So my volleyball court floor had this awful squeaky spot near the center line, right? Like every time someone jumped for a block, it sounded like a dying seagull. I finally got fed up and decided to fix it last Saturday morning.

First Step: Figuring Out the Mess

Pulled up the edge tape and peeked under the plywood sheets. Found three big problems:
1. Some rusty nails popping up like little metal mushrooms
2. Half-inch gap between two sheets where moisture got in
3. Warped patch where the glue totally failed

My Half-Baked Tool Hunt

Rummaged through my garage like a raccoon. Grabbed:

• My uncle’s heavy-duty hammer (10 pounds minimum)
• A bag of 2-inch deck screws
• Wood filler that expired in 2020 (hoped it’d still work)
• Random sander from a yard sale

Forgot safety glasses. Used swimming goggles instead. Looked stupid but did the job.

Battle With The Floor Demons

First tried hammering down those rusty nails. Big mistake. They just bent sideways like stubborn worms. Switched to screws – drilled pilot holes like my buddy taught me. Screwed every 8 inches around the warped spot. Heard this beautiful crunch when the wood flattened.

Then attacked the gap. Packed wood filler so deep it oozed out like toothpaste. Waited two hours… filler shrunk! Did it again with extra filler like icing a cake. Sanded like crazy till my arms felt like noodles. Got sawdust up my nose – still sneezing wood particles.

The Moment of Truth

Invited neighbors over for “volleyball testing”. Had beers ready to soften complaints. When heavy Dave stomped the dead zone? Silence. Actual silence! Lisa actually whispered “Whoa” when she landed. Felt like a dang flooring wizard. Even my ugly goggles got cheers.

What Actually Worked (Surprise!)

• Screws beat nails every time
• Expired wood filler somehow held up
• Swim goggles > no eye protection

Wouldn’t recommend that sketchy sander though – sounded like a dying chainsaw. But hey, floor doesn’t sing anymore!