Sometimes there’s just nothing like dancing under an open sky. Whether you’re at a family reunion, a boisterous backyard party, or a formal wedding reception, having a dance floor in your yard always ends up being the focus of the show.
That said, what if you don’t actually have a dance floor in your backyard? Well, no worries, because we’ve compiled a list of nine ingenious and budget friendly DIY outdoor dance floor ideas that will have your guests twirling into the night without breaking your budget.
We’ve done our best to choose options that vary in terms of complexity and appearance, to give you the most variety to choose from, so you can create a cost effective and great looking DIY backyard dance floor of your own.
1. Plywood Sheets
If you’re looking for a super quick and easy fix to not having a dance floor, using plywood sheets is probably your best bet. All you need are a few plywood sheets, depending on the size of the dance floor you want to make, and you can create a large dance floor for a very limited cost.
Yes, the cost of lumber is increasing as the days and years go on, but using plain plywood sheets is still much cheaper than most other options out there. To ensure great durability and safety alike, make sure that you choose relatively thick plywood, so that the weight of your guests won’t break through the floor.
Plywood doesn’t look the best, so you might want to sand down any rough edges, which is also good for preventing splinters. If you like the rustic appeal, you can leave the plywood as is, but if you want a sleeker and more aesthetically appealing look, going with a layer of varnish, paint, or even lacquer is recommended.
2. Rubber Mats or Flooring
If one of your main concerns is safety, and aesthetic appeal comes second, then using rubber flooring or interlocking rubber mats is a go to option. These are mats that most often can link together to create one large surface, which is beneficial because you can customize the size to suit your needs.
However, the biggest benefit is that they are slip resistant, which helps reduce accidents. This is a great option to go with if you’re having some kind of family reunion or a child’s party, such as a birthday party where you’ll have a whole lot of kids running and dancing.
Another benefit of these rubber mats is that they’re really easy to lay down and pack up, making them ideal for last minute events. They also happen to be extremely durable and waterproof, which means that no matter how much you dance on them and how much they get rained on, they should stay in one piece for quite some time.
3. Interlocking Tiles
If you want something that is more aesthetically pleasing and appealing to the eye, you could go with interlocking tiles. Yes, interlocking tiles might be slightly more expensive than rubber mats or plywood, but they also tend to look much better.
What’s also cool about interlocking tiles is that they are available in various materials such as wood and plastic, they come in many different sizes, and they can be assembled in such a way to fit any size of space, whether small or large.
If you get the right kind, you can also lay them right over the grass instead of having to create some kind of subfloor, such as you might have to do for other materials. They’re also convenient because you just have to lock them into place when you want to use them, and then snap them apart when you want to put them away again.
That being said, the interlocking nature of the tiles means that they can snap apart if excess weight is put on them, so this might not be the best choice if you have a lot of people who are going to put a good deal of weight on that dance floor.
4. Pallets and Plywood
A really innovative and eco-friendly idea is to use pallets. Pallets, used for shipping purposes, are often thrown away once they are done being used. There are many places, such as warehouses, where you can go get as many pallets as you want for no cost at all, with some places charging minimal fees.
Either way, pallets shouldn’t cost you very much at all. It’s also a great way to be eco friendly, because it allows you to reuse something that would have otherwise been thrown out. What’s convenient about using pallets as well is that they provide a solid, stable, and flat base.
We already talked about using plywood sheets for making a dance floor, although the problem with using plywood sheets alone is that you may not be able to create a totally flat and level surface.
By using pallets, you can help level out the ground to create a flatter surface for your guests to dance on. You can then place the plywood on top, sand it and paint it as needed, and create one of the most professional yet cost effective looking backyard DIY dance floors possible.
5. Vinyl Sheets
If you want something that looks nice, is smooth, comes in various colors, and is super easy to clean, then using a thick vinyl sheet is probably your best bet. Now, what you need to realize with a vinyl sheet is that it is soft and pliable, not solid like the other materials we’ve talked about so far.
This means that vinyl sheets are not ideal for use on grass or uneven surfaces. Rather, a thick vinyl sheet is perfect for a surface that is already relatively flat and level, such as if you have a concrete backyard.
That said, if you don’t mind just a bit of unevenness, you can always place it over your grass yard as well. What’s nice about vinyl sheeting however is that it’s really slick and smooth, and it’s great for dancing on. It allows you to spend, twirl, twist, and do any of those fancy dance moves you might have seen people doing in Grease.
6. Recycled Materials
OK, so we know that this is very vague, but it is intended to be. The point is that we are here to promote not only cost effectiveness, but also sustainability.
You can go look for old pieces of carpet, rugs, wooden planks, pallets, and anything in between. Whatever the case may be, if you are a bit of a handy person, you can always find old materials and repurpose them in any way you see fit, and in this case, turn them into a dance floor.
7. Canvas or Fabric
Just like with vinyl sheets, if you want a softer and more aesthetically appealing dance floor, using a large fabric or canvas sheet is recommended. Now, just like with vinyl, a canvas or fabric sheet is really only ideal for a surface that’s already flat and level. It’s not something that you want to use for a bumpy and uneven backyard.
If you have concrete, or maybe if you’ve already put down pallets, plywood, or pallets plywood on top, then stretching a fabric or canvas covering over top is a great idea. It helps add both texture and color to the equation, and it will help preserve the subfloor material such as plywood, from damage.
Just make sure that you tightly secure the fabric to the actual dance floor so that it doesn’t come up while people are dancing, as this can pose a safety risk. What’s cool is that canvas and fabric come in many different colors as well, so you can really match it to the occasion.
8. DIY Wooden Platform Dance Floor
If you are looking to build something a little more permanent, you want it to look fantastic, and you’re willing to spend a bit of money, then creating your own DIY wooden platform dance floor is the best option of all. Here, you’re going to use 2x4s or other similar boards to create a base and frame for the dance floor, and then use high grade plywood for the surface.
This allows you to create a lifted surface and a secure area for your guests to dance on. It looks a lot more professional, and it will end up being more durable than virtually any of the other options on the list today.
You can always then place some vinyl, canvas, or fabric on the surface of the dance floor to make it look even better, and to increase its overall durability. Yes, this is going to be the most expensive option on the list, as well as the most labor intensive, but it will also look the best and last the longest.
9. Purchase a Used Dance Floor
If all else fails, and doing things yourself is not exactly your strong suit, then you could always look for a second hand or used dance floor. There are plenty of marketplaces, such as Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist, where you should be able to find a used dance floor for a relatively low price. That’s a good solution if you are short on time and just aren’t in a position to build anything, and it allows you to reuse and recycle something that would otherwise end up in a landfill.
Jamie is the founder of The Backyard Pros. When he was 15 years old he started working at a garden centre helping people buy plants, gardening products, and lawn care products. He has real estate experience and he is a home owner. Jamie loves backyard projects, refinishing furniture, and enjoys sharing his knowledge online.