Okay, here’s my blog post about assembling that volleyball court flooring:

Alright, folks, let’s talk about my recent project – putting together a batten volleyball soft maple assembling wooden flooring. It sounded fancy, and honestly, it kinda was, but not in a super complicated way. More like… a satisfying puzzle.

Getting Started

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First things first, I cleared out the space. This was a big area, so I had to move a bunch of stuff. Swept the concrete subfloor clean, made sure it was level – that’s super important, you don’t want a bouncy, uneven court!

Then, I laid down a vapor barrier. It’s basically a big plastic sheet that keeps moisture from messing with the wood. I taped the seams, overlapped the edges – you know, the whole nine yards to make sure it was sealed up tight.

The Battens

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Next up, the battens. These are the wooden strips that create a framework under the actual flooring. I arranged them in a grid pattern, following the instructions that came with the flooring. They were spaced apart in a specific way to support the maple planks later on.

I used construction adhesive and screws to secure the battens to the concrete. It was a bit tedious, making sure everything was lined up and level, but I took my time. I figured, do it right the first time, right?

Laying the Maple

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Now for the pretty part – the soft maple planks! These things were gorgeous. I started in one corner, laying down the first row and making sure it was perfectly straight. I mean, perfectly. Used a chalk line, double-checked, triple-checked… you get the idea.

Each plank had a tongue and groove, so they clicked together pretty easily. But, to make sure they were really snug, I used a rubber mallet and a tapping block. No banging directly on the wood, gotta protect that finish!

I worked my way across the room, row by row, making sure to stagger the joints. It’s like laying bricks, you don’t want all the seams to line up. It looks better and it’s stronger that way.

The Finishing Touches

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Once all the planks were down, it was time for the finishing touches. I installed baseboards around the perimeter to cover the expansion gap – that’s a little space you leave around the edges to let the wood expand and contract with changes in humidity.

• Cleared the space.
• Laid down the vapor barrier.
• Arranged the battens in a grid pattern.
• Glued and screw the battens.
• Laid down the soft maples planks.
• Installed the baseboards.

And that was pretty much it! It took a couple of weekends, working a few hours here and there, but it was totally worth it. The finished court looks amazing, and it’s super solid. I’m already picturing some epic volleyball games on this thing!

It wasn’t rocket science, just took some patience and a little elbow grease. If I can do it, anyone can! Just follow the instructions, and you’ll be all right!