Flooring Facts & Maintenance

Some general information about Rosco entertainment flooring products.

Installation

When your floor arrives from Rosco...
Please inspect the floor for any damage that may have occurred in shipping. Contact Rosco immediately if the boxes or rolls show signs of mishandling. Once you have determined the condition of your floor allow the floor to warm to room temperature. This is essential in the winter months, as the floor has the potential of being shipped in temperatures below freezing. For Dance Floor, Cabriole™, Royale™ and Adagio™ please store the floor in a horizontal position on the core provided in shipping to keep the floor from collapsing on itself. In the case of Roscoleum, Performance Floor, Studio Floor and Show Floor store the floor in a vertical position with its shipping core intact to prevent creasing (these floors are stiff enough to keep from caving in a vertical position).

Preparing your sub-floor...
Proper preparation of your sub-floor is essential to the long-term health of your Rosco Dance Floor. All screw heads, nails and other hard edged protrusions should be removed or covered prior to the installation of your Rosco Dance Floor. These materials can damage your floor beyond repair and cause injury to dancers. Fill cracks in the sub-floor with an appropriate filler and sand smooth.

Cutting the floor to fit the space...
If you plan to cut the floor, determine the size of the pieces before you unroll your floor. Traditionally the floor runs the width of the studio or stage, but the seams may run perpendicular to the width of the stage with no ill effects on the floor. Prior to cutting, unroll the floor on a flat surface, preferably your stage or studio. Measure down one edge of the floor to the desired length, make a mark, (measure this distance twice), then measure down the other edge of the floor the same distance. With a straight edge wide enough to meet both of the points you have measured draw a line or with a chalk line snap a line of chalk. Then with a matte knife and a straight edge carefully cut along the chalk line you have snapped. Repeat this procedure for each piece of floor you have cut.

Taping the floor...
Once you have cut your pieces, allow the floor to lie flat overnight so that any creases or wrinkles will settle out prior to taping the floor. If taping on top of the floor, you should position the first piece of floor, then position the second piece of the floor, leaving an 1/8" (3mm) gap to allow for expansion and contraction. Run your vinyl floor tape along the length of the seam, covering the gap and attaching to both pieces of floor. Repeat this process for all pieces of floor. Once the seams are taped, tape around the perimeter. The use of Rosco Floor tape is recommended, as the adhesive is formulated not to leave behind a sticky residue.

Taping the floor using double stick tape is slightly different. It is best when installing your floor in this fashion to have two people working together to adjust the floor and tape. First, determine the front edge of the first piece of floor you are going to tape down. Once you have decided where the front edge of your floor is going to fall, attach the double stick tape to the floor making sure to leave the plastic covering on the side of the tape that will come in contact with your floor. Then position the first piece of floor over the tape making sure the front edge of the floor is covering the entire width of the tape. Working in 3 foot sections, fold back the corresponding edge of floor, remove the plastic covering on the tape then press the floor onto tape. Complete the entire length of the floor in this fashion. Continue with all the remaining pieces of the floor.

Rolling and storage of your floor...
Prior to removal and storage sweep the floor to remove any dirt or materials that might damage the floor when rolled. Remove the tape by pulling up working parallel to the floor so as to minimize movement of the floor before you roll it. Roll the floor on a solid core, keeping the edges as straight as possible to avoid a "coning" effect. Keep the floor rolled as tightly as possible as this will eliminate creases and wrinkles. Tape the floor tightly to keep the floor from unrolling. Wrap the floor in a protective covering, such as Visqene or polyethylene. If there is adequate room, store the floor covering on the ground in a clean area. Try not to stack the floor more than 2 rolls high, the weight of the material may collapse the core and flatten the floor out.

Protecting your floor...
Minimize the amount of "street" dirt that is brought onto your floor by having scrap pieces of carpet or doormats placed inside any doorways where there is street access. Do not drink, eat or smoke while on your floor. Avoid placing any sharp edged item, scenery, chairs, tables or other equipment onto the floors as these items may gouge, rip or damage the floor. If anything is to be painted while resting on your floor consider moving the item off the floor or lay drop cloths around the item so as to protect the floor. Any substance spilled or dropped on the floor should be removed immediately. Do not remove spills or stains with scouring powders or pads as they will remove the finish and permanently damage the floor.

Maintaining your floor...
It is the nature of vinyl and linoleum floors that scuffmarks may show upon the surface of the material. This in no way affects the performance of the floor.

The regular cleaning of your Rosco dance floor is important to the overall life of your floor. The floor should be swept and mopped at least 3 times a week. In touring applications the floor should be swept and mopped everyday. Do not use any cleaner with ammonia in its formula, as the ammonia will leave a slippery residue on the surface of your floor. Prior to the mopping, the floor should be swept clean with a soft push broom. A corn broom or other bristle broom may leave scratches on the floor surface. For the regular cleaning Rosco All Purpose Cleaner is the specified cleaning product for all Rosco Dance Floors. The water temperature should be warm but not hot. For light duty cleaning, add 1 ounce of Rosco All Purpose Cleaner to 1 gallon of water, mop and let dry. For moderate to heavy dirt build up on the floor add 2-4 ounces of Rosco All Purpose Cleaner to warm water, mop and let dry. If there is gummy residue from floor tape, apply Rosco All Purpose Cleaner full strength to a soft cloth and rub on the build up. Afterwards, rinse the area with warm water and let dry. If the floor has either been in storage or not cleaned for a period of time use Rosco Heavy Duty Cleaner. Rosco Heavy Duty Cleaner is a floor stripper as well as a cleaner. Using Rosco Heavy Duty Cleaner you will remove all waxes and any excessive dirt that has built up the floor. Add 1 cup (8 ounces) of Rosco Heavy Duty Cleaner to cold water and mop. After cleaning rinse the floor with 1 ounce of household vinegar per gallon of cold water and let dry. To remove difficult stains or spills, apply Rosco Heavy Duty Cleaner full strength directly to a soft cloth, rubbing the cloth on the stain. Then rinse the area with 1 ounce of household vinegar to 1 gallon of cold water to the area and let dry.