Okay, so I’ve been wanting to set up a little volleyball practice area in my backyard for a while now. I didn’t want anything permanent, and I definitely needed something I could move around easily. I also have some lovely birch trees, and I’m always looking for ways to use fallen branches.

I thought about a full-on wooden court, but that seemed like way too much work. Then I got this idea: portable wooden flooring, but using cushions to soften the impact. Kind of like those interlocking gym tiles, but, you know, rustic and DIY.

Phase 1: Gathering Materials

First, I collected a bunch of decently sized birch branches. I wanted them reasonably straight, and about the same thickness. Nothing too crazy, just enough to create a small, flat-ish surface.

Then I grabbed some old cushions. We had a bunch of outdoor ones that were faded and kinda beat up, perfect for this project. I also snagged some heavy-duty fabric I had leftover from another project, something that could withstand some wear and tear. Think thick canvas, or something similar.

Phase 2: Branch Prep

Next up, I trimmed the branches to roughly the same length. I wasn’t aiming for perfection, just a general uniformity. I used a handsaw, because, well, I don’t have any fancy power tools. I also stripped off any loose bark. This part took a while, and my hands were definitely feeling it.

Phase 3: Making the “Tiles”

This is where the cushions came in. I laid out the fabric and placed a cushion on top. Then I arranged the branches around the cushion, kind of like a frame. I cut the fabric, leaving enough extra to wrap around the whole thing, and then started sewing.

I’m not great at sewing, let me tell you. But I managed to create these pouch-like things, with the cushion inside and the branches forming the edges. I basically made a bunch of these, all roughly the same size.

Phase 4: Putting it Together (and Testing!)

Finally, I laid out my “tiles” in the backyard. They weren’t perfectly flush, and there were definitely some gaps, but it was surprisingly stable. I jumped around on it a bit, practiced some bumping and setting, and, yeah, it worked! It wasn’t professional-grade, obviously, but for some casual practice, it was pretty good. The cushions absorbed a lot of the impact, and the branches provided a surprisingly solid base.

• Pros: It’s portable, I can move it around easily. It’s also pretty soft, which is good for my knees. And, it looks kinda cool, in a rustic, homemade way.
• Cons: It’s definitely not perfect. The tiles shift a little, and it’s not the most even surface. Also, I’m pretty sure it won’t last forever, especially if it gets rained on a lot.

Overall, I’m calling it a win. It was a fun project, it used up some materials I had lying around, and it gives me a decent spot to practice my volleyball skills. Now, if only I could get better at serving…