Getting Started

First off, I hauled all the maple flooring planks to my backyard court space where the old concrete slab was cracked and uneven. Dug out my tape measure, chalk line, and laser level from the garage. Marked the perimeter with bright pink chalk – looked like a crime scene outline but hey, it works.

Prepping the Base

Had to rip out crumbling concrete chunks with a sledgehammer. Sweat like crazy shoveling two pickup loads of gravel for drainage. Stomped it flat wearing work boots, then laid geotextile fabric to stop weeds. Added crushed stone layer and compacted it with a rented vibrating plate compactor – nearly shook my fillings loose!

Assembling the Tiles

Opened the first box of interlocking wood tiles and dry-fit them corner-to-corner. These maple panels clicked together like giant Lego bricks but had sticky rubber pad backing. Cut edge pieces with a circular saw – wore goggles because wood chips flew everywhere. Had to recut three planks after messing up measurements twice. Took forever banging them flush with a rubber mallet.

Securing & Finishing

Drilled pilot holes through the groove edges and hammered galvanized nails every 8 inches for wind resistance. Smacked my thumb twice – now it’s purple. Applied water sealant with a roller, got drips on my jeans that won’t come out. Waited 48 rainy hours praying it wouldn’t warp. Finally sprayed boundary lines using masking tape stencil and orange court paint. Messed up the center line and had to redo it.

Final Checks

Jumped on the court testing bounce – decent spring! Dropped a volleyball from shoulder height and measured rebound. Used my kid’s sidewalk chalk to mark spots needing extra sealant touch-ups. Found two squeaky tiles near the net zone, fixed them by jamming wood shims underneath.

Rookie Mistakes I Made

• Should’ve bought knee pads – still finding gravel embedded in my kneecaps
• Clouds rolled in mid-sealing, had to cover half-dry planks with tarps
• Forgot to account for thermal expansion gaps

Total project took three weekends instead of one. Back’s sore but the satisfying CLICK when tiles lock? Pure magic. Next time I’m hiring teenagers for the heavy lifting.