Vinyl Marley floors can be laid on any hard, smooth sub-floor, used alone, or as a dance surface on a sprung dance floor. VCH Flooring’s event and display floors are the industry choice for TV and film production, concerts and tours, product launches, fashion shows, window displays, and exhibitions.
Vinyl Marley floors
One item I want to mention again before we get started… Marley dance floor is a generic term to describe vinyl dance floors. The two words, Marley and vinyl dance flooring, mean the same thing and are used interchangeably in this article and within the dance industry.As previously mentioned, Marley is a generic term used for roll-out vinyl dance flooring. The name first came from a business named The Marley Company in England. Marley Company was the first to pioneer and develop a number of vinyl dance floor surfaces.
Most stage dance floors used to be made out of a planked hardwood or a hard linoleum. One of the first developed vinyl floors for dance was a thin reversible dance floor that was black on one side and gray on the other side. It was a vinyl portable floor that professional dancers could travel with and take on tour for different stage performances.
The performers could roll the vinyl dance floor up and down on almost any type of smooth surface at the various locations they performed. Thus, dancers had a performance surface they were used to performing on no matter where they went.
This Marley dance flooring was used on stages, theaters, dance studio, etc. The flooring was a success. However, the delivery time from England to the United States took an extreme amount of time.
In the mid to late 1970, United States companies started developing similar types of vinyl dance flooring. Over the following years, the original Marley Company from England was sold several times and gradually disappeared. However, the term Marley stuck through the years and is still used today to describe any type of roll-out vinyl dance flooring.
How A Marley Floor Should Be Used
Is it better to dance on a sprung wood floor surface or Marley roll-out vinyl dance flooring surface? The answer is both. Through our years of experience, we have found the correct answer is based on the preference and experience of the person using the dance floor as well as what style of performance will be performed.
Remember Marley roll-out vinyl dance flooring is a performance surface only. Proper use is to use it on top of a wood sprung floor. The proper wood sprung floor is what helps to prevent injuries.
Marley vinyl dance flooring is not recommended to go on top of carpet, rubber flooring or cement. Remember, Marley is a dance surface only, putting vinyl dance flooring surface directly on a cement floor, will still feel like you are performing on cement and injuries are more likely to happen. Carpet is not recommended at all; it makes the surface to cushioned and flexible for performing on.
Choosing The Right Marley Dance Floor
Marley dance flooring provides a surface that is safe, controlled, and durable. It can be used in many different venues such as dance studios, schools with sports activity, athletic facilities, yoga studios, physical therapy facilities, churches, private residence etc. Choosing the right Marley dance floor depends on a number of factors. These factors include:
- What style of dance will be performed,
- The needs of the venue, and
- What is space usage?
What Style of Dance Will Be Performed
Vinyl dance flooring surfaces can vary from smooth finish to stipple or matte finish. The surface description (Smooth, stipple, etc.) refers to the amount of friction the flooring provides. That is how “fast” or “slow” it is.
For instance, ballet dancers may prefer a vinyl surface that are softer, slower, and more slip resident. This helps them to avoid falls and is also sound absorbing. Tap, Jazz, barefoot or fast action performances might prefer a faster floor. Meaning they can move across the surface quicker with a sharper sound quality.
Performance of vinyl surfaces will also vary depending on what type of shoes will be worn. This varies from hard soles, suede soles, tap shoes, or barefoot. The feel and sound quality is different for each and will depend on weight and type of vinyl surface. That is why it is important to know how the vinyl dance flooring will be used.
The Needs Of The Venue
Marley dance flooring has different thickness, weight, sizes, width and lengths. For example, some vinyl dance floors are considered light weight and are more economical. Being more economical does not mean they are of lesser quality. Instead, it means that they are generally cheaper because they are lighter in weight.
Lighter weight Marley surfaces are sometimes preferred because of their portability for touring. Portability is important especially if you want to roll up it to travel with you to different venues or competitions. You may also have a multi-use facility. In this case being able to easily roll up and move the Marley floor is important.
Marley dance floors that are medium to heavier weight are considered “studio weight performance vinyl flooring.” This type of flooring is generally used in situations where the flooring will not be rolled-up and down frequently. Medium to heavier weight Marley dance floors can be rolled-up and stored or transported, it is just heavier and a lot harder to do so.
Heavier weight Marley dance floors are also preferred for general stage and theater use. The heavier vinyl flooring generally holds up to street shoes, light equipment, cameras, and the heavier traffic of stage use in general relative to the lighter weight Marleys.
A good example of a facility that needs semi-permanent Marley floors would be schools. Dance and drill teams may prefer wood floors or Marley vinyl surface rolled out for the specific routine requirement being performed. Having the choice to dance on a finished wood sprung floor is a nice option under the vinyl flooring because when the vinyl dance floor is rolled up the floor underneath can be used for other venues, making the space multi-use. If the Marley vinyl dance floor is never going to be moved, then a sprung sub-flooring with no hard wood finish can be used.
Contact us
VCH Flooring stands by the promise to do the job right. Don’t worry, our Flooring Experts are here to help you choose the best flooring for your spaces. They can assess the condition of the surface and recommend the best option for your specific needs and budget.
Our professional installers will perform services consistent with the industry standards to your satisfaction. If you have concerns after the installation, contact us within 60 days and the services with be re-done at no additional cost. Product warranties vary by manufacturer. Because we are a services company and do not manufacture products, we only warranty our services with the DONE RIGHT GUARANTEE. We will disclose the warranties before the work begins as part of our transparency policy to be good neighbors who serve the community with excellence. Email vchflooring@gmail.com
VCH Flooring 1812 Underwood Blvd, Delran, NJ 08075. https://vchflooring.com/contact-us/ 856- 393- 1310