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I am looking for some material to build a soft clear protective covering for RGB LEDs. The material needs to be close to transparent to allow light to shine through, be soft and compliant but sturdy enough to withstand someone standing on it. The ultimate goal is to have a floor of these LEDs that someone can jump in barefoot and change led colors.

I have tried Gel Candle Wax and Silicone but neither worked very well. I am looking for other material ideas and this was the most relevant of the StackExchanges that I could find.

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  • $\begingroup$ Would clear casting resins work? As at eg tapplastics and smooth-on $\endgroup$
    – James Waldby - jwpat7
    Commented Nov 20, 2013 at 18:54
  • $\begingroup$ Can you give some more context to the requirements for softness/compliance? Or, can you name an opaque material that has the soft/compliant properties you are after? $\endgroup$
    – Ian
    Commented Nov 20, 2013 at 21:40
  • $\begingroup$ I think the OP is looking for a material with good tactile feeling, perhaps even cushioning from a fall onto the surface. That being said, something like the foam floor tiles you can buy at the hardware but clear / transluscent is needed. I cannot think of any materials fulfilling these requirements. $\endgroup$
    – Void Star
    Commented Nov 24, 2013 at 3:44
  • $\begingroup$ What about drilling holes for LEDs in a mat like this (foamtiles.com/tiles/58-diamond-soft-tiles.html), then using the flat, reverse side and applying some frosted plastic adhesive stuff? I'm sure there's a company that makes rolls of frosted plastic adhesive sheeting, although I'm having difficulty finding it. $\endgroup$
    – Void Star
    Commented Nov 24, 2013 at 3:57
  • $\begingroup$ What about amazon.com/Kittrich-Adhesive-Frosted-Privacy-Diamond/dp/… or briscoes.co.nz/cleaning-and-laundry/general-and-refuse/… for the frosted plastic covering over a foam tile? $\endgroup$
    – Void Star
    Commented Nov 24, 2013 at 4:00

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Sounds like what you need is transparent vinyl. Opaque vinyl is routinely used as a floor covering ('Cushionfloor', for example)where it is durable and easy to use. The transparent product is readily available, and the price varies because of polishing treatments to render it more window glass like. As you're just shining LEDs thorough it, the cheapest kind should work well. It comes in sheets up to at least 1 mm thick, and you could sandwich layers. I can get 5' by 7' sheets here in Canada for approx ~2$...its sold in many stores as a tablecloth protector. There is also a thicker version with molded nubs that is sold as a floor runner - typically 2' wide and cut to length by many hardware stores. If installed upside down, the LEDs and wires could probably be wound through the nubs, affording them considerable protection.

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