mrpotatohed
CAGiversary!
Hi folks!
I have been using soft mats for a while now and I notice they only last a couple of months before they get holes in the bottom or the wiring goes bad. I was looking for a deal on DDR hard mats but everything is way $$. So here is my solution. Make your own DDR pad from simple stuff you can find at any home depot or Lowes for a fraction of the cost.
Here is what you need.
A soft mat dance pad $15-20
Any pad will do really because when we are done it is going to be super sturdy! Here is an example.
http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product_id=801817
A chunk of plywood. Free-$20
The thicker the better on this one. I would suggest at least an inch thick. The heavier and thicker your base the less it will slide around on you. My mat is about an inch and it never moves on carpet. This doesn't have to be expensive lumber. Any large piece will do. Just make sure it is at least 1 inch bigger than your pad on all sides. I found mine in a lumber scrap pile so it was free! (I asked first LOL)
Vinal plastic hardwood floor covering $5-7
This is relatively inexpensive to buy and can be purchaced by the foot. The kind i used was smooth on one side and rougher on the other. IMPORTANT: do not purchace the type with spikes on the bottom as it will damage your pad within seconds!
here is a pic of the stuff I used held up to the light
This stuff usually is 3-4 feet wide so you are going to need enough to cover the entire board and tuck under. About 5 feet should do you, but measure to make sure.
Thats it. Here is what you need to assemble your masterpiece
1. A staple gun. -- If you don't own one, mooch from a friend who does. Think cheap, people!
2. Clear Packing tape -- the wide stuff used for mailing packages. "Borrow" from school, work, a mailman... you get the idea.
3. Scissors -- Don't run with them!
4. Sandpaper -- any grit -- optional
Got all your stuff together? Great! lets get working then shall we?
The first thing you are going to want to do is make sure your board is the right size. If you want it to look nice, a 1-2 inch boarder works well. You can get away with a little larger if you don't have access to cutting tools. If your board has splinters or is rough you can run some sand paper over the whole thing to smooth it out. Pay special attention to the corners and edges as these can catch toes while getting on and off your mat.
Next lay the mat out on the board and smooth out all the wrinkles. This is especially important because we are about to set your mat in stone per se. Once you have the mat to your liking start by taping down one edge flat on the board. Use one long piece of tape to go along the entire edge of the mat. Use 2 or 3 long pieces if needed to really stick it down. Go to the opposite side and, using gentle pressure, pull it snug and tape it down the same way. Repeat on the top and bottom until you have the entire mat taped to the top of the board. This will keep it from sliding around under your plastic protective top layer.
Now you can start putting the cover on. Place the first piece of vinal smooth side up at the bottom of the board. It should extend about 5 inches over each side and the bottom. While pulling the plastic tight, wrap it around the board and staple it down on the UNDER side of the board. Never put any staples in the side with the mat as you may accidentally puncture the mat and risk damaging the mat or yourself. Put the second piece on the top end of the board overlaping the bottom piece by about 3-4 inches. Staple it down just like the bottom piece, under the board.
Almost done! Take some clear tape and run a couple of long pieces across the seam made by the two plastic sheets. Presto! all done. Here is the result.
Depending on your resourcefulness and cheapness, the whole package ranges from $20-$50. Much better than the hard mats which can go well over a hundred bucks! I think it took me about an hour to figure out and assemble the mat. I have been using it almost every day for 6 months and there are no signs of wear at all! It looks great and i can even do slide moves on the smooth vinal. It holds up to bare feet, socks and shoes. If it ever does wear out, i can just by another cheap mat and recycle the rest of the parts.
I hope the instructions are clear. Reply with any questions and post pics of your mats if you decide to try it!
Enjoy!
EDIT: Also, don't pay big bucks for DDR games! You can download a free DDR game for your PC (just as good IMHO) and get a cheap Playstation2/USB adapter off ebay. Just make sure you buy the type that allows two inputs at the same time.
