Okay, here’s my blog post about setting up that portable wooden volleyball court floor:

Alright, so I finally got around to tackling this project I’ve been putting off – setting up a portable wooden volleyball court floor. It’s one of those “batten” systems, made of pine. Sounds fancy, but it’s basically just a bunch of wood pieces that fit together. I wanted something I could put down in my backyard for some casual games and then pack away when I’m done.

Getting Started

First, I cleared out a big, flat area in the yard. This is key – you don’t want any bumps or dips messing with the floor. I used a rake and a level to make sure everything was pretty even. I even threw down a tarp, just to keep the weeds from poking through later on.

Laying Down the Battens

Next up, I started laying down the battens. These are the long, skinny pieces of wood that run underneath the main floorboards. They’re supposed to give the floor some spring and support. I laid them out in rows, making sure they were spaced evenly. The instructions (which, let’s be honest, were pretty terrible) said to use these little plastic clips to connect them, so I did that. It was a bit of a pain, but I got the hang of it eventually.

Putting on the Floorboards

Once the battens were all set, it was time for the actual floorboards. These are the bigger, wider pieces that you actually play on. They have these grooves on the sides that are supposed to lock together. So, I started at one end, sliding the first board into place, and then worked my way across, clicking each board into the one next to it. It took some wiggling and banging with a rubber mallet (gently, of course!), but they eventually snapped together.

• Tip: Make sure you stagger the seams of the floorboards, like you would with a regular hardwood floor. It makes the whole thing stronger.

The Finishing Touches

After all the floorboards were down, I went around the edges and trimmed off any excess with a saw. I also nailed down some trim pieces around the perimeter to give it a cleaner look. And that was pretty much it!

Final Thoughts

Honestly, it took longer than I expected, maybe a full weekend with some help from my friends. It wasn’t super difficult, just a bit tedious. But now that it’s done, it’s awesome! We’ve already had a few games on it, and it feels great. It’s got a nice bounce, and it’s way better than playing on the grass. Plus, I can just take it all apart and store it in the garage when I’m not using it. Totally worth the effort!

I also sprayed the wood panels to resist water.