My husband is about to do his first really nice show indoors and he has to have flooring. I've been reading up here and other places about booth flooring. I was ready to purchase the foam tiles (wood look) and then I started reading about how easy they chip or the wood look comes off. Thanks in advance.
Questions:
1. For those that have used the tiles:
a. Have you had issues with chipping or seeing through to the foam with high traffic?
b. The edges have small borders. How do you keep the edges from being a tripping hazard?
c. This is a 3 day show. Would the tiles need to be taped down with carpet tape?
2. What other floors do you all use that is not $300 or more? We are upgrading almost everything and it's killing the bank.
Replies
Home Depot had the better deal, $58. Light Dome came in, "drapes" purchased, track lights purchased and still so much to do. Thank you all for your help.
I use the foam tiles on a regular basis for the past 10 years. You can purchase 100sf on Amazon for $100 with your choice of "wood-look" finishes. It's very convenient, light-weight and I would think would be more convenient to store than a roll of carpet. It arrives in a box 24x24x12?. As far as peeling? It a thin layer of vinyl print covering a 3/8" piece of foam. It can/does peel but not excessively and could last your a couple of years? One of my metal shelves punctured one on the foam tiles on the first use which was annoying but I just placed that panel in an inconspicuous location on the next use. As far as tripping hazard? No more so than any other flooring and nothing a piece of tape couldn't fix. If you keep the tiles in the box in came in, they stay pretty flat.
Loc Tran
Can you show a picture and / or tell me which tiles you have?
I like the storage size you mentioned. I thought they would take up more room.
Do they interlock?
I just pulled up the link and not sure if it's currently available but usually is. yes, interlocking.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017C22CXG/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I2OFMD0H...
thanks. Have you ever tried using them in an outdoor show?
as long as the ground is flat, you won't have a problem. if not, the tiles will have a problem interlocking. it withstands water well enough but won't absorb it as you can imagine. when I do an outdoor show, I use solid colored tiles that is just foam, not the "wood veneer" tiles as I would guess water would make the vinyl/paper separate from the foam. (you can also buy a 1/2" thick tile which is more durable).
I use the interlocking tiles with a bamboo look. I have used them in a storm with no adverse consequences, no peeling. My tiles come with an edge that tapers so it decreases the tripping problem.
For outside shows, we actually use RV patio mats. :) We normally have both our booths setup and it creates a unique look as people comment we have his/hers booths that compliment each other. I have put mine down at some small indoor shows, but this one is a big, nice one so wanted to make sure we were up to snuff. Will be going to Lowe's and the carpet outlet tomorrow.
thank you all for the helpful feedback!
I bought an indoor outdoor carpet. The kind meant for use on patios and decks. These kind have no pile, they are more like a flat-woven mat.
I found it on clearance at Target. There are a lot of choices online, but I just ran across the perfect thing by chance. Mine has a subtle color and pattern that goes with my display. It was ~ $50 on clearance. They are rectangular rather than square, but the 2 feet extra on one end has not been a problem.
Diameter loosely rolled is only about 10".
I don’t use it on grass, just on the street. I secure it to the street with duct tape. It stays down fine, and peels up quickly.
The advantage of this special material has been significant. It dries out SO fast! I have opened the booth after an all night rain that soaked it: and within 2 hours it was dry. I have stood it up on end wet while tearing down the booth: and it was dry before I had to put it in the van. Only once or twice did I have to wrap it in a trash bag before putting it in the van. Even wet it is very light!
If it gets dirty, you just hose it off in the driveway. Someone on these forums or another recommended these, and it was good choice.
Behind the booth I use the foam squares (black) and an anti-fatigue mat (bought at Home Depot) for where I stand. Those too made a big difference in how my feet/legs felt at the end of a day.
We would clean our astroturf in the same way. Hose it down on the drive way and hang it over the fence or patio furniture.
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