Okay, so I’ve been wanting to redo my home basketball court for a while now. The old surface was just… sad. Cracks, uneven spots, you name it. I finally decided to take the plunge and go with LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber) basketball parquet timber. Sounded fancy, right? Well, let me tell you about the whole process, from start to finish.

Planning and Ordering

First things first, I had to measure the area. My old court was a pretty standard half-court size, so I stuck with that. Getting the measurements right is super important, because you don’t want to end up short on materials. I then spent some time finding timber yard, and finally found what I need.

Prepping the Base

Before I could even think about the pretty wood, I had to deal with the existing concrete. That meant patching up any major cracks and making sure the whole thing was as level as possible. I used some self-leveling concrete compound for the low spots, and it worked pretty well. A bit messy, but effective. It was a lot of sweeping and cleaning, too. You want a really clean surface for the next step.

Laying the LVL

Then came the main event. The delivery took me by surprise, the packages are much bigger than I thought. My wife helped me move the wood piece by piece. The LVL panels, they look like giant, super-smooth plywood sheets. I started laying them down, following the pattern I’d sketched out beforehand. It’s crucial to get the first few rows perfectly straight, otherwise the whole thing will be off. We are so lucky that we got the line perfectly straight!

Gluing and Fastening

I used a strong construction adhesive, applying it to the back of each panel before carefully placing it down. Then, I used screws to secure them to the subfloor. Important Note!: making sure those screws were countersunk so they wouldn’t stick up and mess with the playing surface. It’s repetitive work, but you gotta take your time and do it right.

Sanding and Finishing

After all the panels were down and the adhesive had dried, I had to sand the whole surface. I rented a big floor sander, and wow, did that thing kick up some dust! Protective glasses and a mask are a MUST. I started with a coarse grit sandpaper and gradually worked my way down to a finer grit, until the whole thing was super smooth.

Finally, I applied several coats of polyurethane sealant. This is what gives the court its shine and protects the wood from wear and tear. Each coat needed plenty of drying time, so this part took a few days. But the end result? Totally worth it.

The Finished Product

My new LVL basketball court looks amazing! It’s so smooth and even, and the wood grain looks fantastic. It’s a huge upgrade from what I had before, and it’s been a blast to play on. The whole project took a good chunk of time and effort, but seeing the finished product and knowing I did it myself? That’s a pretty great feeling.