Whether you own a dance studio, you are setting up a dance area in your home or you simply are looking into Marley floors for another reason, it’s important to know that this flooring material can have its own rules and needs to work with. From ensuring that you keep the bubbles out, all the way to the cleaning and maintenance processes, there are a few things that you need to know about Marley flooring before you roll it out. Here is exactly what you need to know about Marley floors so that you can have the best dance floor experience possible!
1. Don’t Install Them Right Away
Even though it might be tempting to set up the floor the moment that it arrives, this can actually be bad for the floor itself. Rather than rolling out the floor immediately, you should stand the rolls up on their ends, or alternatively unroll them so that the floor can lie flat. This helps the flooring get adjusted to the shape that it will eventually hold. During this time, try to keep the temperature of your space on the warmer side, as Marley flooring tends to expand with warmth.
2. Keep Them Temperature Controlled
Speaking of temperature controls, it’s important to monitor the temperature of the space in which your Marley floors reside. Because Marley flooring expands with heat and contracts with cold — similar to wood — large fluctuations in temperature can cause rippling, gaps and misshaping. The ideal temperature for Marley flooring is anywhere between 68 and 78 degrees, especially when you first install it.
3. Be Careful
Although this might be common sense, it’s always good to have a reminder. Marley flooring is actually a bit more fragile than you might expect, especially before you lay it down. Just make sure that you are handling your flooring with care so that you can avoid bending, scratching, stretching and cracking.
4. Choose Your Adhesive Wisely
A big part of installing the floor itself is the means that you use to adhere it to the floor beneath it. While you might be inclined to use any old adhesive, that might not always be best for the health of the floor. Think about how long you want your floor to stay there. If you plan on removing it soon in the case of a semi-permanent flooring situation, you will likely use different adhesive than you would if you plan to keep your flooring down for years to come. You can also check out which tapes and adhesives are approved by the manufacturer of your specific floor.
5. Getting Bubbles and Wrinkles Out
If you have a Marley floor, chances are you’ll have to deal with bubbles and wrinkles every once in a while. Although you can do your best to prevent them, wear and tear will often bring them along anyway. Luckily, there are plenty of ways that you can get bubbles and wrinkles ironed out. One of the most common is to set heavy books on top of a bubble, using a heavy duty rug, so that it dissipates. Another is using a hairdryer set to warm on a specific spot. People often even use these tricks together!
6. Dust Before You Mop
One of the benefits of Marley flooring is how easy it is to clean and maintain. You can sweep, use a push broom and use a wet mop. Just make sure that you sweep and dust before you wet clean — that way, all of the loose dirt is already up.
Caring for Your Marley Floors
Even though Marley flooring might take a little bit of getting used to, it’s actually fairly simple to care for. Did any of these tips surprise you?
