So Here’s What Happened With My Beach Volleyball Floor Mess

Okay folks, let me tell you about this whole wooden flooring disaster. Went way smoother than last year’s concrete slab attempt, trust me.

The Plan That Started It All

Last month, my backyard felt like a sad patch of dirt crying out for a beach court. Saw some guys at the park playing on this gorgeous smooth wood surface and thought, “Yeah, I want that vibe.” But man, picking stuff online? Pure headache. Didn’t know dirt from diamonds.

The Research Rabbit Hole

Started clicking around forever. Beech wood kept popping up, supposed to be tough. But then saw “padauk,” “ipe,” “maple”? My eyes crossed. Realized I didn’t just need pretty wood, I needed wood that won’t crack when you slam a ball or rot when it rains. Dug into specs – looked for stuff like:

• Could take a pounding without splintering.
• Wouldn’t get slick as ice when wet.
• Dealt with sun and rain without warping overnight.

Beech seemed to tick boxes. But still sweating it.

Operation: Touch All The Wood

Sick of screens, drove to three different lumber places with a notepad. Yeah, looked weird touching planks. But had to:

• Pounded: Knocked knuckles on samples – beech felt solid, not hollow like some cheap junk.
• Scratched: Dug my key into edges (sales guy looked worried). Beech didn’t gouge easily, good sign.
• Weighed: Lifted planks – heavier usually means denser, less likely to warp. Beech felt hefty.

Started feeling like “Yeah, beech it is.” One place had stuff marked “volleyball grade” – smelled like markup, but felt reassuring.

Budget Panic & The Order

Did the math. Nearly choked. Seriously considered dirt again. Took deep breaths, cut the court size a smidge (sorry, future spikes), and pulled the trigger on the beech from the guys with the “volleyball grade” label. Begged them for a weatherproofing deal, they threw in some extra sealant.

The Install Circus

Delivery day. Wood shows up. Looks great… then the rain hits. Seriously? Stacked it in the garage, praying it wouldn’t warp before we started. Cleared the yard proper – rocks, roots, bumps. Leveled the dirt like my life depended on it. Used a stupid big roller I rented.

Started laying it down. Measured twice, cut once… mostly.

• Base Layer: Put down crushed gravel first, tamped it hard. Not fun.
• Sleepers: Screwed treated wood runners every 16 inches. Back screamed.
• Planks Down: Started nailing beech planks to the runners. Left tiny gaps for heat and wet to expand, fingers crossed.

Halfway point, my neighbor walks over, cracks a beer, says, “You know this is nuts, right?” Finished my beer and kept nailing.

Seal The Deal… Literally

Finally got all planks down. Smooth surface! Applied the sealant, thick as heck. Two coats. Smelled weird. Waited two whole days, glaring at clouds. Taped off lines – bright white paint for boundaries.

Game On!

Invited the guys from the park. Nervous. First serve… THUMP. Ball bounced clean, surface felt firm but kinda forgiving underfoot. Didn’t slip! High fives all around. Beer tasted amazing that day. Two weeks later, had rain. Checked it. Wood looked tight, no warping, no slick spots.

Cost a fortune? Yep. Back still sore? Oh yeah. Worth it? Hell yes. Finally stopped throwing sand out of my shoes after every game.