Author Topic: Tape-out on Carpet  (Read 5184 times)

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sarahj33

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Tape-out on Carpet
« on: Jun 24, 2013, 05:56 pm »
The music festival where I work rehearses their productions in a carpeted room.  In the past we have used spike tape to tape out our ground plans and it has worked okay, but the festival believes the spike tape is leaving marks on their carpet and they don't want us to use it anymore.  We tried painters tape next, but we're having parts rip up all the time.  Any suggestions for a tapeout that won't be a ton of work, but won't leave marks on our carpet?

Sarah

Jessie_K

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Re: Tape-out on Carpet
« Reply #1 on: Jun 24, 2013, 11:53 pm »
Can you use a roll out carpet or tarp of your own that you lay on top of their carpet?

PSMKay

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Re: Tape-out on Carpet
« Reply #2 on: Jun 25, 2013, 03:12 am »
We did that once. We were rehearsing in an old school ballroom with original parquet floor. We nabbed some carpet from a hotel that was going out of business and used it to cover the floor. If you do this, bear in mind:

  • It will affect the acoustics
  • You will need something to hold it down
  • You will need a vacuum with a very very long cord. Vacuuming takes longer than sweeping.
  • If you get it second hand it will probably be super gross and need a lot of cleaning before you want to be crawling around on it.

BARussell

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Re: Tape-out on Carpet
« Reply #3 on: Jun 25, 2013, 08:49 am »
I have not tried this nor do I know the logistics, but I know someone who laid out yarn once. I just imagined the tripping hazard but apparently it worked.
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lsears

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Re: Tape-out on Carpet
« Reply #4 on: Jun 25, 2013, 08:55 am »
Last Thanksgiving I was in a space that didn't allow us to use spike tape on the floor.  Our set was simple so we taped cheap brown construction paper/butcher paper together, cut out our set pieces then taped them to the ground with painters tape.  They swept clean and worked pretty well.  It was a tedious morning or taping and cutting though.  I think the rolls of paper were between $3-$5 at Home Depot for a 3'x50' roll.  We were going on top of a wood floor so it was quiet, depending on your carpet you may get an annoying sound or it may become rumpled very quickly.

ejsmith3130

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Re: Tape-out on Carpet
« Reply #5 on: Jun 25, 2013, 08:53 pm »
I have not tried this nor do I know the logistics, but I know someone who laid out yarn once. I just imagined the tripping hazard but apparently it worked.

I've done the yarn thing before when we were not allowed to leave spike on the ground and had several rehearsal locations. Essentially you measure out your walls into lengths of yarn and tack down the ends with tape. They tend to pop if actors walk "through the wall" which we know is bound to happen, but it worked better than nothing.

As a suggestion- next time I would probably use twine or something that had less stretch to it. The yarn could be inconsistent because of the stretch, and that caused it to pop more often.

sarahj33

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Re: Tape-out on Carpet
« Reply #6 on: Jun 27, 2013, 01:01 am »
We have tried using tarps before, but the noise and the trip hazards were unfortunate.  I suspect that, in this situation, brown paper would have the same problems. 
Another layer of carpet would be great, but we're kind of out in the woods with no budget, so not likely. 
The string idea might be perfect though, thanks for the suggestion!

loebtmc

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Re: Tape-out on Carpet
« Reply #7 on: Jun 27, 2013, 10:12 am »
One more thing - in areas where I wasn't allowed to use spike tape or marker, I have found kids' sidewalk chalk to be wonderfully useful. It comes up with water (or, in this case, vacuum) and you have access to color coordination.


EFMcMullen

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Re: Tape-out on Carpet
« Reply #8 on: Jun 27, 2013, 02:58 pm »
Along the sting idea, I've used ribbon.  It lays flat and you can stitch/glue it at the angles you need.