Find it here:
www.stepmania.com
adapter:
http://www.atruereview.com/PS2/index.php (cheaper on ebay lol)
I have been using soft mats for a while now and I notice they only last a couple of months before they get holes in the bottom or the wiring goes bad. I was looking for a deal on DDR hard mats but everything is way $$. So here is my solution. Make your own DDR pad from simple stuff you can find at any home depot or Lowes for a fraction of the cost.
Here is what you need.
A soft mat dance pad $15-20
Any pad will do really because when we are done it is going to be super sturdy! Here is an example.
http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?product_id=801817
A chunk of plywood. Free-$20
The thicker the better on this one. I would suggest at least an inch thick. The heavier and thicker your base the less it will slide around on you. My mat is about an inch and it never moves on carpet. This doesn't have to be expensive lumber. Any large piece will do. Just make sure it is at least 1 inch bigger than your pad on all sides. I found mine in a lumber scrap pile so it was free! (I asked first LOL)
Vinal plastic hardwood floor covering $5-7
This is relatively inexpensive to buy and can be purchaced by the foot. The kind i used was smooth on one side and rougher on the other. IMPORTANT: do not purchace the type with spikes on the bottom as it will damage your pad within seconds!
here is a pic of the stuff I used held up to the light
This stuff usually is 3-4 feet wide so you are going to need enough to cover the entire board and tuck under. About 5 feet should do you, but measure to make sure.
Thats it. Here is what you need to assemble your masterpiece
1. A staple gun. -- If you don't own one, mooch from a friend who does. Think cheap, people!
2. Clear Packing tape -- the wide stuff used for mailing packages. "Borrow" from school, work, a mailman... you get the idea.
3. Scissors -- Don't run with them!
4. Sandpaper -- any grit -- optional
Got all your stuff together? Great! lets get working then shall we?
The first thing you are going to want to do is make sure your board is the right size. If you want it to look nice, a 1-2 inch boarder works well. You can get away with a little larger if you don't have access to cutting tools. If your board has splinters or is rough you can run some sand paper over the whole thing to smooth it out. Pay special attention to the corners and edges as these can catch toes while getting on and off your mat.
Next lay the mat out on the board and smooth out all the wrinkles. This is especially important because we are about to set your mat in stone per se. Once you have the mat to your liking start by taping down one edge flat on the board. Use one long piece of tape to go along the entire edge of the mat. Use 2 or 3 long pieces if needed to really stick it down. Go to the opposite side and, using gentle pressure, pull it snug and tape it down the same way. Repeat on the top and bottom until you have the entire mat taped to the top of the board. This will keep it from sliding around under your plastic protective top layer.
Now you can start putting the cover on. Place the first piece of vinal smooth side up at the bottom of the board. It should extend about 5 inches over each side and the bottom. While pulling the plastic tight, wrap it around the board and staple it down on the UNDER side of the board. Never put any staples in the side with the mat as you may accidentally puncture the mat and risk damaging the mat or yourself. Put the second piece on the top end of the board overlaping the bottom piece by about 3-4 inches. Staple it down just like the bottom piece, under the board.
Almost done! Take some clear tape and run a couple of long pieces across the seam made by the two plastic sheets. Presto! all done. Here is the result.
Depending on your resourcefulness and cheapness, the whole package ranges from $20-$50. Much better than the hard mats which can go well over a hundred bucks! I think it took me about an hour to figure out and assemble the mat. I have been using it almost every day for 6 months and there are no signs of wear at all! It looks great and i can even do slide moves on the smooth vinal. It holds up to bare feet, socks and shoes. If it ever does wear out, i can just by another cheap mat and recycle the rest of the parts.
I hope the instructions are clear. Reply with any questions and post pics of your mats if you decide to try it!
Enjoy!
EDIT: Also, don't pay big bucks for DDR games! You can download a free DDR game for your PC (just as good IMHO) and get a cheap Playstation2/USB adapter off ebay. Just make sure you buy the type that allows two inputs at the same time.
Find it here:
www.stepmania.com
adapter:
http://www.atruereview.com/PS2/index.php (cheaper on ebay lol)
