Open Forum

I finally got permission to paint our stage floor. (It currently looks like a gym floor.)  What is the best type of paint to use?  Any tips?

There are many other considerations in addition to the paint selection, so take a moment to review the condition of the floor surface (splits, cracks, gouges, splinters, nail heads, screw heads, etc.) and see if it needs repairs before you paint it.  Many tongue-and-groove stage floors are worn and un-even, and can cause significant harm to performers. 

Also look at whether-or-not the sub-floor is sprung (like basket ball court floor) - this is a very desirable feature of a stage floor as it cushions the activities of dancers and fight choreography and reduces the likelihood of joint and dental injuries (yes, dancers chip their tooth enamel due to hard landings and their teeth chattering together).  Rebuilding a a stage floor is much more expensive than painting one, but it can become more durable and useful in the long-run if it is done correctly.  Hiring a theatre consultant to specify a good stage floor construction can ensure that you get a proper design.  Most Architects are clueless about stage floors and will specify a basketball floor in it's place.

As to the stage floor paint, I recommend the Madison Chemical Company GemThane STC (Stage Top Coat) over a base coat of their recommended primer.  This is a very durable combination that has a low gloss matte black finish.

A less expensive (and less durable) solution is to use Rosco TuffPrime (black).

Keep your stage floor clean and ban tap dancing shoes and glitter from the stage.  Tap shoes will destroy the finish of the stage (have the dance company / class provide their own portable dance floor if they are using tap shoes).  The glitter ban is, well, because glitter gets into everything and can't be clean-up.  The best way to enforce a Glitter Ban Policy is to have anyone that rents the facility provide a $5,000 cash deposit for the clean-up.  They will learn very quickly to police their dancers . . .

My favorite is the Rosco ToughPrime that Erich mentioned as an option.  It is not horribly expensive, is tough and durable, and applies quickly and easily.  No matter what product you use, your stage floor will get nicked and scratched, so it is a good idea to keep some of the original paint handy to patch where needed.

Hope this helped :-).