Got this wild idea to redo our community rec center’s basketball floor last month. The old tiles were peeling up like potato skins after games. Started digging into options and bam – birch basketball flooring kept popping up. Supposed to be tough as nails and cheaper than maple.

The Dumb Research Phase

First, drove all over town checking suppliers. Most looked at me sideways asking for “sport-specific birch panels.” Ended up ordering online – gamble. Showed up on a pallet smelling like a lumberyard, and man, these birch planks felt lighter than I expected. Mild panic set in.

Prep Work Sucks, Always

Ripped out the old mess. Underneath? Disaster zone. Concrete slab looked like a mountain range. Borrowed a grinder from my neighbor Mack. Worst two days of my life – concrete powder in every crevice, sounded like a jet engine in there. Sweated buckets leveling that stupid slab. Forgot knee pads. Big mistake.

Tools That Saved My Sanity:

• Mack’s dusty concrete grinder (owed him beer for life)
• Cheapo laser level from Harbor Freight
• Industrial squeegee for the adhesive (felt like pushing sludge)
• My kid’s old roller skates for moving stacks (not OSHA approved)

Laying the First Plank

Opened the adhesive bucket. Smelled worse than cat pee. Slapped that goo down thick with a notched trowel Mack swore was “just the right size.” First plank went down near the free-throw line. Pressed it hard, wiped off ooze. Looked okay. Second plank? Had to tap it with a mallet like whack-a-mole to get the tongue-and-groove snug. Felt like building Ikea furniture while skating on butter.

The Big Tension Fight

Got halfway across the court before things got ugly. Planks started buckling near the wall where sunlight hit. Panic sweat again. Shut the blinds, cranked the AC, shoved wedges into every gap I could find. Waited 24 hours like the glue bottle said. Tension eased up a bit. Scary moment.

Finally Finished (Mostly)

Cut the final piece at midnight using a jigsaw Mack’s kid held steady. Vacuumed sawdust until my back screamed. Lines weren’t NBA-perfect, but hey. The kids came through the next morning – one jumped right onto a drying spot near the baseline. Nearly had a heart attack. Left a tiny dent. Whatever, battle scar.

Takeaways They Won’t Tell You:

• Birch dings easier than maple. Scuffs show.
• The smell? Takes weeks to air out, even with windows open.
• Don’t trust cheap rollers to seal the surface. Left streaks like a bad haircut.

It bounces okay for half-court games. Would I do it again? Only if Mack does all the concrete grinding.