Okay, here’s my blog post about setting up that portable basketball court:

So, I finally got around to putting together that “batten Basketball sleeper portable wooden flooring” thing I ordered. I’ve always wanted a decent surface to practice on, and this seemed like a cool project. Let me tell you, it was a bit of a journey, but I’m pretty stoked with how it turned out.

Getting Started

First things first, I unpacked everything. There were a TON of wooden pieces, these rubber sleeper things, and a bunch of screws. Honestly, it looked a little overwhelming at first. I made sure I had enough space in my backyard – that was crucial. You don’t want to be cramped when you’re trying to lay down a basketball court!

The Sleeper System

The instructions said to start with the sleepers. These are basically the foundation. They’re these long, rubbery strips that go underneath the wood. I laid them out in parallel rows, making sure they were evenly spaced. This part was kind of like putting together a giant puzzle, but a really simple one. The sleepers had these little grooves that helped them interlock, which was pretty neat.

• Laid out the sleepers: This took some time to get right. I wanted them perfectly straight.
• Checked the spacing: I used a measuring tape (like a real pro!) to make sure the distances between the sleepers were consistent.

Laying the Wooden Floor

Now for the fun part – the actual wooden floor! These panels were surprisingly heavy. I started placing them on top of the sleepers, one by one. Each panel had these interlocking edges, like a giant jigsaw puzzle. I had to give them a good whack with a rubber mallet to get them to snap together properly. It was actually pretty satisfying hearing that “thunk” sound.

I worked my way across the area, row by row. It was a bit of a workout, I’m not gonna lie. My back was definitely feeling it by the end of the day. But seeing the court take shape was super motivating.

• Snapped the panels together: Rubber mallet was my best friend here.
• Kept checking alignment: I didn’t want any wonky lines on my court!

The Finishing Touches

Once all the panels were down, I secured everything with * instructions had a specific pattern for the screws, so I followed that. It seemed like overkill, but I guess it’s important for keeping everything stable.

Finally. Finished the work, I took a step back and admired my handiwork. It looked pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. I grabbed my basketball and took a few shots. The bounce was solid, and it felt great under my feet. Success!

Overall, it was a bit of a project, but totally worth it. Now I have a sweet little practice court right in my backyard. If you’re thinking about doing something similar, I’d say go for it! Just be prepared for some physical work, and make sure you have plenty of space.