Alright folks, let’s dive into my rubber basketball court flooring mess. Got tired of driving to public courts, figured I’d slap together something cheap in my backyard. Pine wood sounded budget-friendly – spoiler alert: not always.
The “Bargain Hunt” Disaster
First, I Googled “cheap pine flooring for sports” like an idiot. Local lumberyard quoted fancy treated pine at $4 per square foot. Nope. Dug deeper and found a salvage place selling rejected construction pine planks for $1.20. Grabbed my truck, hauled home 60 planks like I won the lottery. Mistake number one: half had huge knots or cracks. Spent two evenings sorting usable planks in my garage, swearing at splinters.
Rubber Blues
Thought recycled rubber tiles would be simple. Wrong. First supplier wanted $8 per tile. Asked a contractor buddy (shoutout to Dave who owes me beer). He sighed and said “Dude, check tire recycling spots.” Found a sketchy place selling used tire strips for 40 cents a pound. Loaded my SUV till it smelled like a burnt race track. Had to scrub each strip with vinegar to kill the stink. Wife threatened to make me sleep there.
The Frankenstein Assembly
Laid tarp first (learned that from YouTube fails). Started nailing pine planks with my 20-year-old hammer. Board 5 cracked right down the middle. Switched to screws – better. Got blisters aligning edges because the salvaged planks weren’t straight. Dave dropped by, laughed at my crooked lines, and showed me how to screw at angles to force alignment. Key tip: start from center, work outwards.
Rubber part was worse. Those tire strips kept curling like bacon. Borrowed Dave’s industrial stapler. Stretched them while stapling every 2 inches. Sweat dripped into my eyes as I kneeled on hot rubber at 3PM. Remembered Dave’s warning: “Leave tiny gaps between strips for drainage.” Saved me from a swamp court later.
Budget Reality Check
Let’s break down the blood, sweat, and dollars:
- Salvage pine planks: $180
- Stinky rubber strips: $95
- Screws/staples/tools: $40
- Tarp base layer: $25
- Beer for Dave’s advice: $15
Total: $355 for 30x15ft. Professional quote was $2,100. Worth the agony? Ask my knees.
Expert Tricks That Saved My Butt
Without Dave and online forums, this would’ve been firewood:
- Pressure test salvaged wood! Step on planks before paying.
- Scrub recycled rubber TWICE. That tire smell lingers like bad cologne.
- Gap planks slightly (quarter inch). Pine swells when it rains.
- Stretch rubber during install. Heat it with hairdryer if needed.
It’s bumpy in spots and my neighbor calls it “rustic prison court”, but we play every weekend. Total win for under 400 bucks. Just wish I’d worn kneepads.
