Marley Stage Covering

All things Marley

Marley is a type of vinyl, roll-out flooring for professional dance and musical theater. It can be used as a rental, or for permanent installation. Marley is typically double sided; one side is typically matte black and the other side varies between tan, gray, and occasionally white. Please continuing reading to find out about marley flooring and rentals through In Depth Events!

The term “Marley” was a general word stemming from a company called “The Marley Companies” that was the first to manufacture this type of floor. The Marley Companies made this vinyl material originally for floor, ceiling, roofing, and wall applications. Marley now essentially means any roll out flooring pertaining to professional dance or theater.

About 70 years ago, the founder of The Marley Companies had a daughter who was a dancer. Her biggest complaint was that when she practiced versus performed, the floors surfaces would be different, causing it to be much more difficult to dance. Her father created the first marley surface, dubbed “Stageflor”, and she would take it when she practiced and when she performed. From there, he started selling the floors to other dancers and performing arts groups.

The two most common marley manufacturers now are Harlequin and Rosco. Harlequin is unique as they install marley on cruise ships along with dance studios and theaters. Rosco has taken marley surfaces and gone a step further for Irish and folk dancing – they provide a subfloor which can add bounce to the Marley when placed underneath it.

Renting Marley vs. Buying Marley

Renting marley is ideal for a venue such as a hotel hosting a dance competition, or similar, in their ballroom or convention space. Marley is typically pre-cut in 40 feet long by 6 feet deep, and anywhere between one millimeter and three millimeters in thickness. The material is pliable so it can easily be rolled out and taped for the area needed.

Buying Marley for a permanent installation tend to be in places like clubs, dance studios, and school stages. These can be permanently installed using strong installation tape or glue then heat sealed as compared to different adhesives for a rental. Using the permanent installation with the heat seal, the Marley adheres to the surface, making it reliable and safe for years of use.

At In Depth Events, we provide Marley for rental applications that comes pre-cut, and we can also do permanent installations! As event professionals, we are trained and equipped to meet the needs of our customers. Please contact us for more information!