Okay, so my backyard volleyball net’s been sagging like a wet noodle this whole summer. That left pine timber pole? Totally busted at the base. Rotted right through after last winter’s rain. Looked like termites had a feast. Couldn’t even stand straight anymore, leaning sideways like a drunk guy.

First thing I did was drag the old pole out. Man, that thing was lighter than I expected. The bottom foot was pure mush – crumbled in my hands like dry cake. Grabbed my trusty cordless drill and unscrewed the rusty metal hooks holding the net cables. Took some muscle, those screws fought me hard.

Getting The Replacement Timber

Drove down to the lumber yard looking for a matching pine replacement. Big mistake just eyeballing it. Bought a 4×4 that looked close enough… got home and realized it was way too thick. Had to haul my butt back, feeling like an idiot. Second time around, took measurements scratched on an old receipt: needed exactly 3.5 inches thick by 8 feet tall.

List of crap I gathered after that mess:

• New pine timber (measured TWICE)
• Concrete mix bags (heavy sons of guns)
• Galvanized screws (learned my lesson with rust)
• Wood sealant tar gunk

Digging The Damn Hole

Started digging where the old pole was. Ground was rock-hard. Sweat dripping into my eyes, blisters popping on my palms from the shovel. Dug deeper than last time – about 2 feet down. Mixed concrete in a busted wheelbarrow, added water till it looked like lumpy oatmeal. Stuck the new timber in straight while pouring concrete around it. Propped it with scrap wood so it wouldn’t tilt.

Let it cure for two whole days. Kicked it lightly each morning to test. Solid as a rock by day three.

Attaching The Net

Marked where the hooks needed to go – about chest height. Pre-drilled holes so the timber wouldn’t split. Screwed those new hooks in tight. Then came the fiddly part: threading the net cables. Like trying to thread a needle with frozen fingers. Dropped the pliers twice and swore both times. Tightened everything until the net stopped drooping.

Slathered that tar sealant over the base where timber meets concrete. Extra thick coat at the bottom where rot ate the last one. Smelled awful but better than replacing it again next year.

Done. Finally. Smacked the pole – didn’t budge an inch. Net’s tighter than guitar strings now. Kids already out there spiking balls like maniacs. Should’ve done this in spring instead of putting it off. Lesson learned: measure properly and seal the damn wood.