So folks, yesterday I finally tackled that indoor volleyball court project. Always played on crappy concrete or turf at the rec center, hurt my knees like hell. Decided to put hardwood in my garage since my kids got super into volleyball.
Measuring And Prepping The Space
First I had to clear out all the junk from the garage – man, we stored more crap than I remembered. Hauled everything to the backyard, swept like crazy. Measured the court lines with masking tape while blasting old rock songs. Almost screwed up when I forgot to account for the damn water heater corner. Pro tip: leave walk space unless you want to climb over furniture to get to your washing machine.
Getting The Wood And Tools
- Drove to the lumber yard early morning, picked maple planks because they’re tough
- Rented a sander since my home depot special wouldn’t cut it
- Spent 45 minutes arguing with cashier about tax on the underlayment pads
The Installation Nightmare
Started laying planks around noon and immediately hit problems. Didn’t realize how uneven my garage floor was! Had to:
1. Shove shims under the first row
2. Recruit neighbor Bob to hold boards while I nailed
3. Sweat buckets trying to cut precise curves around support beams
Hammered my thumb so hard it turned purple. Bob spilled coffee on half the underlayment. Just kept chanting “it’s for the kids” while wiping coffee stains with my shirt.
Finishing Touches And Disaster
Applied varnish after sanding for hours. Dust everywhere – looked like a blizzard hit. Taped off boundaries with blue painter’s tape… which promptly peeled off half the varnish when removed. Screamed into a pillow, then re-varnished the whole mess. Let it dry overnight while praying the cat wouldn’t wander in.
The Grand Reveal
Kids tested it this morning. Ball bounce is fantastic! Knees aren’t killing them anymore. But now my car’s stuck outside and I’ve got nail holes in three of my shoes. Worth it? Ask me when we finish cleaning maple sawdust from every crevice of the garage.
