Okay, here’s my blog post about installing LVL volleyball engineer board wooden flooring, written from my personal experience, step-by-step:

Alright, so I decided to tackle this project – putting in some new flooring in my basement rec room. I wanted something tough that could handle, you know, LIFE, but also look good. After digging around, I landed on this LVL volleyball engineer board stuff. Sounded fancy, but it’s basically just super-engineered plywood, which is perfect for a basement that might get the occasional dampness.

Prepping the Space

First things first, I had to get the old, nasty carpet out of there. That was a workout in itself! Pulled up the carpet, the padding, and all those little tack strips around the edges. Be careful with those things, they’re like tiny little nail traps!

Next, I gave the concrete subfloor a good sweep and vacuum. I mean, REALLY good. You don’t want any little pebbles or debris messing with your level later on. Any major cracks or uneven spots, I patched up with some concrete patching compound. Let that dry completely – I gave it a full day, just to be sure.

Laying Down the Underlayment

I went with a moisture barrier underlayment, since, you know, basement. Rolled that stuff out, overlapping the seams by a few inches, and taped them down with some good quality moisture-resistant tape. This helps keep any potential moisture from the concrete from messing with the wood.

Getting the First Row Right

This is the MOST important part. I started along the longest, straightest wall. I used some spacers (little plastic blocks) to leave a gap between the flooring and the wall – about 1/4 inch, like the instructions said. This lets the wood expand and contract with temperature changes, so you don’t get buckling later on.

I dry-fit the first row, making sure it was straight as an arrow. Used a level and a long straight edge to check. Once I was happy, I used a nail gun to secure the boards to the subfloor. I put nails along the tongue side of the boards, at an angle, so they’d be hidden by the next row.

Clicking and Locking

The rest of the floor was pretty much like a giant puzzle. These boards had a click-lock system, so you just angle the new board into the groove of the previous one, and then push it down until it clicks. Sometimes you need to give it a little tap with a rubber mallet to get it fully seated.

• Tip 1: Stagger the joints! You don’t want all your end seams lining up. It looks better, and it makes the floor stronger. I aimed for at least 6 inches of difference between seams in adjacent rows.
• Tip 2: Use a tapping block! When you’re tapping the boards together, put a scrap piece of flooring against the edge you’re hitting. This protects the tongue and groove from getting damaged.

Cutting Around Obstacles

I made sure the cut edges are hidden by the baseboards. Also a jigsaw to cut around the door frames.

Finishing Touches

Once all the flooring was down, I removed the spacers and installed the baseboards. This covers up that expansion gap and gives it a nice, finished look. I also used some transition strips where the new flooring met the other flooring in the hallway.

And that’s it! It took me a couple of weekends, working mostly by myself, but it was totally worth it. The floor looks awesome, and it feels super solid underfoot. I’m pretty proud of myself, to be honest. Now I just need to get some furniture down there and start enjoying the space!