Okay, here’s my blog post about putting in that basketball court floor:

Alright, so I finally got around to tackling that project I’ve been putting off – putting down a wooden floor for a little indoor basketball practice area. I went with a “keel” system, which is basically like a framework, and then the actual wood flooring goes on top. It’s supposed to give it some bounce, you know?

Getting Started

First thing, I cleared out the whole space. It’s in the basement, so I had to move a bunch of storage boxes and old furniture. Took a whole afternoon just to get it empty! Then I gave the concrete floor a good sweep and vacuum. Needed a clean slate to work with.

Building the Keel

Next up was the keel itself. I used some pretty standard 2x4s. The instructions I found online were, uh, okay, but not super clear. So there was a bit of trial and error.

• Laid out the perimeter: I measured and marked where the edges of the court would be, and then I put down the first 2x4s to create the outer frame.
• Added the supports: Then came the fun part – cutting and fitting all the cross pieces. Basically, I was building a big grid. I used a ton of screws and some construction adhesive to make sure it was all solid.

Honestly, this part took the longest. Lots of measuring, cutting, and double-checking. My back was killing me by the end of the day! I am also not a professional, just a guy who wants to play basketball at home.

Laying the Wood

With the keel all set, it was time for the actual flooring. I picked up some pre-finished oak planks. They were tongue-and-groove, so they’re supposed to click together pretty easily.

• First row is key: Getting the first row straight is super important. I used some spacers to leave a little gap around the edges (for expansion and contraction, you know). Then I nailed that first row down to the keel.
• Click and go:After the first row, it got a lot easier. The planks just clicked together, and I used a rubber mallet to tap them into place. I used a nail gun every so often to secure them to the keel, just to be safe.

The flooring part went way faster than the keel. It was actually kind of satisfying to see it all come together.

Finishing Touches

Once all the planks were down, I installed some trim around the edges to cover up that expansion gap and make it look nice. I just used some basic quarter-round molding, nothing fancy.

And that’s it! Took me a couple of weekends, but I finally have a little indoor court. It’s not regulation size or anything, but it’s good enough for some shooting practice. My kid loves it, too!

My back is still a little sore. Maybe I am really * time, I think I’ll measure everything at least three times! Live and learn, right?