A dance floor may be required for a dinner party, an outdoor wedding, and for many other special occasions. You may only need the floor one time. If it's portable, you could store it away, sell it or lend it out for future events. With all the other budgeted items needed during a special occasion, it's nice to be able to save money by doing some things yourself. Renting a dance floor is a big budget item. Making your own saves you money and could allow you to recoup the expense down the road.
Step 1
Recycled materials are the cheapest you'll find and they're good for the environment, as well.
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Step 2
Frame the dance floor in sections that are light enough to be carried. A dance floor will need to be big enough for several couples to dance on at once. Safety is the main issue.
Step 3
Acquire 2-by-4-inch or 2-by-6-inch lumber. This measurement refers to the boards' width and depth. When boards are first cut, or "rough sawn," they are 2 inches by 4 inches. After they are finished and made smooth the boards will actually be 1 1/2 inches deep by 3 1/2 inches wide. Always take that into consideration when you are measuring for a building project. Cut the boards to the length you need, in this case 5 feet long.
Step 4
Houses that are being torn down are filled with 2-by-4-inch lumber, and many owners and even construction workers are happy to see them hauled away for free instead of thrown in a dumpster. Always check with the owner first. Alternatively, purchase them at a lumber yard or home improvement center.
Step 5
Lay two 2-by-4-inch or 2-by-6-inch boards on a flat, level surface with the 2-inch width on the floor 5 feet apart.
Step 6
Work in rectangular sections that are 10 feet long by 5 feet wide. Nail a 2-by-4-inch piece of lumber that's 5 feet long at the bottom of the two 10-foot sections (like ladder rungs). Butte the boards to the inside of the two boards.
Step 7
Nail another 2-by-4-inch piece of lumber that's 5 feet long to the inside top, creating a rectangle.
Step 8
Nail three more 2-by-4-inch pieces of lumber, 5 feet long, every 16 inches throughout the 10-foot rectangle.
Step 9
Nail 1/2-inch plywood or other 1/2-inch recycled building material over the dance floor frame. Nail the edges firmly in place, creating a box.
Step 10
Cover the dance floor with a smooth, hard wood. Laminates are very inexpensive and can be purchased at any home improvement center. Snap them together. Glue and nail in place as an extra safety precaution.
Step 11
Three 10-foot sections will create a 15-by-30-foot floor.
Tip
Secure the floors together with latch locks or dead bolts. Fasten one half of the bolt to the side of each box so that they'll clamp down together. Create as many rectangles of this size as you need to complete a large, movable platform.
Things You'll Need
2-by-4-inch lumber
Nails
Hammer
Laminate or hard wood planks
Warning
Do not cut corners on the strength of your raised floor. An accident at a wedding is a terrible memory.