Alright folks, grab a coffee, this one got messy but turned out pretty sweet. I finally tackled that NBA floor idea buzzing in my head since watching the Timberwolves playoffs. Wanted a slice of hardwood glory right in my garage workshop.

Starting from Scratch, Literally

First thing, I needed the real stuff, not that fake laminated junk. Tracked down a salvage place downtown tearing down an old school gym. Ended up buying a bundle of reclaimed maple planks. Heavy? Man, my back is still complaining hauling those in the truck. Had to sort through the pile, tossed a bunch that were cracked or full of nail holes. Left me with enough for a decent sized section, maybe 3 feet by 5 feet – perfect for a display piece.

The Ugly Part: Cleaning and Prepping

This is where the glamour fades fast. Those boards were nasty. Decades of gym sweat, dust, dirt, gunk… felt like an archeologist brushing off fossils. Used my orbital sander like crazy, starting with coarse grit. That dust got EVERYWHERE. Note to self: wear a mask and goggles next time, ended up coughing like crazy. Sanded down through the grits until the wood finally started looking smooth and feeling nice under my palm.

Making it Look Like the Pros

Alright, this was the fun bit. Wanted that classic pro look:

• Key area outline? Check. Measured carefully.
• Three-point line arcs? Took some fiddling with string and a pencil compass thing to get it right.
• Lane markings? Tape and more measuring.

Used that special court paint – stuff stains like crazy but dries tough. Painstakingly cut stencils for the small bits like the “Top of the Key” text. Patience definitely wore thin here!

Putting it All Together

Finally time to assemble the puzzle. Used wood glue on the tongue and groove edges and clamped the heck out of them overnight. Woke up excited, unclamped it… and almost cried. Some boards had warped juuuust a bit while drying out. Took more sanding and serious elbow grease to get them flush enough. Was NOT expecting that headache.

The Final Shine

Applied a polyurethane finish for protection and shine. Went with a satin finish instead of high-gloss. Liked the more classic feel. Let it cure for ages before daring to touch it. Set it upright against the wall, propped up secure. That satisfying heavy thump when it settled? Pure joy. My neighbor Bob stopped by, saw it, and his jaw dropped. Worth the hassle, man, absolutely worth it. Even Mrs. Smith down the street, who usually complains about my workshop noise, gave it a grudging nod. Lesson learned? Real hardwood fights back, but the end result, warts and all, beats anything store-bought any day.