My Volleyball Court Timber Hunt Begins
So my backyard volleyball court had become a total disaster zone. The old pine planks were warping like crazy after just one rainy season. I stomped around the spongy boards thinking “This is such garbage wood!” Needed to find something that wouldn’t turn to mush.
Figuring Out This Beech Situation
Started talking to every carpenter buddy I know. Dave from the lumberyard kept banging on about “European beech or go home” while Mike swore by Baltic stuff. Got totally confused staring at wood grain samples at 7am with coffee breath. One key thing clicked though: hardwoods like beech kick softwoods’ butt for outdoor courts.
Checked four local suppliers feeling like a detective:
- Measured every plank for weird bends using my kid’s school ruler
- Poked each piece with a screwdriver hunting for soggy spots
- Sniff-tested for that nasty rotten egg smell some treated wood has
- Made the suppliers show me proof it came from dry areas
My Epic Screw-up Moment
Bought what I thought was grade-A beech during a clearance sale. Installed it all myself in the August heat – took me three sweaty weekends. Woke up two months later to find huge cracks running through the court like lightning bolts! Turns out I grabbed kiln-dried junk instead of air-dried. Felt like an absolute clown.
Getting It Right Finally
After that disaster:
- Paid extra for air-dried timber even though it hurt my wallet
- Sealed every plank before installation like applying sunscreen
- Left proper spacing between planks using 10¢ coins as guides
- Put sandbags on each piece during installation to prevent warping
That sinking feeling when the first hard rain came? Zero bounce issues this time!
Court Status After Two Seasons
My tips if you’re trying this:
- Reject any planks with even tiny dark streaks – that’s rot starting
- Test moisture levels by banging two pieces together – should sound like baseball bats cracking
- Never trust “eco-friendly” labels – made that mistake with splintery crap
- Get thicker planks even if pricier – thin ones crack faster
Whole project cost me 30% more than planned and about 50 Band-Aids for splinters, but man that thumping sound when the ball hits proper beech? Chef’s kiss!
