Okay, here’s my attempt at a blog post, following your instructions and example:

Alright, so I’ve been wanting to redo the flooring in my home gym for, like, forever. The old carpet was just gross, and I wanted something that could handle some serious workouts, you know? I’ve always loved the look of those sprung wooden floors in volleyball courts, so I thought, “Why not give it a shot?” It’s called batten volleyball hard maple assembly wooden flooring. Seemed ambitious, but hey, I’m always up for a challenge.

The Prep Work (aka The Not-So-Fun Part)

First things first, I had to rip out that nasty old carpet. Man, that was a workout in itself! Underneath, it was just plain concrete, which was good, because that’s what I needed for the base. I spent a good day just cleaning the concrete, making sure there was no dust, debris, or anything that would mess with the new floor.

Next, I laid down a vapor barrier. This is super important, especially in a basement, to keep moisture from seeping up and ruining the wood. I just used some thick plastic sheeting and taped it down really well. Overlapped the seams and everything, wanted to make sure it was totally sealed.

Building the Batten System (aka The “I Hope This Works” Part)

This is where it got interesting. The batten system is basically a framework of wooden supports that creates that “sprung” feel. I used 2x4s for the battens, and I spaced them out according to the instructions I found. It’s kind of like building a little wooden grid on the floor.

I used construction adhesive to glue the battens down to the concrete, and then I also used some concrete screws to make extra sure they weren’t going anywhere. I’m not gonna lie, this part took a while. Lots of measuring, cutting, and making sure everything was level. My back was definitely feeling it after this!

Laying the Hard Maple (aka The “Finally Getting Somewhere” Part)

This was the exciting part! I ordered a bunch of hard maple tongue-and-groove flooring. It’s beautiful stuff, really bright and clean-looking. I started laying the planks perpendicular to the battens, fitting the tongue-and-groove edges together.

I used a flooring nailer to secure the planks to the battens. It’s a special kind of nail gun that drives the nails in at an angle, so they’re hidden. This was probably the most satisfying part of the whole project. Seeing those planks go down and transform the space was awesome.

• Always start with the longest and straightest plank.
• Leave a space around the edges of room.
• Make sure to tap the boards together.

The Finishing Touches (aka The “I Can See the Light” Part)

Once all the planks were down, I had to do some sanding. There were a few uneven spots, and I wanted the whole floor to be perfectly smooth. I rented a big floor sander from the hardware store. That thing was a beast! It made quick work of the sanding, though.

After all that hard work, the hard maple floor in my home gym is ready to go. Time to break it in.

Finally, I applied a few coats of polyurethane sealant. This protects the wood and gives it a nice, durable finish. I let it dry for a couple of days, just to be safe, and then…boom! My very own sprung wooden floor. It’s not perfect, but I’m pretty darn proud of it. And it feels amazing to jump and move around on. Totally worth the effort!