Alright, folks, let’s dive into my little weekend project: putting together a batten basketball parquet floor. It sounds fancy, but it’s basically just a wooden floor with a bit of a support system underneath.

Getting Started

First things first, I cleared out the room. Everything out, furniture, rugs, the whole nine yards. Gotta have a blank canvas, you know?

Next up, I checked the subfloor. This was just the concrete slab in my basement. I made sure it was level – used a long level and some self-leveling compound in a couple of low spots. It didn’t have to be perfect, but pretty darn close. And of course, it needed to be clean. Swept and vacuumed it like crazy.

The Batten System

Then came the battens. These are just strips of wood that create a framework for the flooring to sit on. I used treated lumber, because, you know, basement. Moisture is always a concern.

I laid out the battens perpendicular to the direction I wanted the final floorboards to run. Spaced them out evenly – I think I went with about 16 inches apart. This gives the floor good support and helps with airflow underneath, which is important to prevent moisture buildup.

Used a good strong construction adhesive to secure the battens to the concrete. And to be extra sure, I also used concrete screws. Belt and suspenders, my grandpa always said.

Laying the Parquet

Once the battens were down and the adhesive was dry (gave it a full day), it was time for the fun part: the parquet itself. I chose a pre-finished parquet, ’cause I’m not a masochist. Saved me the hassle of sanding and finishing.

I started in one corner, working my way out. Used a good quality wood flooring adhesive, spread it on the back of each parquet piece, and pressed it firmly onto the battens. It’s like a giant puzzle, really. Just gotta make sure everything fits snugly.

Used a rubber mallet to tap the pieces together – gently, of course. Don’t want to damage the edges. And I left a small gap around the perimeter of the room for expansion and contraction. Wood moves, you know, with changes in humidity and temperature.

Finishing Up

• Once all the parquet was down, I let the adhesive cure for another day.
• Used a special tool to trim down the edeges.
• Then I installed baseboards to cover that expansion gap and give it a nice, finished look.

And that’s it! Took me a couple of days, working on and off, but it wasn’t too bad. Now I’ve got a pretty sweet wooden floor in my basement, perfect for, well, maybe not actual basketball, but definitely a good space for activities. My back was a little sore, but hey, that’s the price of DIY, right?