So today I tackled putting together that pad basketball court with hevea wood flooring. Honestly? Way more fuss than I expected, but got it done. Started with boxes everywhere – unloaded all planks, those rubber pad things, trim pieces, the whole mess. Looked like a lumberyard threw up in my garage.
Getting Started & Tools
First step? Clearing a massive space. Swept the concrete floor clean like crazy. Dust bunnies be gone! Then, laid out the foam padding rolls. Had to cut ’em to fit the area exactly. Used a basic utility knife – took some elbow grease, let me tell you. Made sure the seams lined up okay, used the special tape they gave to stick ’em together. Peel and stick? More like peel, swear, and hope it stays put.
What I used:
- Rubber mallet (godsend!)
- Tapping block (the small plastic thingy)
- Measuring tape (duh)
- Utility knife (sharp is key)
- Spacers (little plastic wedges)
- Level (to make sure I wasn’t building a skate ramp)
- Crowbar? Had one ready just in case.
Plank Time – The Tricky Part
Okay, the wood planks. Hevea stuff is pretty nice, has this groove and tongue system. Sounded simple. Yeah, right. Started at one corner, clicked the first short side piece into the long starter piece. Snap – felt good! Used spacers right away along the wall. Gotta have that gap for the wood to move, you know?
Next plank, same thing. Line up the short groove with the tongue, tap-tap-tap lightly with the mallet and the tapping block. Emphasis on LIGHTLY. Smashed my thumb once – learned my lesson quick! Had to keep checking they were really locked in tight. Sometimes they’d look clicked but weren’t seated all the way. Pissed me off.
Going Row by Row
First row down? Easy enough. Second row? Trickier. Now you gotta slot the new plank onto the side of the previous row and click its short end to the plank next door. Awkward angles! Found myself kneeling, twisting, muttering under my breath. Spacers, always checking spacers along the walls.
Hit a wall – literally. Needed a shorter piece. Measured the gap, marked the plank, and cut it straight with the utility knife and a straight edge. Took a few tries to score deep enough to snap it clean. Probably dulled the blade. Oh well.
Hitting the Home Stretch
Rows started flowing faster once I got the rhythm. Tap-click-check. Tap-click-check. Sweat started rolling, knees begging for mercy. Getting near the opposite wall. Last pieces always suck. Had to rip one plank down its length – careful scoring and snapping again. Used the crowbar very, VERY gently to lever the last few tight pieces into place. Heart was pounding, scared I’d chip the edge.
Trimming it Out & Done!
Finally! All the field planks locked in. Pulled out all those plastic spacers. Then came the trim pieces – the molding that covers the gaps around the edge. Mostly just measuring, cutting angles where corners met (thankfully they were pre-mitered kinda), and nailing them into the skirting board, NOT into the floor itself. Used the tiny finishing nails. Took patience.
Stepped back. Looked… surprisingly good! Ran the level over it. Mostly flat? Good enough for me! Sweaty, achy, but man, seeing that solid wooden court surface sitting on top of those pads? Felt pretty damn satisfying. Needs basketballs bouncing now.
