Okay, here’s my blog post about installing that portable wooden basketball court:

Man, I’ve wanted a proper basketball court at home forever. But pouring concrete? Way too permanent. Then I stumbled across these portable wooden flooring systems, the ones with the batten supports underneath. Seemed like the perfect solution, so I took the plunge. Here’s how it went down.

Getting Started

First, I cleared the area in my backyard where I wanted the court. This was mostly just moving some patio furniture and a sad-looking fire pit we never use. I made the space a little bigger than the flooring system itself, just to give us some wiggle room. Then, I laid down a layer of weed barrier fabric. Probably overkill, but I hate weeds.

The Batten System

The flooring came in these big, awkward boxes. Seriously, get a friend to help you move them. Inside were the wooden panels and a whole mess of wooden battens. The battens are basically just long strips of wood that create the support structure under the floor. I started by laying them out according to the (very vague) instructions that came with the kit. It was like a giant, frustrating puzzle.

I quickly realized I needed to be pretty precise with the batten spacing. If they were too far apart, the floor would feel bouncy. Too close, and I’d run out of battens before I finished! I used a measuring tape and spent a good hour just tweaking the layout, making sure everything was evenly spaced and parallel.

Laying the Floor Panels

Once I was happy (or, you know, mostly happy) with the batten layout, it was time for the actual floor panels. These interlocked with each other using a tongue-and-groove system. It was pretty satisfying to click them together, like giant LEGOs.

I started at one corner and worked my way across, row by row. The key here is to make sure each panel is fully seated into the one next to it. I used a rubber mallet to gently tap them into place. Don’t go crazy with the mallet, though! You can damage the wood if you’re too aggressive.

• Tip: Leave a small gap around the perimeter of the entire floor. Wood expands and contracts with temperature changes, so you need to give it some room to breathe.

The Finishing Touches

Once all the panels were down, I walked around on the court, checking for any spots that felt uneven or bouncy. I added a few extra shims under the battens in a couple of places to level things out. Then, I swept the whole thing off, admiring the finish of the smooth wooden surface. All I needed to complete the court setup was a portable basketball hoop, and that was all she wrote!

Honestly, it took longer than I expected. And my back was definitely feeling it the next day. But seeing my kids out there shooting hoops? Totally worth it. It turned out pretty good, and felt pretty darn professional during play.