Alright so here’s what went down with my portable volleyball floor project. I really wanted something simple I could set up in the backyard for practice when the parks are packed. Saw fancy sports floors online but man they cost crazy money. Decided to DIY it with plywood since it’s cheap and easy to find.
Getting Started
First off I grabbed some basic stuff:
- Six half-inch plywood sheets from the hardware store
- A truckload of wood screws
- Rubber anti-slip mats
- Bright blue exterior paint
- Measuring tape and my trusty circular saw
The Messy Part
Cutting phase sucked big time. Measured my garage space wrong at first and chopped two panels too short. Had to go back for more plywood after wasting half a day. Sweat dripping everywhere while trying to make straight cuts – definitely not my finest moment.
Next came the assembly headache. Laid all panels flat on the driveway thinking it’d be easy peasy. Wrong. They kept shifting whenever I tried connecting them. Ended up recruiting my neighbor Dave to stand on the boards while I screwed them together. Used like triple the screws I planned just to stop that annoying wobble.
Finishing Touches
Painted the whole thing blue cause why not? Used exterior paint hoping it survives rain. Took three coats to hide the ugly plywood grain. Then glued those rubber mats underneath each panel – total lifesaver for grip. Last step was testing with actual volleyball action. Jumped around like crazy and… held up solid!
Took three weekends start to finish. Cost less than half a store-bought set. Does it look professional? Hell no. But it does the job perfect for backyard games. Best part is we can unscrew the panels and stack them in the garage when not using. Portable? Check. Functional? Double check. Worth all that frustration? Yeah totally.
