This is a little how-to guide to prove that making a platform isn’t rocket surgery.

Start by gathering your supplies. You’ll need enough mats to fit your design. In this case, I wanted to make a smaller square platform, so I only needed one mat. I use a decent pair of scissors to cut my mat(s) but a utility knife will work. You’ll need something to measure with, like a tape measure or yardstick, and a permanent marker (Sharpie) or pen to mark your mats at your measurement points. To hold the platform together, I just use Duck tape. 

I’ve trimmed the interlocking tabs off my mat in this picture, but you can leave them on and add the edge pieces, if you want.

Measure the width you want. Mark in several places, and then make a line connecting your marks.

Cut the mat apart at your mark.

Measure the length you want, the same as you did the width. To make longer platforms, you can connect two mats together, and trim as needed.

Once you’ve got everything cut to size, stack them in order.

I’ve found this to be the easiest way to tape. Pull out a length of tape and lay it on your work surface sticky side up. Then, place your stacked mats on the tape, fold the short end over, then fold the roll end over to slightly overlap the short end, and cut or tear the tape.

Taped on all four sides, which keeps the inside (sandwich filling) mats from sliding out. Some people use spray adhesive or the like, but I like being able to disassemble and redo a platform if need be.

This was platform number three for me. I can use it with Lily for sits, or as a front foot target for Leo.

The green platform is taped slightly differently because I was running low on tape that day. It also has the edge pieces left on one side, and the tabs trimmed on the other. The large platform has the tabs removed.

The mats you don’t use as platforms make a nice training surface.