Had this dumb idea two weeks ago. Our community center gym floor looked like a battlefield – scratches everywhere, dead spots, probably last refinished when flip phones were cool. So I grabbed my phone thinking “how hard could this be?” Big mistake right there.
Started by pestering every contractor in town
Called six different flooring guys. First dude sounded half asleep: “Yeah… depends… maybe eight grand?” Click. Next guy actually came out, kneeled down, scratched the floor with his fingernail like some detective. Quoted me $12,000! Nearly choked on my coffee. Third guy said “Oh that old maple? Ha. Minimum ten.” Realized quick – nobody gives straight answers over phone.
Then I tried being my own boss
Drove to the big hardware store, marched straight to rental desk. Conversation went like this:
- Me: “Need to sand a basketball court.”
- Rental kid: “Belt sander or drum?”
- Me: “Uh… the angry-loud-one?”
- Kid sighing: “Drum. That’s $280 a day.”
- Me: “Okay… and the shiny floor juice?”
- Kid already walking away: “Finish aisle. Gallon covers 400 sq ft.”
Did math on my phone. Our court’s about 4,700 sq ft. Needed sealant too. Left store shaking – materials alone over $1,200.
The reality check moment
YouTube made it look easy. Spoiler: IT’S NOT. Rented that beastly drum sander Saturday morning. Thing shook like a washing machine full of bricks. Took three hours just to do half the three-point line. Dust? Oh god. Had dust in places dust shouldn’t exist. Realized why contractors charge so dang much.
How it actually went down
- Day 1: Rented equipment ($280), bought sandpaper ($85), sealant ($220), polyurethane ($425). Almost passed out seeing the total.
- Day 2: Sanded for 8 hours. Back felt broken. Screwed up the edges near the baseline. Rent buffer another day? Fine. Add $95.
- Day 3: Applied sealant. Panicked when it dried splotchy. YouTube comment section said “just add another coat.” Another $80 gone.
- Day 4: Three coats of poly. Waited 4 hours between coats. Couldn’t walk near it. Kids were NOT happy.
The final damage
Monday rolled around. Added every receipt:
- Stuff I bought: $810
- Things I rented: $375
- Pizza bribes for buddies who helped move bleachers: $60
- My chiropractor appointment: $45 (seriously)
Grand Total? $1,290.
Still way cheaper than the $12,000 quote? Hell yes. Would I do it again? Absolutely not. Looks decent though! For now…
