What type of Stage Flats?

What type of Flats do you use in your theatre?

{this is not about accommodation, digs, shoes, corsets or prosthetics!]

Are they the 'Soft'{ [Broadway] for want of a better name} flats, the hard [Hollywood / Studio/TV] Flats, 'scene Board' , Cardboard or what ever?

Personally I prefer the soft flats, which takes more effort to make, but it can be a loft of fun. especially as a stagecraft or workshop exercise.

There are a lot of bods who argue for the use of the hard TV flats & I can see some value in their reasoning!

Anyhow lets hear what you use, why or? Not that I would attempt to convert any to using cloth flats, but I prefer using unbleached Calico [the yanks call it Muslin or flax] in preference to canvas. Mainly because it's cheaper & lighter, also I find it easier to work with.

For a starter here is the named parts that traditionally make up the frame of a Flat;- http://www.tvradiofilmtheatre.org/Culley/PartsFlat.html

Of course once you make up a frame, it can be skinned with any material. From ply, MDF, Masonite, cardboard or 'Luan'. I have never met Luan, but the yanks seem to adore her. [A cheap wooden sheeting]. Or even just use the hard sheeting without making a frame.

I remember David got innovative when he was doing the shows for 'Effie Crump theatre', a few years ago. He made up steal tube frames, with ply sheeting, which was inter changeable. Because he applied Velcro strips to the frame & rear of the boards, to effect quick changes to the complete set. Also it made it easier to tour the basic framing & packs of different sheeting. Rather well done David & to me it worked effectively, for the logistics of that Company.