Author Topic: Indoor riding spot floor recommendations  (Read 3447 times)

Offline jsteady

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Indoor riding spot floor recommendations
« on: January 14, 2016, 01:56:39 AM »
So I'm planning on transforming my living room in to an indoor riding spot for the winter time. What my plan is:
- Purchase some sheets of plywood (So i dont damage my floors)
- Fasten the plywood somehow (Gaffers tape, etc)
- Ride!


Now here's my questions:
What kind of wood would be the best in regards to traction?
Whats the best way to seam the plywood together so the edges stay flush and even?
Also, what would I need to do to prevent the "floating floor" from moving without damaging the hardwood floor underneath.


Any input would be super helpful!
 :beer:

Offline Revig

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Re: Indoor riding spot floor recommendations
« Reply #1 on: January 14, 2016, 12:32:02 PM »
Whats the best way to seam the plywood together so the edges stay flush and even?
Also, what would I need to do to prevent the "floating floor" from moving without damaging the hardwood floor underneath.


I see two sturdy solutions:

- make two layers of sheets of plywood,
make sure the sheets of the second layer are not exactly above the sheets of the first layer (I mean: the edges of each sheet of the second layer are not exactly above edges of a sheet of the first layer. How do you say that in english ? "staggered positionning" ?)
And put screws all over the second layer to fasten the layers together (this is the principle used to make wood park curved modules). Just make sure the lenght of the screws is not more that the thickness of two sheets or you will mark your living room floor.
Advantages : you get the more solid and stable floor for flatland I guess. You can disassemble the floor and assemble it again years after years because you don't destroy the sheets when dissassembling them.
Downsides : that may appears to cost a lot (double of sheets + screws). And that will take a lot of time to install the floor that way. Moreover if you planned to use the sheets later, you need a big place for storage. Maybe that's why I never see that method used on contest floor areas.

- solution used at Real City Spin last year :
https://www.facebook.com/realcityspin/photos/a.1093216460692272.1073741828.1081582911855627/1183024021711515/?type=3&theater
One downside: "The only downfall is the wood gets beaten up when we take it appart"




Offline oldmanjoe

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Re: Indoor riding spot floor recommendations
« Reply #2 on: January 14, 2016, 04:34:36 PM »
Also, I believe there is a foam layer for floating hardwood floors that you could put above your current floor and below the plywood.

Offline Paradoxium

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Re: Indoor riding spot floor recommendations
« Reply #3 on: January 15, 2016, 12:26:33 PM »
Here in Oz we have 3 basic types of ply,, cheap, structural and marine. I presume its the same in the states.. They come in different thicknesses too. The cheap ply buckles with extreme temperatures, sunlight and moisture. Structural is way more resiliant against this and marine grade ply supposedly weather resistant is the best. Just remember the thinner and cheaper, the more uneven it becomes later.

Normally timber gets glued, screwed and or nailed but in your case you need to keep to the tape idea. There are some removable tapes now like scotch 3m.

Using 2mm foam underlay will protect your existing floor the best but gives it that bouncy floating feel we use under floating floor systems.

To fasten each sheet together with no movement or damage to either floor, try buying t floor dividers,  (look it up on google images), cut them to short pieces and countersink them into the ply by using a router or similar to recess the ply, and screw them using screws shorter than the ply thickness. They come in a range of materials and shapes but aim for flat alloy ones.