Getting Started with the Court Upgrade

So my backyard volleyball court was getting sketchy last season. Players kept slipping on that cheap plastic turf, and dive rolls? Forget it. Saw bruises everywhere. Figured pine wood flooring might fix things. Googled around – seems pine’s shock-absorbent plus cheap. Screenshotted some Pinterest ideas, hit the lumber store Friday morning.

The Messy Installation Process

Grabbed 40 pine planks – quarter-inch thickness ’cause thicker ones cost triple. Hauled ’em home sweating like hell. First mistake? Didn’t level the ground properly. Laid down the first row crooked. Had to yank ’em out, shovel dirt for two hours straight. Pro tip: borrow a spirit level. Used exterior-grade screws, drilling every 6 inches near the edges. Splintered three planks forcing screws too hard. Swore at my cordless drill dying mid-job.

Nasty surprises popped up:

• Sap bleeding through planks near the net posts – wiped with mineral spirits. Sticky mess.
• Uneven gaps between boards. Fixed by whacking ’em sideways with a mallet till my arms ached.
• Forgot sanding. Bare feet tested it Saturday – splinter city. Spent half Sunday sanding rough patches.

Game-Day Test & Final Thoughts

Monday night game changed everything. Players noticed immediately – no more wipeouts near boundaries. That pine grip made digging spikes way easier, plus jump landings felt softer. My buddy even did a reckless dive for the ball. Just sprang up grinning, no floor burns. Pine’s little flex actually saved his knees. Only regret? Skipping the sealant coat. After one rain shower, planks warped slightly on Tuesday. Gotta seal ’em this weekend. Overall? Super worth the labor. Safer, grippier, and that wooden thump when spiking? Pure satisfaction.