Okay, here’s my blog post about assembling wooden flooring for a volleyball court, written in a casual, first-person style:

So, I decided to take on this project – putting together a batten volleyball parquet floor. I’ve done some DIY stuff before, but this was definitely a bigger challenge. I started by looking at some examples online, and then it was time to get my hands dirty.

Getting Started

First things first, I cleared out the entire space. This was crucial. I needed a completely empty room to work with, no furniture, nothing. It’s like, you can’t build something new on top of the old, right?

Next, I inspected the subfloor. Made sure that was totally level. It wasn’t perfectly even, so, used some leveling compound, let it all dry and leveled it out.

Laying the Battens

Then came the battens. These are basically the long wooden supports that the parquet flooring will sit on. I laid them out perpendicular to the direction the final floorboards would go. This is important for stability, from what I read.

I spaced them out evenly, using spacers to make sure the gaps were consistent. Gotta be precise, or the whole thing can get messed up, make sure the spaces are the correct spacing apart by measuring.

Once I was happy with the layout, I started securing them to the subfloor. I used construction adhesive, to get them down. Making sure that they are not going to move.

Assembling the Parquet

With the battens in place, it was time for the actual parquet. I started in one corner, working my way out. This is important – you don’t want to box yourself in!

Each piece of parquet had these tongue-and-groove edges, so they clicked together pretty easily. I made sure each piece was snug against the next, using a tapping block and mallet to gently persuade them into place. No gaps allowed!

I continued this process, row by row, making sure to stagger the joints. This gives the floor extra strength and looks better, too. It’s like bricklaying – you don’t want all the seams to line up.

The Finishing Touches

Once all the parquet was down, I installed the edge trim. This covers up the expansion gap around the perimeter of the room. You need that gap because wood expands and contracts with changes in temperature and humidity.

Then I gave the floor a final check-up, make sure that there were no issues.

And that’s it! My volleyball court floor was done. It was a lot of work, but totally worth it. I learned a ton, and now I have a great space. Definitely a satisfying project!