Okay, here’s my blog post about assembling that batten volleyball court flooring:

Alright, so I decided to take on this project – putting in a wooden volleyball court floor. It’s the kind with battens, you know, those strips of wood underneath that give it some bounce. I figured, “How hard could it be?” Famous last words, right?

Getting Started

First things first, I gathered all the materials. I had a mountain of wooden flooring panels, a bunch of battens, screws, and the usual tools – a saw, a drill, a level, a measuring tape, and, of course, my trusty hammer. I also made sure I had some safety glasses. Don’t want any wood chips flying into my eyes!

The Batten Framework

I am laying down a solid foundation using battens.

The first real step was laying out the battens. These are the backbone of the whole thing, so I took my time to make sure they were spaced evenly. I followed the instructions that came with the flooring – they usually tell you the optimal spacing for good support and bounce. I used the measuring tape constantly, double-checking everything. I screwed the battens down to the subfloor, making sure they were nice and secure.

Laying the Flooring

Next up, the actual flooring panels. This was kind of like putting together a giant jigsaw puzzle. I started at one corner and worked my way across, interlocking the panels. They usually have this tongue-and-groove system, so they fit together snugly. I used a rubber mallet to gently tap them into place – didn’t want to damage the edges.

• Interlock: Get it tight.
• Rubber mallet : Don’t want to damage.
• Patience: This takes a while.

As I went along, I made sure to leave a small gap around the perimeter of the room. Wood expands and contracts with changes in temperature and humidity, so you need that expansion gap to prevent buckling. I learned that the hard way on a previous project!

The Tricky Parts

Of course, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Cutting the panels to fit around the edges of the room was a bit of a pain. I used my saw for this, and let me tell you, it took some careful measuring and cutting to get it right. I definitely messed up a few panels along the way, but thankfully I had ordered extra.

Finishing Up

Once all the panels were down, I went over the whole floor, making sure everything was level and secure. I used a long level for this, checking in multiple directions. I also hammered in any loose nails or screws.

I felt really very well.

Finally, I added some trim around the edges to cover up that expansion gap and give it a nice, finished look. And that was it! My very own wooden volleyball court floor. It took a good chunk of time and effort, but it was totally worth it. Now, who’s up for a game?