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Platform for grappling mats to use in back yard

7K views 10 replies 7 participants last post by  Wildie 
#1 ·
Hey all, first post, I'm a total n00b as far as anything and everything handy goes. I have one friend that says that I'm useless as a man because I can't build things or fix things(yeah, it's that bad), lol. Anyway I have an unusual project, and I figured this would be a good place to start, so any help would be very appreciated.

I train in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which is a grappling martial art similar to Wrestling. I have mats that I place on a tarp in my back yard over the grass, but the grass is such an odd surface that it makes the mats noticeably uneven. I want to build a small platform to place on the grass in order to make the mats feel more stable and even. The mat space is ~13'x13'. I have to be able to move the platform(I assume I can lean up against the side of the house when I'm not using it), so as not to permanently kill my lawn. One of my friends that builds things suggesting that I beat piping into the ground, and create a permanent base structure with which to attach the actual platform too, which would allow me to a)make the platform easily removable but sturdy, and b)make the platform in small'ish sections, so as to help with storing when I'm not using it.

All of this sounds a bit crazy to me, because I kind of just envisioned some 2x4s with a layer of particle board over them or something like that. Is my friend on the right path? Is this going to be some nutty job that takes way too much time and effort? Would love to hear your guys' thoughts on this, thanks.
 
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#3 ·
John..............or may I call you Grasshopper?
Anything you make from wood that would be strong enough would be also heavy. Moving this every time to your lawn would soon be a chore and it would end up being an eyesore.
The individual gym mats my son practiced karate on were about 4ft x 6ft. These were too thick and stable to be rolled up and were stacked on top of each other when stored. The other end of the gym had an area for sparing and they were made from a thick foam and interlocked like a jigsaw puzzle.
Maybe something like this would work better.
Walmart carry something like this
http://www.walmart.com/ip/11089966?adid=22222222227000051935&wmlspartner=wlpa&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=&wl3=13222924990&wl4=&wl5=pla&veh=sem

Mike
 
#4 ·
First of all, if you build this, don't use particle board or OSB for the floor. Use plywood. Particle board or OSB won't hold up to the beating, especially where the fasteners are installed.

One option for the base, instead of 2x4s, would be schedule 40 PVC, at least 2" or larger. The PVC can be set right on wet grass and won't absorb the moisture and may provide a little spring. Also the low surface contact would mean the uneven ground won't be as much a factor. And there will be minimal damage to the grass.

You could run the PVC lengthwise and screw (with washers) the plywood to the PVC making 4'x8' sections, kind of like a raft. You may have to space the PVC as close as 12" on center. I would use machine screws, washers and nuts on the ends as the wood screws will probably loosen over time.

Since the sections would be separating with the impact, you may want to create connectors to tie them together. Something as simple as strips of plywood could act as ties at the joints or you could buy a 1x3 and cut it to size.

If you will be storing this outdoors, like against the side of your house :whistling2:, use pressure treated plywood and exterior grade hardware. The worst thing that could happen is the plywood could warp but it won't rot.

The PVC option would require a simple saw, a drill and a screwdriver. The PVC comes in 10' lengths so you'd have to cut it to 8' or leave a foot hanging out of each end, which could be a trip hazard.

Good luck!
 
#5 ·
Thank you all so much for your replies! I am looking into how dance-floors are made, and hopefully the pvc pipe thing will work as well. I was talking to a friend of mine about how the platform would need to be portable, and would be easiest for storage and setup if it were in sections, and they mentioned that maybe I could look into plastic or wooden pallets that interlock... what do you guys think of that idea? Is that feasible, do they even make pallets that interlock? That seems like it would be an easy job, being that they'd already be built. Anyway, back to the drawing board, any other input would be appreciated.
 
#6 ·
I would do like you said...use 2x4's and plywood sections. Buy some flat truss plates and put a couple screws in them so the sections don't move. Lay your mats on top and train. After that take the mats off and carry the sections away.

Who are you training with? I used to train with Renzo Garcie and Matt Serra in New York.
 
#7 ·
Wow, what a coincidence! I used to be under Shawn Williams(who's from Renzo's) out here in CA. I'm now under Cobrinha, but Shawn's a great guy, and I have many friends still at his school. What do you mean about flat truss plates? I would like this to be as low maintenance as possible after I've assembled the whole thing(ie. don't want to have to use a drill every time I want to set the mats up), so if I can somehow make create a way for the platform to interlock without tools, that'd be awesome. Basically I want something similar to my puzzle mats, but for the platform, if possible.
 
#8 ·
I know Shawn. He was there when I was there. We trained together many times. I also trained with Matt Serra. I was at Renzos fight when he fought Olag Taktarov many years ago.

You can skip the truss plates and just lay the platforms down and just cut some stakes out of 2x2's and tap them into the ground on the outside of the platform.
 
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