Call 800.523.0960 for Information
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn

800.523.0960

Free Online Shipping! Exclusions apply

Contact Us Get a Quote
Menu   ≡ ╳
  • Dance Floors
    • What Floor is Right For You
    • How To Buy a Dance Floor
    • Most Popular
    • New! Shaw 10 Dance Floor
    • Bravo Dance Floors
      • Bravo Classic Dance Floor
      • Super Bravo Dance Floor
    • Timestep Dance Floors
      • Super Timestep Dance Floor
      • Timestep Dance Floor
      • Timestep T Floor
    • Rave Dance Floor
    • Woodstep Dance Floors
      • Woodstep Dance Floor
      • Woodstep Plus Dance Floor
      • Woodstep Ultra Dance Floor
    • Dancestep Plus
    • Specialty Floors
      • Quietstep Dance Floor
    • Encore Hardwood Dance Floor
      • Encore / Encore Elite
      • Encore Home
    • Hardwood Dance Flooring Systems
    • Dance Studio Flooring
    • Safety Data Sheet
  • Subfloors
    • Springstep IV
    • Springstep V – NEW
      • Transporter Springstep V
    • Springstep Collection
      • Springstep II
      • Springstep III
      • Springstep IV A
      • Springstep IV B
      • Individual Components
    • SpringFlex System
  • Installation
    • Installation Guide
    • Shop Installation Products
    • Tapes & Adhesives
      • NEW! Social Distancing Tape
      • Temporary Installation
      • Semi-Permanent Installation
      • Long Term Semi-Permanent Installation
      • Permanent Installation
      • Double Face Tape
      • Vinyl Top Tape
      • Glow Tape
    • Foam Underlayment
      • Foam Sheeting
      • Foam Cubes
      • Foam Blocks
    • Transition Pieces
    • Vapor Barriers and Floor Ventilation
      • Flooring Vapor Barriers
      • Vented Wall Base
    • Our Preferred Installer
  • Maintenance
    • Shop Maintenance Products
    • New! Face Masks
    • ProClean Family
      • ProClean
      • NEW! ProClean ULTRA
      • NEW! ProClean D Plus
      • ProClean NS
    • SimplyGone
    • Slip NoMor
    • Wipeout Plus
    • TapShield
    • FloorShield II Kits
    • FloorCare Complete Systems
      • FloorCare System Replacement Packs
    • Maintenance Guide
  • Home Studio
    • Shop Home Studio Products
    • Home Studio Flooring
    • Tap Boards
    • Glassless Mirrors
    • Wall Ballet Barres
    • Encore Home
  • News
    • Industry Updates
    • Floor Installation
    • DIY Installation
    • Marley Dance Floors
    • Specialty Dance Floors
    • Floor Maintenance
    • About Stagestep
  • Online Store
    • Home Studio Products
    • Personal Practice Floors
    • Barres and Mirrors
    • All About Tap
    • Installation Products
    • Touring Products
    • Tapes and Adhesives
    • Maintenance Kits
    • Maintenance Products
    • Pre-cut Floors
    • Book Sale
    • Discounted
  • Covid Safety
    • Shop Covid Safety Products
    • Customizable Face Masks
    • Dancing at Home Becomes Epidemic
    • How Often Must I Disinfect My Studio?
  • Cart

What is a Sprung Sub-Floor And Why You Need It

 

 

There is some confusion regarding exactly what is a sprung sub-floor and why it is so necessary to have one for all dance activities.

 

If you are dancing directly on concrete or on a surface directly attached to concrete (wood, vinyl, tile, carpet) the direct impact to the body is approximately three times your body weight.

 

Over time you first experience fatigue and thereafter you are likely to experience shin splints, lower back and knee issues and possibly hairline fractures in your feet. All painful, debilitating and not productive dance-wise. Hardwood floors installed on concrete may look attractive but they are no better than dancing on concrete.

 

I have heard “We only have little ones, what harm can they do?” Growing bodies with soft bones are even more vulnerable to injury than adults or older students. It is important to reduce the impact on the body to prevent injury. This is done with a floating wood sub-floor.

 

 

 

If you put 2 x 4’s spaced apart on the concrete and plywood on top that is called a raised sub-floor. It is not a floating wood sub-floor. Wherever the wood touches the concrete slab, you are still on the concrete. This creates a hard/soft environment that only aggravates the problem. Likewise putting plywood directly on concrete changes nothing.

 

A floating sub-floor is a flooring system where at any point on the surface if you go straight down you will hit air before you hit concrete. This can be accomplished utilizing cross link, close cell foam in the form of cubes, blocks, sheets and “L” shaped forms.

 

Another way to create a floating floor is called basket weave. This construction involves a lattice work of 1” x 1” wood struts off set from one another running in opposite directions at least three runs high. There are hybrid combinations of both approaches using foam and offset wood.

 

The rule of thumb is air everywhere so the wood can flex and the foam can wick away energy, compress and return.

 

It is also important to consider lateral foot support. The sub-flooring system needs to provide lateral (side to side) support for balance. Roll a dance floor directly over foam and the dance floor will compress under the weight of the dancer as the foam compresses below. You sink into the floor and have no balancing support. It is like trying to dance on a trampoline. The solution is that you must have a wood substrate between the foam and the dance floor surface. Stagestep offers both prefabricated sub floors and build it yourself options.

 

A floating wood sub-floor is a necessary tool to maintain the health and wellbeing of students and teachers. Floating sub-floors also provide an environment for dancers to excel, take more classes and feel good about dancing.

 

Additional information is available online on www.stagestep.com or call to discuss your options.

Floor Installation

More

  • Home
  • Request a Flooring Quote
  • Contact Us
  • FAQ
  • Blog
  • Testimonials
  • Safety Data Sheet
  • Financing Your New Floor
  • Message From The President
  • Important Policies
  • Sitemap

STAGESTEP, Inc.

4701 Bath Street #46 B
Philadelphia, PA 19137

215.636.9000

800.523.0960

Toll-Free in the U.S.

866.491.9019

Toll-Free in Canada

Follow Us

  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn

OUR NEW FLOORING GUIDE



© 2021 · StageStep. All Rights Reserved · Stagestep™ · Stagestep and the Stagestep Logo are trademarks of Stagestep, Inc.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.
Accept Reject
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Necessary Always Enabled

  • Online Store
  • Request a Free Quote
  • Dance Floors
    ▼
    • Dance Floor Options
    • How To Buy a Dance Floor
    • What Floor is Right For You
    • SDS at a Glance
  • Request a Free Floor Sample
  • Subfloors
    ▼
    • Springstep Collection
    • SpringFlex Collection
  • Home Studio
    ▼
    • Tap Boards
  • Maintenance
    ▼
    • Maintenance Products
    • Maintenance Guide
    • Maintenance Program
    • NEW! ProClean ULTRA
  • Installation
    ▼
    • Installation Products
    • Installation Guide
    • Our Preferred Installer