Getting Started with the Basketball Floor Project

So I finally decided to put a real hardwood court in my garage last month. Saw some guys doing it online and figured why not try it myself? Went to the lumber store and stared at wood samples for like an hour before picking maple. People kept telling me “you need tongue-and-groove boards” so that’s what I got.

Prepping the Space Was Brutal

First I had to clear out twenty years of junk – old tools, half-empty paint cans, even a broken fridge. Swept the concrete slab like crazy until my arms hurt. Then came the worst part: making it level. Used this self-leveling cement stuff that looked like pancake batter. Messy as hell! Waited three whole days for it to dry while constantly checking with my wife’s spirit level.

The Real Work Begins

Started laying boards from the center outward because YouTube said so. Each plank needed:

• Measuring twice with my rusty tape measure
• Sawing while neighbors complained about noise
• Hammering like mad with rubber mallet

Hit my thumb so many times I lost count. Glue kept oozing up between boards making sticky mess. Had to stop every hour to wipe glue with damp rags. Ran short on planks twice because my measurements sucked. Extra trips to hardware store cost me more money.

Finishing Touches Took Forever

After all boards were down, rented this giant sander that nearly vibrated my teeth out. Dust got EVERYWHERE – in my hair, eyes, even inside my coffee cup. Applied three coats of varnish over four days. Each coat needed drying time so I guarded the garage like a watchdog. For court lines:

• Taped off with painter’s tape that kept peeling
• Used special court paint that smelled like dead fish
• Freehanded the three-point arc – looks kinda wobbly

The moment of truth came when my ten-year-old bounced the ball. That solid thump sound made all the blisters worth it. Still finding wood splinters in my elbows though.