Okay, here’s my attempt at writing a blog post in the style you described, focusing on the practical steps of assembling a wooden basketball floor:

Alright, folks, let’s talk about putting together this larch basketball floor. I’ve been wanting a decent practice space in my backyard for ages, and I finally decided to take the plunge. I went with larch because it’s supposed to be pretty tough and weather-resistant, even though it’s a softwood. And batten? Means the wood strips are supported on supporting strips, make the floor more stable.

Getting Started

First things first, I gotta clear the area. This wasn’t some pristine, level patch of concrete. I’m talking grass, weeds, some old rocks… the works. So, I spent a good day just yanking stuff out, digging, and trying to get it as level as possible. I even rented a little mini-excavator for a few hours – best decision ever! Saved my back big time.

The Batten Framework

Next up, the batten framework. Now, this is crucial. This is what’s gonna give the floor its bounce and keep it from warping all over the place. I used treated lumber for this, ’cause it’s gonna be in contact with the ground, and I don’t want any rot setting in. I laid out the battens, spacing them according to the instructions that came with the flooring. Lots of measuring, checking, and re-measuring. Gotta get this right, or the whole thing’s gonna be wonky.

• Measure twice, cut once: This is the mantra. I messed up a couple of cuts and had to go back to the lumber store. Ugh.
• Level, level, level: Used a long level and a laser level to make sure everything was even. Took some shimming here and there, but I got it pretty darn close.
• Screws, not nails: I used exterior-grade screws to hold the battens together. Nails can work themselves loose over time, especially with all the pounding a basketball floor takes.

Laying the Larch

Now for the fun part – actually laying down the larch flooring. These planks were tongue-and-groove, which means they interlock. Makes it a bit easier to get everything lined up nice and tight. I started at one edge and worked my way across, tapping each plank into place with a rubber mallet. Don’t use a regular hammer, you’ll dent the wood!

I rented a flooring nailer – another great decision. It’s like a specialized nail gun that drives the nails in at the right angle, through the tongue of the plank. So you don’t see any nail heads on the surface. Pretty slick.

• Stagger the joints: Just like laying bricks, you don’t want all the end joints to line up. It looks better and it’s stronger.
• Leave a gap at the edges: Wood expands and contracts with changes in humidity, so you need to leave a little space around the perimeter. I used some spacers to keep it consistent.
• Work in sections: Don’t try to lay the whole floor at once. I did it in manageable sections, making sure everything was tight and square before moving on.

Finishing Touches

Once all the flooring was down, I gave it a good sanding. There were a few rough spots and some slight variations in height between planks. I rented a big floor sander – it’s like a giant, angry vacuum cleaner that smooths everything out. Be sure and where protection mask!

Finally, I applied a couple of coats of exterior-grade polyurethane. This protects the wood from moisture and gives it a nice, durable finish. I let it dry completely between coats, and then… bam! Done.

It took a few weekends, some sweat, and a few trips back to the hardware store, but I’m pretty stoked with how it turned out. Now I can practice my jump shot whenever I want, and my kid’s got a cool place to play. Totally worth it!