Okay, here’s my blog post about putting together a basketball court floor, told like I’m just chatting with a buddy about my weekend project:

So, I’ve been wanting a decent practice space for ages, and finally decided to just go for it. I figured, “How hard could it be to slap together a little basketball court?” Turns out, it’s a bit more involved than just throwing down some wood.

Getting Started

First things first, I had to get the area ready. I measured everything out to make sure to get the measurements right, double and triple-checked, ’cause you don’t want to mess that up. Then, I spent a good chunk of time clearing out * the ground as the base.

The Batten Framework

Next up was the batten system. These are basically the wooden supports that go underneath the actual flooring. I laid down the battens, making sure they were spaced evenly. This part was pretty crucial – get the battens wrong, and the whole floor will be wonky.

I used a bunch of screws to secure the battens to the concrete. My trusty drill got a real workout that day! I also made sure to leave a little bit of space around the edges for expansion and contraction – wood moves with the weather, you know?

Laying the Floorboards

With the battens in place, it was time for the fun part: laying down the actual floorboards. These were engineered wood, so they click together, which is supposed to make things easier. It was still a bit of a puzzle, figuring out how to get them all lined up right.

I started from one corner and worked my way across, tapping each board into place with a rubber mallet. Gotta be gentle, or you’ll damage the edges. And let me tell you, there was a LOT of tapping. My arms were definitely feeling it by the end!

• Measure, measure, measure! Seriously, can’t stress this enough.
• Leveling is key.
• Get good tools. Makes the job way easier.
• Take your time. Rushing leads to mistakes.
• Secure everything with screws.

Finishing Touches

Once all the boards were down, I installed some trim around the edges to give it a nice, finished look. I also had to cut a few boards to fit around the perimeter, which was a bit tricky, but I managed.

And that’s pretty much it! It took me a full weekend, and I was sore as heck afterward, but it was totally worth it. Now I have a sweet little spot to shoot some hoops. Not bad for a DIY project, right?