So, I got this wild idea to build a hardwood court in my backyard because, you know, I’ve always loved playing tennis and basketball, but public courts are always crowded or in bad shape. Started simple: grabbed some cash from savings and went shopping for wood planks.

First up, I had to clear out a big patch of my lawn. That meant digging up all the grass and weeds – man, it was exhausting! Used a shovel for hours, got dirt everywhere, and leveled the ground as best as I could. Then, I poured a thin layer of gravel for drainage, which helped but took forever to spread evenly.

Next, the real fun began: laying down the wood. I bought pre-cut planks from the hardware store, nothing fancy, just regular hardwood. Measured the area roughly, didn’t even bother with perfect math – just eyeballed it. Started hammering the planks into place with nails, one by one.

Problems I ran into:

• The wood wasn’t always straight; some pieces bent or warped in the sun, had to force them into position.
• Rain hit halfway through – covered everything with tarps, still got soaked and had to wait days for things to dry.
• Tools broke on me: my old hammer handle snapped, borrowed a neighbor’s instead.

Kept at it over weekends, with my cousin helping out sometimes. We’d chat and joke while working, made it less painful. After weeks of this, got to the sealing part: slapped on a coat of weatherproof finish to protect it. Tested it out with a quick game of hoops – wow, it felt solid!

Now it’s done, and I’ve been using it every day since. No regrets, but it was way harder than I thought. Learned that DIY is messy and unpredictable, but satisfying when it turns out right. If you try this, bring friends and expect curveballs – it’s not a walk in the park!