Alright folks, gather ’round. Today was one of those jobs that looked straightforward on paper but had me sweating buckets by the end. Let me walk you through this indoor sport flooring gig right here in New Jersey.
The “Easy” Plan
Started bright and early, figured I’d tackle a buddy’s basement rec room. Seen those gym flooring tiles at the big box store – seemed foolproof, right? Wrong.
Here’s how it all went down:
- First off, hauled those heavy rubber tiles down the stairs. My back screamed louder than my drill battery dying. These things weighed a ton.
- Thought I was smart. Measured the room twice. “Twelve tiles wide should do it,” I mumbled. Proudly laid out the first row. Fit looked perfect.
- Got cocky. Started slammin’ tiles together, clicking them edges like LEGOs. Made it halfway across before things shifted. Ended up with a gnarly zigzag gap wide enough to trip a squirrel.
- Tried forcing ’em. Knees on the tile, shoving with all my weight. Slipped. Scraped my palm raw on the darn edge. Blood on new flooring? Bad sign.
The Sticky Situation
Alright, abandon Plan A. Time for adhesive. Grabbed this roll-out glue the store guy swore by.
- Rolled that sticky mess like cheap carpet. Smelled like a tire fire mixed with a chemistry lab. Headaches kicked in fast.
- Laid the first section. Pressed it down hard. Felt good, solid. Went for the next tile… the adhesive hadn’t even set right. Saw some bubbles underneath – tried smoothing ’em out. Big mistake. Glue squeezed up like nasty toothpaste between the seams.
- Panic set in. Used a putty knife to scrape glue like it was old frosting. Wiped fast with solvent rags. Stink got so bad I had to open all the basement windows… in February.
Damage Control Mode
Whole job took twice as long. Looked… okay from across the room. But get close? You see all my screw-ups.
- Edges near the walls look wavy where I forced things.
- Coupla tiles got permanent scuff marks from my boot treads while wrestling with the glue.
- Threw my back out carrying the leftover rolls back up those stupid stairs. Still hurts when I sneeze.
Biggest lesson learned? That promise of a “simple DIY solution”? Total fantasy with these basement floors. Next time someone asks about indoor sport flooring in NJ, I’m telling ’em straight: unless your floor is pool-table level flat and you’ve got patience thicker than that glue? Hire it out.
Oh, and the wife? Just shook her head. Told me I tracked glue residue on the kitchen linoleum. Another weekend “project” achieved.
