[SML] Masonite Stage Floor Issue

[Paul Sanow]

This is similar experience but not with hardboard.  We had been specifying
Rosco Tough Prime on Plyron and were getting reports of easy damage with
chairs, risers and tape.  At first we assumed lack of cleaning and prep by
contractors.  I did some tests and found the same thing, no matter how I
prepared the Plyron.  Even scuffing it lightly didn't give it enough tooth
to hold the paint well enough.  I also tested RoscoCoat and it performed a
little better than the Tough Prime but with a bit more sheen but still was
damaged easily.  We were turned on to PPG Break Through Wrought Iron
Black.  Similar cost and VOC content to Tough Prime.  It has a little more
sheen but personally I don't like that Tough Prime is so flat that every
footprint shows on a stage.  The PPG product seems to be much more durable
in our tests, adhering well to the Plyron.  We changed our spec in the past
year or so and to date we've had fewer call backs.  May be worth a test.

HTH

Paul Sanow ASTC
paul at bcaworld.com
Bill Conner Associates LLC

On Thu, Jul 16, 2015 at 2:31 PM, Matthew J. Evans via Stagecraft <
stagecraft at theatrical.net> wrote:

> Over the summer, we installed a new stage floor surface on our stage.  We
> used double-sided tempered hardboard - aka as Masonite.  Yes – I realize
> Masonite is like a brand name like Kleenex is to tissue.  The hardboard was
> laid over the original stage floor made out of maple tongue and groove
> boards.  Expansion gaps were left in between each piece of Masonite and
> fastened to the ground with Senco 8x1 1/4 cement board screws. Before the
> floor was installed. We painted all surfaces and edges with Rosco Tough
> Prime. I’ve used Tough Prime since it came out and never had a problem with
> it.
>
>
> After the Masonite was fastened to the ground we noticed that the paint
> was coming off by rubbing our shoe against it.  We were turning our foot on
> the edge of the sole and swiping the floor.  I'm not talking just a
> regular scuff from the rubber sole; I'm talking paint completely pulling
> off down to raw lumber. I contacted Jenny Knott at Rosco and explained our
> situation. She informed us that she had seen instances of this.  She went
> on to explain how the processing of tempered hardboard has changed over the
> years.  Apparently, the processing now involves linseed oil.  And as we all
> know, oil and water-based products do not mix. She advised us to wash the
> raw Masonite and apply more coats of paint. She also advised us to let the
> floor cure for 48 hours.
>
>
> The other layer of this onion involves our observation of lighter colored
> Masonite. I'm used to the chocolate brown Masonite. Instead, this
> Masonite was blond in color. I contacted the lumber yard, and they said
> color didn't make a difference.  The Masonite had a smooth finish on both
> sides, so I know it’s tempered.  We went to another lumber yard and
> picked up another batch of Masonite. This time it was a little bit darker –
> almost khaki colored - but not the dark chocolate color I'm used to.
>
> We paid extra attention to washing the floor and again painted all
> surfaces and edges.  After laying the floor a second time, it was still
> doing the same thing with our shoes.  We tried several tests using
> different coats of paint and ultimately discovered it would take four coats
> of paint to resist scuffing.
>
>
> It’s been about a week since we finished the last coat and yesterday we
> had to lay tape down on the floor to mask out an area to paint a safety
> line. Today, when we went to pull up the tape,  some of the top layers of
> the floor came up with it.  The tape was down for 24 hours. The floor had
> over 48 hours to dry.
>
> I’m certain we may have a manufacturing issue with the lumber.  The paint
> is adhering and doing its job. Rosco has checked the batch number and
> everything checks out.
>
>
> Has anybody experienced this?
>
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