If hiring a marquee for an event, you must think carefully about the flooring, as the right choice will ensure the inside is more comfortable, stable, and aesthetically pleasing. There are several marquee flooring options to choose from, including marquee matting, boarded marquee floors, cassette marquee floors, and marquee carpets – each of which comes with its own benefits, which we’ll go into in this thorough guide.
We at Dynamic Marquees have over 10 years in the marquee industry, which means we know what flooring works for certain situations and locations. We have the marquee flooring options you need, including specific types of flooring as well as experts who can help you choose the right option for your marquee’s location, event, and theme.
Outdoor Marquee Flooring Options
Your event planning is not complete until you decide the type of floor your marquee will have. The flooring matters for several reasons, including safety, guest comfort, and aesthetics. The good news is that there are several marquee flooring options, with the best flooring for marquees depending on your specific event type and needs.
Some of the most popular include no floor (often a grass lawn), coir matting, interlocking tiles, boarded flooring, cassette systems, and dance floors. Several factors go into deciding which one is right for your event, such as your budget, whether there is uneven ground, safe surface level, wet weather, and drainage.
How to Choose Based on Ground & Event Type
To choose marquee flooring, you need to consider several factors, including the type of ground you have to work with, the pedestrian load, and the event you’re hosting.
- The Ground: Is the ground grass or hardstanding? Are you looking for flooring for uneven ground? For a lawn, flooring that has a moisture barrier is key, as you want it to be stable and dry. If you have uneven ground or a slope, a cassette flooring system works as it creates a flat surface.
- Weddings vs Corporate: For a wedding, you want aesthetically pleasing flooring – a suspended wood floor for a rustic wedding works, for example. For a corporate event, ensure durability with cassette subflooring and perhaps add carpet on top for a clean, comfortable finish.
- High-Heel Suitability: If some of your guests will be wearing high heels, you’ll need to factor this in. No floor won’t be a good option here, for example, as it’s hard to walk on grass in heels.
- Accessibility: Always consider accessibility when choosing marquee flooring. For example, installing some accessibility ramps and ensuring the ground can take the load of wheelchairs easily.
If you’re new to marquee structures, learn more about marquee structures before choosing a floor.
Flooring Types (Pros, Cons, Where They Shine)
Discover all the different types of marquee flooring right here, including their pros and cons.
Lawn/No Added Floor
Your first (and arguably easiest option) is a lawn marquee floor, which is when you don’t install any ground protection mats at all. Instead, the floor is what’s already on the ground, which is often grass, and this works well for a natural aesthetic. However, it may be an uneven ground, meaning the furniture will be wobbly, and there is a risk of mud if it has been raining.
Pros: It provides a natural option in dry weather with zero flooring cost.
Cons: Potential for wobbly furniture, could get muddy, not easy to walk on in high heels.
Coir/Coconut Matting
Coir or coconut marquee matting is an eco-friendly flooring option that is made of coconut husks that get soaked in water, and is the most budget-friendly choice. It’s very easy underlay to set down, with a taut stretch and secured with pins/pegs, to give your event space a rustic look.
Pros: It is eco-friendly, durable, slip-resistant, budget-friendly.
Cons: It is a potential hazard for high heels, vulnerable to high levels of moisture, and not the most comfortable texture.
Interlocking Plastic Tiles
Modular marquee flooring are clip together tiles, which means they are a versatile flooring option. Interlocking event flooring is particularly useful for walkways and is good on either grass or hardstanding ground.
Pros: They are come as ramp pieces, they have edge trims, durable, work on grass or hard ground, versatile.
Cons: They can move when placed on uneven ground, works best on flat flooring, and some moisture problems.
Boarded Wooden Subfloor + Event Carpet
A boarded marquee floor is an option that involves a full boarded battens/subfloor with a carpeted marquee floor on top. The plywood sheets and carpet overlay offer a luxury look that ensures stability, durability, and a versatile design, which means it works well for more formal events, such as a wedding.
Pros: There is a choice of carpet colours, it is more durable, gives a polished, and level finish.
Cons: There is a longer installation process and a higher cost involved.
Raised/Cassette Flooring for Uneven Sites
A raised marquee floor or cassette flooring is a load bearing temporary platform that works specifically on uneven ground. If your event takes place on uneven grass, for example, this is the levelling system you’ll want to choose. It consists of raised floor panels, each of which comes insulated, able to be placed on any kind of terrain and wet ground.
Pros: They block moisture build-up, can be placed on uneven terrain, insulated to prevent cold.
Cons: They are a higher cost, a trickier installation (professional installation recommended).
Dance Floors & Feature Overlays
A marquee dance floor is perfect when you need to create an area where guests can comfortably dance to music without fear of slipping or falling. A parquet dance floor needs to be stable and flat, and preferably with an eye-catching design that encourages guests to head to the dance floor! An LED dance floor can sit nicely on a boarded floor, and you have several options with it comes to style. They work well at weddings and milestone parties, especially when a DJ booth is also involved.
