Alright folks, today was all about getting that darn pad basketball court setup in the garage. Been sitting on this birch wooden flooring kit for weeks. Finally had a free Sunday, figured it was time to just do it. Let me tell you how it went down, step by gritty step.
The Great Unboxing
First things first, ripped open the big box they shipped it in. Packaging foam everywhere, little bits sticking to everything. Kinda messy. Dug out all the smaller boxes inside – planks, padding stuff, the tools they included, and this little instruction sheet. Looked simple enough on paper. Ha.
Took everything out and laid it flat in the garage, right where it was gonna go. Gotta let the wood “acclimate” they said, whatever that means. Let it sit for like, two full days. Felt a bit silly staring at stacks of wood on the concrete.
Prepping the Battlefield
Before slapping down any wood, knew I had to get the floor ready. Our garage floor isn’t exactly pristine. Swept it hard, got rid of all the dust bunnies and random pebbles. Found like three rusty nails, kicked those out. Then vacuumed it proper. Felt kinda ridiculous vacuuming a garage floor, but hey, rules are rules. Wiped it down too, just to be thorough.
Unrolled that roll of foam padding they gave. Was way lighter than I expected. Cut it with some scissors to fit the space, leaving like half an inch away from the walls. Taped the seams together with the special tape they included. Felt weirdly satisfying getting that smooth layer down.
The Click-Clack Begins
Okay, time for the actual planks. Started in the corner like the little diagram showed. First row was crucial. Put the grooved sides facing the walls. Had to use these plastic spacers they gave to keep it away from the wall. First plank clicked in easy. Felt good.
Second plank though… wood refused to cooperate. Had to kinda tilt it at this weird angle and whack it gently with a rubber mallet. Seriously needed a third hand here. Got it to click eventually. Took way longer than expected just for the first two rows.
Row After Row After Row…
Once I got the hang of the angle-and-whack method, things started moving faster. Mostly. Every few planks, one would be stubborn. The tongues and grooves didn’t always slide smooth like butter. Had to do this:
- Check if it was upside down (dmn it happened twice)
- Wipe the grooves for dust or tiny wood bits
- Tap it REAL gently along the edge with the mallet
- Sometimes just take it out and try again from scratch
Measured and cut planks for the end of each row. Thankful for the simple saw I had. Was pretty impressed with how cleanly the birch cut. Made nice piles of leftover bits. Saved the bigger ones, just in case.
The Final Stretch & Stare-Down
Getting the last row in was… fun. Had to measure the gap super carefully, cut the planks lengthwise to fit. Scraped my knuckles pushing that last piece in between the wall and the rest. Used the pull bar tool they gave to lever it snug. Heard the final click, pulled out the spacers. Done!
Stood up, back cracked like fireworks. Took a big breath. Swept the whole floor again, got all the wood dust and padding trimmings off.
The Verdict
Walked on it. Felt solid, no weird creaks or dips. Looks fantastic, that light birch wood is sharp in the garage light. Kid bounced a ball on it – made that proper thwack sound. Mission accomplished. Took me most of the afternoon and I ain’t saying it was smooth sailing the whole time, but staring at it finished? Worth every second of wrestling with those grooved edges.
