Do I need a platform?

[NCRob]

I’m about to start my fourth week of NLP and am trying to plan for when I add the power clean. I work out in a spare bedroom that serves as my workout room. Currently I deadlift inside a power rack with a couple stall mats on either side of the rack to protect my flooring. When I add the clean I will need to work outside of the rack which currently is just laminate flooring which I don’t want to damage. So I am looking at options with keeping costs down a factor.

The current flooring provides a very stable base to lift from. And my main concern is protecting the flooring. A 4x8 deadlift platform would be reasonable but I am not sure if it is large enough for cleans (from what I’ve read). An 8x8 platform would barely fit in the space but once built I couldn’t move it. I’ve thought of just laying down a couple of stall mats over a mat I already have that is 6x8 which would absorb impact but would also change the height minimally for the weights (not sure if this is a big deal or not). What would be the best course 4x8 DL platform, adding stall mats or building a 3 piece 6x8 platform?

[Mark Rippetoe]

A 4x8 platform should work if you're careful. Is the room on a slab floor or pier and beam?

[NCRob]

Slab

[Mark Rippetoe]

It's possible to fracture a poorly-poured slab. Build the platform.