Okay so today I finally tackled that pad volleyball court floor project in my buddy’s garage. Wanna share how it actually went down, step by messy step. No fancy talk, just what happened.

Getting All the Stuff Ready

First things first, I lugged all the materials inside. Let me tell ya, those bundles of hard maple flooring are HEAVY. Like, seriously heavy. Unpacked everything:

• Those hard maple tongue-and-groove planks
• Special adhesive the flooring shop guy insisted on
• Spacers for the edges
• Tapping block and pull bar for whacking stuff into place
• My trusty circular saw (dust mask ready!)

Prepping the Floor – Sweat Time

Before sticking anything down, the concrete floor had to be cleaner than a dinner plate. Grabbed the broom, swept like crazy. Then hauled out the shop vac and went over every single inch twice. Found a couple of rough patches too – a scraper and some patching compound fixed those up quick. Cannot skip this unless you want bumpy floors. Let the patches dry overnight, drank a beer, called it prep day.

Glue Down Showtime

Next day, glue time! Followed the can instructions like the gospel – scooped the adhesive onto the floor with a notched trowel. Smell was… industrial. Covered maybe a 4×4 ft area first. This stuff sets up fast, so no lollygagging!

Laying the First Planks – The Tricky Bit

Started in a corner, groove side facing the wall. Slammed spacers in between the wall and the planks all around. Laid the first row super carefully, making sure they were dead straight. Used the tapping block and a rubber mallet to gently knock the ends flush. Pro tip: Go slow here! Mess up the first row, you mess up the whole floor.

Kept laying, row after row. Tongue into groove, tap along the long edge with the block and mallet. That satisfying “thunk” when they lock together? Yeah, that’s the good stuff. Had to cut the last piece in each row a bunch – my circ saw ate through the maple like butter, though sawdust everywhere.

Fitting Around Stuff & Finishing Up

Hit a snag where a support column was. Took measurements, marked the plank with a pencil, and carefully cut out the notch with the saw. Fit around it like a puzzle piece, used extra glue under that cut edge for safety. Felt like a surgeon for a minute.

The final row was a beast. Cut the planks down narrower to fit, remembering to leave that spacer gap. Used the pull bar to jam the last pieces tight against the previous row – needed some muscle! Yanked out all the spacers.

Drying Time & The Aftermath

Done! Felt pretty good. Stuck a big “KEEP OFF!” sign up because the adhesive needs serious curing time – like 2 whole days. No volleyball yet! Honestly, it looks sharp. That hard maple has a really clean, light look that just works for a court. Was it easy? Nah, my knees hurt. But man, it’s done.