Getting the Flooring Setup
So I got this idea to build a small basketball pad out back since my kids kept dribbling on our busted concrete. Found a “Larch Assembling Wooden Flooring” kit online claiming it works for outdoor sports. Showed up in twelve big boxes – nearly wrecked my back hauling them to the yard.
Unpacking Chaos
Opened the first crate and man, those wood planks smelled like fresh-cut pine forest. But the instructions? Just pictures with zero words. Tried lining up the pieces like the drawings showed. Each plank had these little clicky grooves on the sides, but half wouldn’t snap together right. Had to hammer the stubborn ones with a rubber mallet. Broke three planks doing that – splinters everywhere.
Ground Level Nightmare
Our yard slopes slightly near the fence. Thought I could cheat it, but when I laid the first row, my level’s bubble floated sideways like it was drunk. Dug out the topsoil with a shovel for two hours, poured five bags of gravel, then stomped it down flat with work boots. Sweat dripping down my neck the whole time.
Assembly Line Struggle
Started clicking rows left-to-right like a puzzle. By row four, realized I’d misaligned the corners. Had to pry up two rows with a crowbar – heard this awful cracking noise. Panicked thinking I split the planks. Turned out it was just the plastic spacers popping out. Took a beer break to calm down before restarting.
Final Stretch Pain
The last row needed cutting to fit. Borrowed my neighbor’s jigsaw but forgot to clamp the plank. Wood vibrated like crazy – cut came out looking like a toddler’s scribble. Sanded the jagged edge with 60-grit paper until my arms burned. Dropped the final piece into place just as sunset hit. Threw the kids’ basketball at it – bounced clean off the smooth surface. Kids went bananas screaming “Game on!”
Lessons Learned
- Never trust silent instructions – YouTube saves lives
- Always triple-check levelness before snapping planks
- Pry bars bite back – go slow near those edges
Three days later, rain warped two planks near the fence. Gotta replace them this weekend. Might curse less this time. Maybe.
