Okay, so I’ve been wanting to upgrade my home gym for a while, and I finally decided to tackle the flooring. I wanted something that could handle some serious impact, you know, for volleyball practice. After looking at a bunch of options, I landed on this LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber) parquet assembled wooden flooring. It seemed sturdy and, honestly, looked pretty cool.

Getting Started

First things first, I cleared out the entire room. This was a workout in itself! Moved all the weights, the bench, everything. Then I gave the old concrete floor a good sweeping and mopping to get rid of any dust or debris. I wanted a nice, clean surface to work with.

The Installation

The flooring came in these pre-assembled parquet blocks, which was a lifesaver. I’m not exactly a master carpenter, so anything that simplified the process was a win.

• I laid down a moisture barrier first, just a thin plastic sheet, to protect the wood from any potential dampness from the concrete.
• Then came the fun part – actually putting down the flooring! The blocks had this tongue-and-groove system, so they basically just clicked together. It was surprisingly satisfying.
• I started in one corner and worked my way across the room, row by row. I did have to use some wooden shims,to make sure the space is fitted.
• The toughest part was around the edges. I had to cut some of the blocks to fit, and let me tell you, that was a bit of a pain. I used simple tool, which got the job done, but it definitely took some effort.

Finishing Up

Once all the blocks were down, I installed some baseboards around the perimeter to give it a nice, finished look. And that was pretty much it!

I’m really happy with how it turned out. The floor feels solid underfoot, and it definitely gives the room a more professional, gym-like vibe. Plus, I can now spike volleyballs without worrying about damaging the floor (or my feet!). It’s a huge improvement, and I’m excited to start using it for some serious training sessions.