Okay, so today, I tackled a project I’ve been putting off for a while – setting up some portable wooden flooring for volleyball practice. I wanted something that would give a decent playing surface but wouldn’t be a huge pain to move around. I also wanted to make sure it was cushioned, ’cause, you know, knees and ankles aren’t getting any younger!

Finding the Right Stuff

First, I scoured the garage for some old plywood sheets. Luckily, I found a few that were in pretty good shape, just needed a bit of cleaning. Then, I headed to the local hardware store. I grabbed some foam padding – the kind you might use for camping or under a carpet. I wasn’t sure exactly what density I needed, so I picked up a couple of different options to test out.

Putting it All Together

Back home, I laid out the plywood sheets on the driveway. I started by cutting the foam padding to roughly the same size as the wood. It didn’t need to be perfect, just close enough. I used some heavy-duty adhesive spray to stick the foam to the wood. This stuff is messy, so I made sure to wear gloves and do it outside. I put the pieces in my car trunk, and drove to the gym.

After that first layer, I experimented a bit. I added a second layer of the thicker foam to one of the panels to see if it made a noticeable difference. I then placed heavy books all over the panels to make sure the foam and wood really bonded together, and leave it for few hours.

Testing It Out

Few hours later, I took off the books, and laid all pieces on the floor.

I jumped around on the different panels, doing my best (and probably very embarrassing) imitation of a volleyball player diving for a ball. The single-layer foam was okay, but the double-layer definitely felt better on the impact. It wasn’t as good as a real gym floor, but it was a huge improvement over concrete! I could assembled them into a small practice area.

I also tested out sliding them around. They were light enough to move easily, but not so light that they’d shift during a game. Success!

The Final Result

Overall, I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. It’s not perfect, but it’s a decent, portable, and cushioned surface for some casual volleyball practice. And the best part? I managed to do it all with stuff I mostly had lying around, so it was super cheap!

• Plywood sheets (repurposed)
• Foam padding (various densities)
• Heavy-duty adhesive spray
• Gloves (because adhesive is messy)
• Time: 1 day

Next time, I might try to find some interlocking tiles to make the whole thing even more portable, but for now, this is a solid win!