Replacement for Masonite?

[SBC]

We use 1/4" Masonite as the top layer of our stage floor. My lumber provider is telling me Masonite is no longer available. Has anyone else encountered this? What are folks using as a replacement?

 

[gafftapegreenia]

Authentic name brand Masonite is no longer available, but tempered hardboard should be.

 

[Van]

Another, great, but more expensive option is 1/4" MDF. It's 49"x109" which makes it great for floor covering as it will overlap plywood seams below it. +'s it'll last for damn near forever. -'s it's a bit heavier, a bit more expensive, it definitely requires counter-sinking.

 

[ship]

Is 1/4" MDO available? Step up to 1/2" MDO in throwing out an idea. What surfaced materials are road cases made from? More expensive but a few more moppings lasting?

Tempered Hardboard, is it still even available as opposed to just hardboard? Gears clicking in not up to the most modern on lumber types. Plastic other than dance floor is probably a bad thing to look into.

 

[TimMc]

Is 1/4" MDO available? Step up to 1/2" MDO in throwing out an idea. What surfaced materials are road cases made from? More expensive but a few more moppings lasting?

Tempered Hardboard, is it still even available as opposed to just hardboard? Gears clicking in not up to the most modern on lumber types. Plastic other than dance floor is probably a bad thing to look into.

Road cases are typically covered with ABS plastic. I think it unsuitable as a stage top cover but what do I know?

 

[DuckJordan]

If you really want to go overkill, Arboron 3/8" sheets are ~$1000 per 4'x8'

 

[danTt]

Do some digging in this forum, the topic had come up a few times here.

One thing to be aware of with all modern "hardboard" is that it delaminates really easily, and won't last if you regularly tape the floor.

 

[derekleffew]

Road cases are typically covered with ABS plastic. I think it unsuitable as a stage top cover but what do I know?

What I know is that just about every commercial manufacturer of stage platforms, SteelDeck, StageRight, StageCo, etc., offers an ABS surface. But for a permanent install on my stage? No.

 

[ship]

So curious given I no longer work a stage but have done many... What's the best plan, or is there a coating that could be put on it?

 

[SBC]

What I know is that just about every commercial manufacturer of stage platforms, SteelDeck, StageRight, StageCo, etc., offers an ABS surface. But for a permanent install on my stage? No.

Same. We have many Wenger decks with textured "plastic" surface. I would not want that as a full time stage floor.
However, we have seen Polyonyx. It's similar but have a look and feel of wood. However it's much more than wooden options.

 

[SBC]

Do some digging in this forum, the topic had come up a few times here.

One thing to be aware of with all modern "hardboard" is that it delaminates really easily, and won't last if you regularly tape the floor.

Our current (second) top layer has been exhibiting this characteristic. Primer, five layers of paint and spike tape pulls up all the layers leaving a scar.

 

[SBC]

Authentic name brand Masonite is no longer available, but tempered hardboard should be.

I have requested / suggested "hardboard" as an alternative. The lumber vendors go directly to siding products, not sheet goods. I'll need to do more research to educate them.

 

[SBC]

Another, great, but more expensive option is 1/4" MDF. It's 49"x109" which makes it great for floor covering as it will overlap plywood seams below it. +'s it'll last for damn near forever. -'s it's a bit heavier, a bit more expensive, it definitely requires counter-sinking.

Does 1/4" MDF hold up to the abuse stage floors get?

 

[Van]

Does 1/4" MDF hold up to the abuse stage floors get?

Quite a bit better than Masonite.

 

[derekleffew]

I have requested / suggested "hardboard" as an alternative. The lumber vendors go directly to siding products, not sheet goods. I'll need to do more research to educate them.

Funny the circle of life. When my father built his house in Ohio in 1962, the clapboards were Masonite brand. Today the company concentrates solely on doors.

 

[StradivariusBone]

A habit I got into was to lay down tempered hardboard over the T&G and tape the ends together. This created a floating floor that was great for building sets on, allowed for painting the floor without messing with the stage itself and the cast enjoyed the 4x8' tape seams for blocking, but once painted were almost unnoticeable from the audience. It was easy to pull back up and store until the next show and it saved a lot of wear and tear on the deck.

 

[ship]

I remember similar, but I think the actual stage floor is obsolete now. I also wonder what's going on with sprung floors these days.

 

[Van]

Funny the circle of life. When my father built his house in Ohio in 1962, the clapboards were Masonite brand. Today the company concentrates solely on doors.

Funny, but when MY dad built his house Og told him to go with Slate siding but no, he has to go with the short-faced bear skins. Man, I spent so much time playing bait for those things....

 

[Jay T]

We have sprung floors in both facility, one is 20 years old and maple the other has stagelam, both are covered with vinyl dance floor 98% of the time.

 

[kicknargel]

We're also finding masonite / hardboard to be in short supply lately. +1 for 1/4" MDF.