Pros: They are a stylish slip resistant sectioned tiles with a gloss finish.
Cons: They are usuallyan added cost, need a boarded floor underneath.
Want styling ideas once your floor is down? Explore our decorating tips for marquees without flooring.
Walkways, Thresholds, Ramps & Edge Trims
When it comes to thinking about your flooring, you must consider things like marquee walkways and event ramps. Your goal is not just for your marquee to look stylish, after all – you also need the floor to be 100% safe for your guests.
Dedicated Walkways: Dedicated walkways help protect the guests from the ground and create a walkway flow that connects each section of the marquee.
ADA-Friendly Ramps: ADA-friendly ramps are crucial for providing access compliance to all guests, including guests who use wheelchairs.
Thresholds: Always think about threshold safety when organising marquee flooring, as you need to know it can carry the weight of your guests (and furniture).
Edge Trims: Edging trims in contrasting colours are also important for safety, as they reduce trips. They are also important for protecting the grass for the duration of the event.
Weatherproofing, Drainage & Underlays
Naturally, you want your marquee flooring to be weatherproof, as a weatherproof marquee floor offers moisture control that provides more comfort to guests and protects the lawn.
Moisture control barriers are a key part of making this happen. These are non-breathable layers that lie underneath the main floor, whether that is carpet or matting. This barrier then stops any moisture from rising from the ground and causing condensation on the floor inside the marquee. You can also use a marquee floor underlay, which are geotextile breathable mats cushioning material that also goes under the floor.
Raised floors are particularly effective for preventing moisture build-up, and are often referred to as cassette floors. These are the most premium option as they stand above the ground, offering a level surface and allowing water to pass underneath, even in the heaviest of rains (which can be common in the UK, whether it’s spring, summer, or winter!) and can also offer grass protection.
Comfort & Seasonality (Heating, Insulation, Acoustics)
Getting the flooring right is crucial for ensuring your guests’ comfort. There are other things to consider as well as weatherproofing and flooring type, though, and that includes heating, insulation, and acoustics.
Marquee Heating: If you’re looking at winter marquee flooring, you also should consider indirect heaters. Pairing floors with heaters in the colder months ensures your guests stay toasty even when the temperatures have plummeted outside.
Insulation: Consider how insulating the materials are when choosing your marquee flooring. Carpet is a great option, as it will be warm underfoot.
Airflow: In the summer months, you’ll want to think about airflow more, as you’ll need plenty of ventilation to keep the marquee comfortable. To manage this, prioritise natural ventilation by opening up the sides and consider using a dedicated cooling system.
Acoustics: Your marquee flooring also plays a role in acoustics. As well as being good for insulation, carpet is also a fantastic option for acoustics, as it sound dampening. If you have neighbours to consider, this is important to avoid disturbing them.
Budget Marquee Flooring Guide: Cost, Install Time & Maintenance at a Glance
Marquee flooring cost differs depending on various factors including: whether you hire vs buy, durability, have an install crew, and the turnaround time. The exact type of flooring you choose, as well as the size of your marquee and the complexity of installation.
| Cost | Best for | Avoid if | |
| Lawn | Low | A natural setting, and to keep things cheap | You need better accessibility, or it is raining |
| Matting | Low | When you need a durable and affordable option | You have uneven ground |
| Tiles | Medium | When you have high traffic areas and need to protect the ground | You have moisture concerns |
| Boarded + Carpet | High | You want a polished finish | Your budget is tight |
| Raised/Cassette | High | You have uneven ground | The ground is perfectly flat, and you’re on a tighter budget |
| Dance Floor | Medium | You want a dance floor inside the marquee | There are budget concerns, or a dance floor isn’t necessary |
Installation Checklist
Do you think you are ready for your marquee floor installation? Before you go ahead, first you need to tick off the following site checklist.
- Site Access Route/Parking
- Power
- Slopes
- Ground Condition After Rain
- Layout
- Dance Floor Position
- Door Thresholds
- Walkway Routes
- H&S and Crew Requirements Timeline for Installation and Takedown
If your marquee needs a raised/cassette system for levelling the ground – perhaps because of soggy or uneven ground – then it’s important to seek out professional installation. That way, you’ll gain access to the skills that lead to a faster installation, as well as a more flawless and polished finish. You’ll be able to enjoy your event with true peace of mind.
Next Steps: Get a Flooring Plan that Fits Your Venue
When planning an event in a marquee, one of the most important things to consider is the flooring. With the right floor, you can ensure your event is both safe and comfortable. Plus, many of the best marquee flooring options also offer plenty of style.
At Dynamic Marquees, we offer a full installation of your chosen marquee flooring, including a free quote beforehand. Simply tell us your ground, even, and season, and we will recommend the right system. Ready to get started? Contact Dynamic Marquees for a Marquee rental London free quote, equipment hire, and flooring advice.
