Stage floor repair

... faded and dusty curtains...
Most likely your fire retardancy on these has expired. Perhaps a good and safety-related project would be to take them down and send them out for cleaning and re-fireproofing. Are they actually faded? Fabric generally does not fade unless subjected to UV (sunlight). See this site for on-site work, or here for off-site. You may have a local company in your area able to undertake the task as well. Be sure to perform any rigging task ONLY under qualified supervision. If you have a counterweight fly system, removing and re-installing a Main or full-stage Traveler is one of the most dangerous activities, due to the inevitable weight imbalances.
 
The black valances are faded near the work lights... but it's only noticable when standing on stage or in the front two rows of the house. We tried getting new curtains last year to replace the old ones, but administration didn't want to spend the money. Maybe I can find out more about the fire-retardant expiration. They're pretty scared of fires after one of our dorms started on fire fifteen years ago.
 
The black valances are faded near the work lights... but it's only noticable when standing on stage or in the front two rows of the house. We tried getting new curtains last year to replace the old ones, but administration didn't want to spend the money. Maybe I can find out more about the fire-retardant expiration. They're pretty scared of fires after one of our dorms started on fire fifteen years ago.
Chances are that if your drapes are old enough to have faded then they have probably out lived their fire retardancy. I don't know of local suppliers in your area, maybe someone else here does, but it would be great if you could get someone in to inspect your soft goods and make recommendations to your administration about replacement / maintenance costs. You'd think that insurance companies would do a better job of watch-dogging situations like this but they don't.
 
We got them from Norcostco in the Twin Cities - Probably where we'd get them again.
 
When we have plays/musicals, usdually we will just coordinate with our orchestra director (he is onstage) and if the set is too much in the way, classes will change rooms enough so that all the music classes (band, orch., and choir) are in classrooms/music rooms, and the theater manager's (also an english and theater teacher) classes are in the theater. Works nicely. Also, we make all of our sets on castors so they will move out of the way as much as possible.

The district "replaced" our stage last winter because it really badly needed it, but all they did was flip the wood panels in the floor upside down. The panels are not supposed to be flipped upside down, they were manufactured so that one side looks nice and the other like crap. Worst of all, they then proceeded to paint it high gloss black. Then realizing it wouldn't work after painting the entire stage, they painted right over it with a flat black. Now since last winter the flat black paint is wearing away. What should we do?
 
When we have plays/musicals, usdually we will just coordinate with our orchestra director (he is onstage) and if the set is too much in the way, classes will change rooms enough so that all the music classes (band, orch., and choir) are in classrooms/music rooms, and the theater manager's (also an english and theater teacher) classes are in the theater. Works nicely. Also, we make all of our sets on castors so they will move out of the way as much as possible.

The district "replaced" our stage last winter because it really badly needed it, but all they did was flip the wood panels in the floor upside down. The panels are not supposed to be flipped upside down, they were manufactured so that one side looks nice and the other like crap. Worst of all, they then proceeded to paint it high gloss black. Then realizing it wouldn't work after painting the entire stage, they painted right over it with a flat black. Now since last winter the flat black paint is wearing away. What should we do?

Not knowing exactly what kind of panels they are... my first suggestion would be rent a random orbit floor sander from your local Home depot and sand the flat black off. Go back with a lighter grit and "rough up" the gloss then re-paint < and thin no more> << sorry bad joke>> the floor with a decent quality flat black floor paint or you could just lay Masonite all over the floor and paint it black then you don't have to worry about the sanding.
 
How visible is the stage floor during a show, under stage lights? My stage isn't in the best of shape, but you can't tell at all from the audience, since the chair angle is so poor. I paint the floor maybe once a year or so, and even then we only repaint the visible area. If you don't want to sand it, you might consider just another repaint.
 
I am new to this site but have read up on all of this flooring stuff here!! I still have a question though.

I am a dance teacher and I have a dance studio with a raised plywood floor. Through reading up here, I have layered the floor with tempered hardboard, I have added 2 coats of low-lustre black paint from Home Depot. It is Behr latex black Porch and Floor paint, they called their home office to find out what was recommended.

Now....several of you keep mentioning a sealer/water-based clear coat but some of you just mentioned the 2 coats of black. We will be dancing on it 6 days a week, some of it tapping!! I don't want it to all chip off the first time we dance on it!

1. Is that clear coat absolutely necessary? And if so, what exactly is it? No one mentions an exact name? Thompson's water seal, water-based polyurethane?? What??

2. Would it just be better to add a 3rd coat of the black?

3. If I put the clear coat on, will it hinder adding additional coats of black as needed?

It is done with the 2 coats of black but I am afraid to use it :) Classes start in a week but we have a ballet placement this week!! An answer ASAP would be awesome!!!

Thanks!!!
Linda
The Dance Studio CNY
 
I probably wouldn't worry about a clear coat. What you didn't mention was whether you primed it before the two coats of black. If it chips just repaint it, probably an once a year procedure.
 
They have a band room. Apparently, it's too small... :evil:

so the stage is just the dumping ground for unused band equipment? (read that as "storage room for unused band equipment")

I would just stack all that back into the band room.. but then i do have a key to the band room :evil:
 
I probably wouldn't worry about a clear coat. What you didn't mention was whether you primed it before the two coats of black. If it chips just repaint it, probably an once a year procedure.

I did not prime it first, I did seal the underside with random paint, then the 2 coats of black on top. I didn't see where anyone had primed it first. It sure seems like everyone has a similar but different system :) OK, I guess I will skip the clear coat. I was just worried if I seal the black that it would be more difficult to get future layers of black to stick.

Thanks for you help!! :)
 
I did not prime it first, I did seal the underside with random paint, then the 2 coats of black on top. I didn't see where anyone had primed it first. It sure seems like everyone has a similar but different system :) OK, I guess I will skip the clear coat. I was just worried if I seal the black that it would be more difficult to get future layers of black to stick.

Thanks for you help!! :)

At my old school we would paint the floor black again after every production. It wont be pretty after people start walking on it, but there is something about walking into a theater with everything struck, a fresh coat of black on the floor, and just standing. You will probably be fine for the first year, just put on a new coat of paint at the start/end of summer, possibly also at winter break. Thats how most places I have seen work things.
 
If you get the same places flaking then sand and prime those areas before you recoat it, if not then paint over it when needed. You are correct about the clear coat causing future coats to not stick well. If you have any questions about products, go to a real paint store. The big boxes are good for cheap but most of the employees could selling shoes as well as paint. My Dad was a professional painter so he taught to me to paint like a painter instead of like a carpenter.
 
Unless you refinish the floor right after, we just did this at our venue. Dowels to fill holes danced away the old sealer. And put two new layers on.
 

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