Okay, so today, I tackled assembling a batten volleyball hevea wooden floor. Let me tell you, it was a bit more involved than I initially thought, but totally doable!

Getting Started

First things first, I gathered all my materials. This included the hevea wood planks, the battens (which are basically the support beams), a whole bunch of screws, a saw (thank goodness for power tools!), a measuring tape, a pencil, a level (super important!), and some safety glasses. I laid out all the wood in the area where the floor was going, just to get a feel for the space and make sure I had enough.

Building the Foundation

The first real step was constructing the batten frame. I measured and cut the battens to the correct length according to my plan. I wanted to make sure they were spaced evenly to provide good support for the floorboards. I then arranged them in a grid pattern, making sure everything was square and level. This part took some time, lots of checking and re-checking, because a wonky frame means a wonky floor.

Once I was happy with the layout, I screwed the battens together, creating a solid, stable base. It was important to use enough screws to make it really sturdy – you don’t want any movement or creaking later on!

Laying the Floorboards

With the frame done, it was time for the fun part: laying the actual hevea floorboards. I started at one edge of the room and worked my way across. I carefully placed each plank onto the battens, making sure they fit snugly together. The hevea wood I chose had a tongue-and-groove system, so they clicked together nicely, which made things a bit easier.

For each plank, I pre-drilled some pilot holes and then screwed them down into the battens. This helped to prevent the wood from splitting and ensured a really secure fit. It was a bit repetitive, but satisfying to see the floor taking shape.

The Finishing Touches

As I got to the edges of the room, I needed to cut some of the planks to fit. I carefully measured each space, marked the planks with a pencil, and then used my saw to make the cuts. A little patience goes a long way here!

• Measure twice, cut once, that’s my motto!

Finally, when all the planks were down and secured, I gave the whole floor a good once-over, checking for any loose screws or uneven spots. And there you have it! A brand new, assembled batten volleyball hevea wooden floor. It was a good day’s work, and I’m pretty proud of the result.