Okay, folks, let’s talk about my little adventure with cushions, volleyball, and maple wooden flooring.

So, picture this: I’ve got this beautiful maple wooden floor in my home gym area. It’s gorgeous, shiny, and, well, hard as a rock. I love playing volleyball, even just bumping the ball around by myself or with my kids, but my knees? Not so much a fan of that hard floor.

I started by thinking, “Okay, I need some padding.” My first thought was, “Yoga mats!” I have a few of those lying around. I rolled them out, and… eh. Not quite enough. They helped, sure, but it wasn’t comfortable, you know? Plus, they slid around a bit, which wasn’t ideal for quick movements.

My Cushion Quest

Then I went down a rabbit hole online. I looked at all sorts of things. Interlocking foam tiles? Too bulky. Those big, thick exercise mats? Too expensive, and honestly, overkill for what I needed. I even briefly considered those puzzle-piece-looking mats they use for kids’ play areas, but the thought of bright primary colors clashing with my lovely maple floor made me cringe.

I kept digging, and I finally stumbled upon these things called “flooring underlayment cushions.” Apparently, they’re used under, like, laminate flooring and stuff to make it softer and quieter. Bingo!

I found some that were specifically designed for sports, a little denser than the usual stuff. They came in rolls, which was perfect. I ordered a couple of rolls, figuring I could always get more if needed. I also bought some athletic tape.

The Installation (aka, Me and My Floor)

When the rolls arrived, I cleared out the gym area. Then, I rolled out the first layer of cushion. I cut it to size, leaving a little extra around the edges, just in case. Then, I repeated the process with the second roll, overlapping the seams a bit.

Next up was the tape. I used the athletic tape to secure the seams and the edges of the cushion to the floor. I wanted to make sure it wouldn’t budge, even with me diving for a rogue volleyball (which, let’s be honest, happens more often than I’d like to admit).

Done. Simple!

The Result

The difference was amazing. It wasn’t like playing on a cloud or anything, but it was so much more comfortable. My knees thanked me. I could bump, set, and even practice some (very) amateur diving without feeling like I was going to shatter my kneecaps.

Plus, it didn’t look half bad! The cushions I got were a neutral gray, so they blended in pretty well with the floor. And because they were thin, they didn’t create a tripping hazard.

• First trail: yoga mat failed
• Second trail: flooring underlayment cushions successed!

So, yeah, that’s my story of how I made my volleyball practice a little less painful and a lot more enjoyable. It wasn’t rocket science, but it made a huge difference. If you’re in a similar situation, I highly recommend giving those flooring cushions a try!