So today I’m sharing this crazy idea I had: making a dance floor I can just roll up and take anywhere. Yeah, removable portable wooden dance floor – sounds fancy but honestly it’s not rocket science. Let me walk you through how I messed around and finally got it working.
First – Why Bother?
Got tired of dancing on concrete during outdoor events. My knees were screaming after practice sessions. Bought those interlocking foam tiles last year but they slid everywhere on grass. Complete waste of money. Needed something solid but packable.
The Hunting & Gathering Phase
Dug through my garage first. Found:
- Six old wooden planks (leftover from shelving project)
- That blue tarp mildew from 2018
- Half-empty wood glue bottle
- Random bungee cords
Went to hardware store for:
- More planks (cheapest pine they had)
- Sandpaper sheets
- Heavy-duty velcro strips
- Waterproof sealant spray
Total spent: under $40. Not bad huh?
The Frankenstein Assembly
Started cutting planks to same length on my wobbly sawhorse. Measured wrong twice – hence the “character marks” on piece number three. Sanded everything roughly. My palms still feel gritty typing this.
Laid them face-down on the nasty tarp. Slapped wood glue between planks like spreading peanut butter. Weighed them down with concrete blocks while drying overnight. Next morning – surprise! Everything warped slightly. Typical.
Sprayed sealant like I was putting out fire. Overspray got on my neighbor’s fence – whoops. Added velcro straps across the bottom. Tried rolling it – unrolled like broken tape measure. Epic fail.
Fixer-Upper Time
Cut the tarp smaller so edges wouldn’t catch. Sewed buttonholes for bungee cords using wife’s sewing kit (she’s still mad about that). Rolled it tight and strapped with crossed bungees. Finally held together!
Took it to park for test drive. Unrolled perfectly. Danced aggressively – no sliding! Got weird looks from joggers. Rolled up in 30 seconds. Strapped bundle fit in my sedan trunk. Success!
Lessons Learned
Could’ve bought proper dance flooring for $300. But where’s fun in that? This ugly thing slides under my bed and survives rain. Still using it three months later – only one plank cracked when I stepped wrong during salsa. Worth every splinter.
