Alright, so I’ve been meaning to get this project done for, like, forever, and this weekend I finally tackled it: putting down some batten dancing rubber tree wooden flooring. Sounds fancy, huh? It’s basically just nice, springy wood flooring for my little home dance practice area.

Getting Started

First thing’s first, I cleared out the space completely. This was a workout in itself! I moved all the furniture, rolled up the old rug, and gave the concrete subfloor a good sweeping and vacuuming. You gotta have a clean slate, you know?

The Underlayment Adventure

Next up, I rolled out this rubber underlayment. I had a good time at this *’s supposed to help with soundproofing and give the floor that nice bouncy feel. Cutting it to size was pretty straightforward – just used a utility knife and a straight edge. I secured it down with some special tape they recommended at the hardware store.

Laying the Battens

Now for the battens. These are basically just strips of wood that create the framework for the floor.I measured out and that the spacing was super important, so I took my time and double-checked everything. I used construction adhesive to glue them down to the underlayment, and then I added some screws for extra hold. My drill got a good workout, let me tell you!

The “Real” Floor

With the battens in place, it was time for the actual wooden flooring. I chose this rubber tree wood because I read it’s durable and has a nice finish. Unpacking the planks was exciting – it finally felt like I was getting somewhere!I started in one corner, laying down the first row and making sure it was perfectly straight. This is crucial, because if that first row is off, the whole floor will be wonky.

Then it was just a matter of clicking the planks together. They have this tongue-and-groove system, which is pretty satisfying to use. I used a tapping block and a rubber mallet to make sure they were snug, but I was careful not to damage the edges. Every few rows, I checked with a level to make sure everything was still even.

Finishing Touches

Once all the planks were down, I installed some baseboards around the edges to hide the expansion gap (you need that so the wood can expand and contract with temperature changes). I used a miter saw to cut the corners at 45-degree angles – that was a bit tricky, but I managed!

Finally, I gave the whole floor a good cleaning. I was so proud of myself! It took the whole weekend, and my back was definitely feeling it, but it was totally worth it.

The Result

Now I have a dedicated space for dance practice with a proper floor that’s gentle on my joints. I cranked up the music and did a little test run – it felt amazing! The floor has just the right amount of give, and it looks fantastic, too. Seriously, I might just start inviting people over for dance parties!