So, I decided to put in a batten basketball maple wooden floor in my basement. I’ve always wanted a home court, and the basement was just sitting there, mostly empty. Figured, why not?

Getting Started

First thing I did was clear out the basement. It was full of junk we’d accumulated over the years. Boxes of old clothes, broken furniture, you name it. Took a whole weekend just to get it emptied.

Next, I had to prep the concrete floor. This involved cleaning it thoroughly, and checking for any major cracks or unevenness. Thankfully, my basement floor was in pretty good shape, just needed a good sweep and a once-over with a damp mop.

Laying the Battens

This is where the “batten” part comes in. I used treated lumber for the battens, making sure they were all level. I laid them out perpendicular to the direction I wanted the floorboards to run, spacing them about 16 inches apart. I secured the battens to the concrete floor with concrete screws, making sure to pre-drill the holes.

• Measure and cut the battens to the correct length.
• Position the battens, making sure they are level and evenly spaced.
• Pre-drill holes through the battens and into the concrete.
• Secure the battens with concrete screws.

Installing the Floorboards

Once the battens were in place, it was time for the maple flooring. I chose maple because I heard it’s the best wood for basketball courts. I started laying the boards along one wall, making sure to leave a small expansion gap between the boards and the wall. It is really a tough job.

I used a flooring nailer to secure the boards to the battens. This was probably the most time-consuming part of the whole process. Each board had to be carefully positioned and nailed in place. Then move on the next line.

Finishing Up

After all the boards were down, I rented a floor sander to smooth out any unevenness. Then I applied several coats of polyurethane finish, letting each coat dry completely before applying the next. This gave the floor a nice, glossy look and helped protect it from wear and tear. Finally, I could drew the lines for my basketball court.

It was a lot of work, but seeing my own basketball court in my basement, man, that was worth it!