Okay so last summer I finally bit the bullet and decided to replace my crappy old concrete setup for pad volleyball. My knees were screaming, man, every time I landed. Heard some buzz about this pad volleyball parquet timber stuff, seemed interesting. So yeah, I just jumped in headfirst, figured I’d document the whole messy ride.
The Why and The What
Basically, I needed something softer than concrete, obviously. But sand is a nightmare to maintain, feels slow. Grass? Gets wrecked too fast, muddy mess after rain. So this parquet timber thing popped up – people saying it gives good bounce but doesn’t kill your joints. Sounded like magic, honestly. Skeptical but desperate enough to try.
Getting Started (Shopping Chaos)
First hurdle: finding the actual wood pieces. My local lumberyards looked at me like I had two heads when I asked for “volleyball parquet timber.” After way too many confused conversations, I ended up ordering these hard maple slats online. They were advertised specifically for pad courts. Price stung a bit, but knee replacement surgery costs more, right?
The Prep Work (Sweaty and Annoying)
Had a spot near the garage cleared months ago, mostly level crushed gravel base. That was step one. Then it was digging out and leveling a shallow pit – basically a big frame – about the size of the court I wanted. Used treated lumber for the border frame. This part sucked. Shoveling dirt, hauling gravel, pounding frame boards. Back felt it for days.
Drainage Matters
Lesson learned the hard way: drainage. I dug trenches under the frame, sloped slightly, and filled them with coarse gravel. Covered that whole base with landscape fabric to stop weeds. Didn’t skip this step ’cause pooling water would rot the wood underneath.
Laying the Timber (Like Puzzle Pieces From Hell)
This was the meat of the job. The maple slats arrived in these smaller panels. Each panel had these interlocking grooves. Think giant tongue-and-groove flooring. My garage turned into a lumberyard. Layout took patience – making sure everything was square, laying courses side-by-side carefully.
How it worked during install:
- Dug the pit, framed it, prepped the base. Got sweaty.
- Started laying panels in one corner. Clicked them together.
- Used rubber mallets to tap them snug. Couldn’t just drop ‘em, had to persuade them.
- Checked level constantly as I went. A tiny dip or rise felt huge underfoot later.
- Left small gaps between rows. The instructions yelled at you about expansion, so I listened.
Took me two solid weekends just doing this piece by piece. Blisters. So many blisters.
The “Why It Works” Reveal (Playing Test)
Finally got all the panels down, swept off the dust. Stood on it. Felt… firm. Good. Not squishy. Did a few practice jumps. Okay, smoother landing than concrete, definite give. But the real test was a proper game with friends.
Holy smokes. Difference was night and day.
Why I think it just works:
- Just the right amount of flex. Maple’s hard but not rock solid. When you come down hard, the whole floor gives slightly, dispersing the shock. Knees and ankles felt so much better after the game.
- Ball reacts predictably. Unlike sand or uneven grass, the bounce is consistent and true. You can trust it for passing and setting.
- Footing feels secure. Good grip without feeling sticky. You can pivot fast.
- Wearing well. After a full summer of use and a Midwest winter under a tarp? Still looks solid. No major warps, splits, or sun damage. Survives the elements.
Final Thoughts (Worth the Hassle?)
Look, it wasn’t cheap and the install was a beast. But standing there after that first game, nobody complaining about their joints, everyone playing hard? Yeah. Totally worth it. If you’re serious about having a decent backyard court and hate concrete or sand, this parquet timber setup delivers. Feels legit to play on and doesn’t break your body down. My go-to now, no question.
