
Sealants are available at the hardware store or online., The easiest option is laying the boards down flat on a tarp.
If you have a couple saw horses, you can also position the board on the saw horses with a tarp on the ground to catch any dripping sealant. , Most likely, you will be directed to sand the board, clean it with mineral spirits, apply a coat of the sealant with a brush, allow it to dry, and do it all again.
Be sure to follow the directions of your sealant closely, as they will help ensure a good, smooth seal.Apply three or four coats and sand the surface before each coat.
Once a coat has dried, walk around the board and look at from several angles.
Pay extra attention to any patches that aren’t shiny when applying the next layer. , When assembled side by side, two sheets of plywood will make the perfect sized dance floor for home use in a carpeted room.
If you want the dance floor to be lighter and a bit easier to move, have the hardware store cut each sheet down to
3.5x8 ft (1x2.4 m)., Before fastening the boards to one another, inspect each side of your plywood boards.
Position the boards on the floor with the side that will be the dancing surface facing down.
The sides of the boards facing up will be the bottom of your dance floor, which will allow you to attach a hinge and fasten the two boards together.When positioned snugly side by side, the boards will make an 8x8 ft (2.4x2.4 m) dance floor. , Including a hinge on your dance floor will keep each half together and will make the floor easy to move and store.
A five or six foot piano hinge is ideal, but you can also use multiple smaller hinges instead.Use wood screws to fasten the hinges to the sheets of plywood.
Make sure the screws are shorter than the thickness of the plywood.
Position the hinges so that the boards rest snugly side by side when the hinges are open. , Rounded trim on the edges of your dance floor will improve its appearance, reduce stubbed toes, and allow you to more comfortably step on the edge of the floor.
When selecting pieces of trim, make sure individual pieces are slightly longer than the sides of the floor, and that they are the same thickness as the plywood you used., In order for the pieces of trim to meet snugly at the corners of your dance floor, they need to be cut at 45-degree angles.
Take care to account for this angle when measuring your piece.
For instance, for a 8 ft (2.4 m) side of the dance floor, you’ll need a piece of trim that’s 8 ft (2.4 m) long not including the angled portion of the trim.If you’re using ½ in (1.3 cm) plywood and ½ in (1.3 cm) rounded trim, the outside edge of the trim (which will include the angled portion) will be 8 ft (2.4 m) and 1 in (2.5 cm) long.
Note that you’ll need to cut the trim in half on the sides that have the split to allow the dance floor to fold. , Use wood glue to fasten the trim to the edges of the dance floor.
Make sure you’re putting the halved pieces of trim on the right sides of the floor., Once the glue has dried, hammer finishing nails into the trim about a foot apart.
Make sure to position the nails to angle slightly downwards, so they don’t angle up and penetrate the surface of the dance floor.Don’t skip the nailing step.
Even if the trim seems extremely well-attached after the glue has dried, it will eventually come off if you don’t nail it down. -
Step 3: Set up a space to seal the boards outside.
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Step 4: Follow the specific directions on the sealant.
-
Step 5: Get two pieces of 4x8 ft (1.2x2.4 m) plywood.
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Step 6: Determine which sides will be your dance surface.
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Step 7: Attach the plywood sheets to one another with a hinge.
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Step 8: Consider adding rounded trim.
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Step 9: Cut the trim to meet at the corners.
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Step 10: Glue the trim to the dance floor.
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Step 11: Nail the trim down.
Detailed Guide
Plywood comes in several different types of wood and thicknesses.
The type of wood does not matter too much.
A ¾ in (2 cm) thickness is ideal, especially if you live in a apartment and there are folks who live beneath you.
If noise is not an issue, ½ in (1.3 cm) thick plywood will work.Plywood usually comes in 4x8 ft (1.2x2.4 m) boards.
Two of these boards positioned side-by-side is usually ideal for a home dance floor.
Sealing your dance floor will help make it much more resilient and help it last longer.
You’ll apply sealant to the wood you’re using for the dance floor's surface before assembling the dance floor.
Sealants are available at the hardware store or online., The easiest option is laying the boards down flat on a tarp.
If you have a couple saw horses, you can also position the board on the saw horses with a tarp on the ground to catch any dripping sealant. , Most likely, you will be directed to sand the board, clean it with mineral spirits, apply a coat of the sealant with a brush, allow it to dry, and do it all again.
Be sure to follow the directions of your sealant closely, as they will help ensure a good, smooth seal.Apply three or four coats and sand the surface before each coat.
Once a coat has dried, walk around the board and look at from several angles.
Pay extra attention to any patches that aren’t shiny when applying the next layer. , When assembled side by side, two sheets of plywood will make the perfect sized dance floor for home use in a carpeted room.
If you want the dance floor to be lighter and a bit easier to move, have the hardware store cut each sheet down to
3.5x8 ft (1x2.4 m)., Before fastening the boards to one another, inspect each side of your plywood boards.
Position the boards on the floor with the side that will be the dancing surface facing down.
The sides of the boards facing up will be the bottom of your dance floor, which will allow you to attach a hinge and fasten the two boards together.When positioned snugly side by side, the boards will make an 8x8 ft (2.4x2.4 m) dance floor. , Including a hinge on your dance floor will keep each half together and will make the floor easy to move and store.
A five or six foot piano hinge is ideal, but you can also use multiple smaller hinges instead.Use wood screws to fasten the hinges to the sheets of plywood.
Make sure the screws are shorter than the thickness of the plywood.
Position the hinges so that the boards rest snugly side by side when the hinges are open. , Rounded trim on the edges of your dance floor will improve its appearance, reduce stubbed toes, and allow you to more comfortably step on the edge of the floor.
When selecting pieces of trim, make sure individual pieces are slightly longer than the sides of the floor, and that they are the same thickness as the plywood you used., In order for the pieces of trim to meet snugly at the corners of your dance floor, they need to be cut at 45-degree angles.
Take care to account for this angle when measuring your piece.
For instance, for a 8 ft (2.4 m) side of the dance floor, you’ll need a piece of trim that’s 8 ft (2.4 m) long not including the angled portion of the trim.If you’re using ½ in (1.3 cm) plywood and ½ in (1.3 cm) rounded trim, the outside edge of the trim (which will include the angled portion) will be 8 ft (2.4 m) and 1 in (2.5 cm) long.
Note that you’ll need to cut the trim in half on the sides that have the split to allow the dance floor to fold. , Use wood glue to fasten the trim to the edges of the dance floor.
Make sure you’re putting the halved pieces of trim on the right sides of the floor., Once the glue has dried, hammer finishing nails into the trim about a foot apart.
Make sure to position the nails to angle slightly downwards, so they don’t angle up and penetrate the surface of the dance floor.Don’t skip the nailing step.
Even if the trim seems extremely well-attached after the glue has dried, it will eventually come off if you don’t nail it down.
About the Author
Anna Johnson
Anna Johnson is an experienced writer with over 5 years of expertise in museums libraries. Passionate about sharing practical knowledge, Anna creates easy-to-follow guides that help readers achieve their goals.
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