Okay, here’s my blog post about putting together some laminate basketball court-style flooring.

So, I’ve been wanting to redo the floor in my basement for, like, forever. It was this old, nasty carpet that just collected dust and who-knows-what-else. I finally decided to take the plunge and put down something a little more… sporty. I went with this laminate that looks like a basketball court. Pretty sweet, right?

Prepping the area

First things first, I ripped out that old carpet. Man, that was a workout! And dusty. Make sure you wear a mask for that part. Underneath was just the concrete subfloor, which was in surprisingly good shape. I swept it like a madman, then vacuumed it, and then swept it again. You want that surface super clean, or the laminate won’t sit right.

Getting everythign ready

I also made sure to let the laminate planks sit in the basement for a few days to acclimatize. You know, get used to the temperature and humidity. Apparently, that helps prevent warping later on. I read the instructions, like, three times, just to be sure. My wife kept laughing and reminding me to do so.

The Process

Laying down the underlayment was next. It is This thin, foamy stuff that helps with sound and a little bit of cushioning. Rolled it out, taped the seams, easy peasy.

• Start: Then came the actual flooring. I started in one corner, like the instructions said, and started snapping the planks together.
• Click: They have these little click-lock edges, so it’s kinda satisfying. Click, click, click.
• Cut:Of course, I had to cut some pieces to fit around the edges and doorways. I borrowed a jigsaw from my neighbor, which made things way easier. Measure twice, cut once, that’s what they say!

Honestly, the hardest part was just keeping everything straight. I used these little spacer things to keep a gap between the flooring and the wall (expansion gap, they call it). But it still felt like I was constantly adjusting and checking. I took to use chalk to draw the line, and kept going.

The result

It took me most of the weekend, working on and off, but I finally got it all done! And you know what? It looks awesome! Seriously, it’s like having a mini basketball court in my basement. Now I just need to get a hoop down there, and I’m all set.

My kids love it, my wife is impressed (which is always a win), and I’m pretty darn proud of myself. It wasn’t the easiest DIY project, but it was definitely worth it.