Thread: Dance Studio flooring?

I am in the process of redoing my home studio. Any suggestions of what to put on the floor to cushion the feet? Any ideas greatly appreciated.

I put down laminate wood. It has a little cushion to it since it's a floating floor system. I would not recommend tile since can be hard on your back and leg joints, carpet can by bad for turns, you could tork a knee, and don't do those spongey tiles since they can be too squishy and that throws off your alignment. Laminate wood is a good and inexpensive way to go. Good luck and congrats on the renovation.

Thank you. I appreciate it. I will look into it now.

We have all wood floors in our small house and when it came time to share a room that I could dance in, it ended up being in my Toddlers play room. We have covered his floor in black anti-fatigue mats from Harbor Freights so that if he tumbles he's not hitting the hardwood floor. They cost about $8.00 for a 4 pack @ the time and are 25 x 25 per square. I have found that I really enjoy dancing on them. I dunno if they are kosher for dancing but that's my 2 cents :)

I just had laminate wood put into my studio, with some light padding underneath it. So far I'm delighted.

Too bad you're not closer to me. I bought a special padded dance flooring called Dancestep for my original studio, it's barely been used and won't fit in the new studio!

Floating Laminate wood is what I have in mine :) I love it.

You have to be careful with the floating/engineered products. We redid our whole house with floating bamboo. It's great to dance on and it's gorgeous. However there is this one spot in the dining room where the floor is settling and/or it wasn't installed properly and several of the pieces have separated. I don't dance in there a lot, but I have snagged by baby toe on the gaps. Ouch!

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I just had laminate wood put into my studio, with some light padding underneath it. So far I'm delighted.

Too bad you're not closer to me. I bought a special padded dance flooring called Dancestep for my original studio, it's barely been used and won't fit in the new studio!

I have time for shipping and accounts with Fed Ex (ground) & UPS ..g.:
Could you send me an email?

Thank you ladies for replying. The studio is in the basement. Someone else mentioned bamboo. I'd never heard of that. The older I get, the more I want to protect my battered knees and feet, so I appreciate what you're telling me.

I also have lightly padded laminate flooring in my studio and it's just wonderful!

Originally Posted by andalee-oriental

You have to be careful with the floating/engineered products. We redid our whole house with floating bamboo. It's great to dance on and it's gorgeous. However there is this one spot in the dining room where the floor is settling and/or it wasn't installed properly and several of the pieces have separated. I don't dance in there a lot, but I have snagged by baby toe on the gaps. Ouch!

This happens to floating floor systems on uneven floors. You can tap them back into place at the ends.

I'm putting in a floating cork floor. I've already installed it in one room downstairs, and I like it there, so I'm putting it in the main basement room, a corner of which will be my studio, too.

Originally Posted by andalee-oriental

You have to be careful with the floating/engineered products. We redid our whole house with floating bamboo. It's great to dance on and it's gorgeous. However there is this one spot in the dining room where the floor is settling and/or it wasn't installed properly and several of the pieces have separated. I don't dance in there a lot, but I have snagged by baby toe on the gaps. Ouch!

It is probably that the floor underneath is settling. When floor boards start separating or cracking it is usually the sub-floor. If it wasn't glued well it will also separate. Ex-General Contractor here.

Originally Posted by Serpentine

The studio is in the basement. Someone else mentioned bamboo. I'd never heard of that. The older I get, the more I want to protect my battered knees and feet, so I appreciate what you're telling me.

If you can afford it, put down 1/2" - 1" plywood first, then the flooring. The wood gives you extra cushion against the concrete and is warmer in the winter. Yes, we did do several dance rooms and home studios when we were contractors.

Originally Posted by Serpentine

I have time for shipping and accounts with Fed Ex (ground) & UPS ..g.:
Could you send me an email?

Thank you ladies for replying. The studio is in the basement. Someone else mentioned bamboo. I'd never heard of that. The older I get, the more I want to protect my battered knees and feet, so I appreciate what you're telling me.

Oh my. It took three of us to lift each of these rolls of flooring. They were trucked to me. I wouldn't know how to begin to ship them!

all the dance studios that i've liked the floor in were wood of some sort. be sure you get a good contractor, my high school stage had wood, and it inspired my friend to call me both brave and insane for dancing barefoot in wood floored studios. there were splinters the size of a dinner fork coming off that stage. (not exaggerating)
my 'rents decided to tile the basement after it flooded, DIY. so i've been dancing on uneven tiles all winter (and trying to learn a choo choo shimmy....) and i'm wondering for future info if there are any floors that you can put radiant heat under that aren't so hard on top? probably because of the potential fire hazard you'd need to use stone or tile for that huh?

I'm an Interior Designer and I've done quite a bit of research on dance flooring for studios. If you don't dance in heals, cork flooring is a good option as it is softer than hardwood (better for the knees and joints) and more enviornmentally friendly (although more costly too). Bamboo is another good option but it has to be installed by a good contractor as mentioned above. There are issues with humidity that may cause it to buckle if it isn't done right. I would recommened using a vertical grain since it is stronger than the horizontal grain. And if you are eco conscious make sure to search for FSC certified wood without formaldehyde!
Here is a website that I found helpful in my research: Its About Dance Floors | Dance Floors, Dance Floor News, Dance Floor Reviews